Marching Braves Are Cavalcade of Bands State Champions Again
SUNBURY – The Shikellamy March Braves are celebrating another state championship. The band won its second Cavalcade of Bands State Championship for the second time in four years last weekend in Hershey. They also won the title in 2018.
Director of Bands Scott Carey says this year’s group was highly motivated after being wiped out by the pandemic last year, “And our motto this year has pretty much been ‘Perform Like There’s No Tomorrow,’ because with COVID constantly cancelling sporting events and things, we didn’t want that to have to cancel what we do as well. The kids have had that motto all year and I think that’s helped drive them.”
The Marching Braves competed in the Independence A division to claim the title. The band not only placed first, but also earned the highest award for High Overall Effect. Carey says that award is determined by how a band’s music and visuals make people want to watch their show.
The band’s show this year was the ‘Witching Hour’ based on music by Randall Standbridge, “We actually had a clock in the middle of the field that was set at three o’clock, which is the start of the witching hour, and we had parents design it such that the clock would actually spin open and the color guard would come out. At the end of the show, they would go back through and they would close the clock and as the last chime hits on the fourth hour, the hour hand would move from three o’clock to four o’clock.”
The show also included the color guard dressed as witches, along with other Halloween themed visual effects.
