Council Rock North Marching Band Lassos First Place With 'Unbridled'

NEWTOWN, PA — The Council Rock North Marching Band trotted to first place with its show, “Unbridled,” in a Cavalcade of Bands competition on Saturday, October 29 in Abington.

The 55-member band took top honors in the Liberty A division, competing against similar size schools at the annual Bands in the Boneyard contest hosted by Abington Senior High School.

Wayne Bishop, the director of bands at the high school in Newtown, said it was incredibly fulfilling to see the immense progress made by the students.

“Throughout this competition season, I've encouraged the band to keep their heads down and their chins up – in other words, work hard and be proud of that work,” said Bishop, who is in his eighth year as CRN band director. “That philosophy got us to this point, but there's plenty of room to continue to improve until championships. I'm excited to see what we can do to continue to refine the composition and performance of the show in these last few weeks."

The CR North Marching Band competes in the Cavalcade of Bands circuit. At a competition, a panel of judges evaluates the band on a variety of specific musical and visual techniques.

The band’s 2022 show “Unbridled” is a celebration of equestrian culture and the free spirit of horses. The arrangement uses familiar themes from the “William Tell” and “Light Cavalry” Overtures to illicit the power and grace of this majestic creature, bringing us back to our own childhood dreams of having our very own pony.

There are several opportunities for the public to see the award-winning band in action. Tickets are available at the gate for a Cavalcade of Bands competition Saturday, November 5 at Hatboro-Horsham High School in Horsham. The championship contest follows Saturday, November 12 in Hershey.

The public is also invited to the Stadium Review Concert, in which the band takes its field show indoors, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 15 in the auditorium at Council Rock North. Admission is free. The high school is located at 62 Swamp Rd., Newtown 18940.

In addition, the band will perform at the tree lighting in Washington Crossing Historic Park on Friday, November 25 and in the Newtown Holiday Parade on Sunday, December 4.

The band is also preparing for a performance tour in Hawaii next spring, and fundraising efforts are in full swing to offset the cost of equipment rental and instrument transportation. To make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.crnband.org/store.

To learn more about the Council Rock North Marching Band, visit CRNBand.org.