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Strike up the band

Marching band competition is Saturday in Dodger Stadium

—Messenger file photo
Fort Dodge’s Aliyah Henry tosses her hat off the field during the Iowa High School State Music Association Marching Band Festival in 2020. The Dodgers will host the 19th annual North Central Iowa Marching Band Competition on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

The sound of instruments will be put on display for the 19th annual North Central Iowa Marching Band Clinic on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

More than 10 teams will put their music on display.

The competition will begin at 5:15 p.m. and finish with Fort Dodge (4A) at 8:15 p.m. Awards will be handed out at 8:45 p.m.

Humboldt (6:15 p.m.) and Algona (7 p.m.) will both compete in Class 3A.

Admission is $7 with those in Pre-K and younger admitted free.

Fort Dodge will perform its show entitled “Earth, Wind & Fire.” The show includes some of the top hits of the iconic rock group of the ’70s and ’80s.

“Our students have worked over 200 hours this year,” said Fort Dodge director Al Paulson. “We started rehearsals at the beginning of August.”

Musical selections include “September” and “After the Love Has Gone,” featuring alto sax soloist Abby Meyer, plus “Fantasy” with piccolo trumpet soloist Aaron Amhof and flugel horn soloist Brayden Schmeider. The Dodgers will close the show with “In The Snow.”

The Fort Dodge “All-American” band has a long history of marching excellence including 19 Division I ratings at the IHSMA State Marching Band Festival and numerous caption awards, including color guard, best brass, best woodwinds and best drumline.

The Dodgers will perform parts of their show as a pre-game showcase (7:15 p.m.) before Fort Dodge’s game against Webster City (7:30 p.m.)

“Our band boosters and band members help run the contest,” Paulson said. “They host bands, take tickets and run the concession stand and many other jobs.”

Muskogee, Oklahoma, will perform the halftime show of the football game.

Iowa Central Community College will perform an exhibition show before the awards are handed out. The Tritons will perform a variety of this year’s halftime selections, stands tunes and drumline grooves.

Humboldt, under the direction of Tiffany Wurth, has almost doubled in size and has brought home high Division I ratings in marching, jazz and concert band contests.

Kurt Kissinger will direct the Algona band that is in its 45th year of competitive field marching.

The Bulldogs have earned 35 consecutive Division I ratings and 42 overall Division I ratings at the State Marching Band Festival.

Schedule

5 p.m. Opening ceremony

5:15 p.m. West Central (2A)

5:30 p.m. Kuemper (2A)

5:45 p.m. Aplington-Parkersburg (2A)

6 p.m. Break

6:15 p.m. Humboldt (3A)

6:30 p.m. Estherville (3A)

6:45 p.m. ADM (3A)

7 p.m. Algona (3A)

7:15 p.m.Saydel (3A)

7:30 p.m. Break

7:45 p.m. Indianola (4A)

8 p.m. Muskogee, Oklahoma (4A)

8:15 p.m. Fort Dodge (4A)

8:30 p.m. Iowa Central exhibition

8:45 p.m. Awards

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