Noblesville Schools announced Thursday that the Noblesville High School (NHS) marching band will join the prestigious Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) marching band field show circuit starting with the 2019 fall band season.
Noblesville concert and jazz bands have participated in ISSMA contests for many years, but the NHS marching band has traditionally participated in the Indiana State Fair track circuit, competing against smaller schools across the state.
The ISSMA circuit will position Noblesville with comparable surrounding school districts and will provide the band the larger physical space needed for its 150 members to compete. The move to ISSMA also aligns competition schedules with the Noblesville Schools calendar, reducing missed class time for band competitions.
Thornbury
“The State Fair has been a great tradition over the years and I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish there,” said Eric Thornbury, director of bands for Noblesville High School. “The initial objectives I set for the band program have all been achieved and our students are more than ready for this new challenge. We are ready to step up and compete with our neighboring schools.”
Noblesville Schools is known for its strong performing arts programming, with more students throughout the district active in performing arts than athletics. In addition to being named a national Best Community for Music Education, Noblesville also boasts state accolades for color guard, jazz band, percussion, marching band, choirs and music educators.
“This opportunity will be a step forward for our students and community,” added Noblesville High School Principal Jeff Bryant. “As educators, it’s our job to support and challenge students to reach higher and achieve more. I’m excited to see where this new adventure will lead.”
NHS won the State Fair band championship the last two years in a row with a record-breaking score and is the 11th largest high school in the state.