Troy Athens to Host 12 Bands in Marching Competition

The Troy Athens Red Hawk Marching Band is excited to host the 6th annual Troy Athens Invitational marching band competition on October 25 as part of The Michigan Competing Band Association (MCBA) circuit.

“Marching competitions are a lot of fun to watch, as each band’s performance tells a story through music, marching and the movement of the color guard,” said P. Jefferson McCoy, Athens director of bands.

Bands from across Michigan will be performing—including Columbia Central, Marysville, and SCS South Lake. In addition to the Athens Marching Band other local bands featured are Ferndale, Hazel Park, Lake Orion, Lamphere, L’Anse Creuse, L’Anse Creuse North, Novi, and Plymouth Canton. Competing bands hope to achieve scores high enough to qualify for the State Finals at Ford Field in November.

The Troy Athens 2014 production entitled “Bonnie and Clyde” tells the tale of two of America’s most legendary outlaws. The music and performance will take the audience back to 1930 as the infamous couple meets and their romance grows during George Gershwin’s classic, jazz infused “Rhapsody in Blue.” The story continues as the daring duo and their gang begins their crime spree to Frank Wildhorn’s “The World Will Remember Us” from Broadway’s Bonnie and Clyde. And as the band plays a modern mix of Isham Jones 1920’s classic “It Had to Be You” and Radiohead’s “Creep,” the ill-fated lovers attempt to evade the law.

The competition begins at 5:30 pm. Tickets will be on sale at the gate to the Athens stadium. Admission is $8.00 for adults and $6.00 for students and senior citizens. Athens High School is located at 4333 John R Road.