Hours in the hot Texas sun marking time and playing their hearts out have paid off for several area marching bands who performed their musical dreams at half-time shows and competitions in October.
Collinsville, Whitesboro, Howe and Pottsboro bands all made the cut to compete at the state level marching contest.
“This is the first time for Collinsville,” said Collinsville Band Director Jeff Van Oort. The band will compete at the state competition on Nov. 10 in San Antonio. A city-wide send off for the band is planned.
“We are pretty excited to say the least,” Van Oort said. The win that punched their ticket to the state competition came on Halloween of all days. The magic started early in the day when the band took first place in prelims. That won them a coveted spot to perform again in finals where the 61 marching members of the Pirate band played their way into the top spot in their category.
Making it to the state competition was the band’s goal this season, but winning the top spot in the area competition was icing on the cake.
The band’s 2026 show is called “Icarus” and features music from “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” “Moulin Rouge” and “Requiem for a Dream.”
For the 13 members of the senior class who march in the band, they will finish their high school band careers having been to area marching band contest each year they have marched and then winning that competition once with at least a trip to state.
They will share the joy of winning their area competition and a trip to state with marchers in Whitesboro. The Bearcat band held a big send-off Tuesday for their trip to San Antonio.
WHS Band Director Austin Nestler’s 101-member group won top honors with its show “The Author” at the area competition. The program features marchers in the 8th through 12th grade.
Howe’s Bulldog band show “Howe to Celebrate” came in second behind Whitesboro to win their trip to the state marching competition. Band Director Angie Liss’ group is no stranger to the state competition and also held a big send-off for their marchers on Tuesday.
A full schedule for the UIL state marching contest can be found at www.uiltexas.org/music/marching-band/state
