Romeoville HS Marching Band Hosts Seventh Annual Spartan Classic

ROMEOVILLE, IL — The Romeoville High School Marching Spartans will host the seventh annual Spartan Classic, featuring marching bands from throughout the Chicago suburbs on Sept. 21 at Spartan Stadium, 100 N. Independence Boulevard.

The stadium opens at noon, with the first band set to perform at 1 p.m. The show is open to the community, according to a release.

The bands will compete in three different classes based on their size. The bands will be judged using Bands of America scoring.

Awards will be given to first, second and third place finishers in each class.

Special caption awards will also be given to outstanding percussion, color guard, visual effects and music, according to a release. Winners of the caption awards will be given items, such as a new snare drum, a color guard flag package, tuners, metronomes and a set of batteries.

Music and the arts budgets are often the first to be cut when districts face financial constraints, so the Romeoville High School directors and its Band Booster Association want to ensure their awards will directly benefit student musicians, according to a release.

A Grand Champion will also be awarded based on the highest overall total, regardless of class size.

At 4:40 p.m., the 130-piece Romeoville High School Marching Spartans will perform its show, “Kusama,” in exhibition. “Kusama,” composed by Rob Stein with percussion arrangements by Ezekiel Lander, is based on the work of famous Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

The Romeoville High School band is led by longtime conductor Clark Anderson and percussion director Adam Hill, who was featured earlier this year on NBC's “America’s Got Talent,” according to a news release.

Entrance to the Spartan Classic is $15 for adults; $10 for students and seniors, and $40 for a group of two adults and two students or seniors. Children 5 and younger are free.

Proceeds support the Romeoville High School Marching Band program.

The Romeoville High School Marching Spartans are looking to build on the success of its 2023 season, in which it was named Grand Champions at both the Geneseo Maple Leaf Classic and Sandwich Musicfest competitions, among other awards. The season runs through Oct. 25.