43rd Annual
Panther Marching Band Festival
Saturday, October 5, 2019 10:00 AM
O’Brien Stadium, Eastern Illinois University
General Information
The Eastern Illinois University Panther Marching Band invites YOU to join us for the 43rd Annual Panther Marching Band Festival tentatively set for Saturday, October 5, 2019 in O’Brien Stadium on the campus of Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois.
The event will be capped at 35 participating bands. Classification is based on a hybrid of school enrollment (official IHSA data) and band size. Breaks in classification vary from year to year and are based on the natural gaps that occur when school enrollment and band size are placed in order from smallest to largest.
For the 2018 festival, the hybrid system resulted in the following classifications:
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Class 1A: School Enrollment 1-650, Band Size of 1-55 students
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Class 2A: School Enrollment 1-650, Band Size of 56+
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Class 3A: School Enrollment of 651+, Band Size of 1-70
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Class 4A: School Enrollment of 651+, Band Size of 71-100
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Class 5A: School Enrollment of 651+, Band Size of 101+
The official start time is 10am. Bands will perform in the order of classification with awards for Class 1A, 2A and 3A following the 3A bands. Awards for 4A and 5A will follow the 5A bands. Performance order within each class will be decided by the date the registration fee is received at EIU. (Exceptions have been made on occasion in order to provide the most participation possible.) A draft schedule will be sent in late August. The final schedule will be sent and published two weeks prior to the festival.
Scoring for the Panther Marching Band Festival is 60% music, 40% visual. The music score will be comprised of 20% of each music performance and effect caption. The visual score will be 10% of each performance caption and 20% from effect.
Awards will be presented in each competitive class for Participation, Best Music, Best Visual, Best General Effect, Best Percussion, Best Auxiliary, Best Drum Major, and the Top 3 Places. Grand Champion trophies and Outstanding Soloist Awards will presented for Small Class (1A, 2A, and 3A combined) and Large Class (4A and 5A combined) divisions.
More information for directors can be found in the directors information packet.
2018 Directors Information Packet
Why the Panther Marching Band Festival?
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A well maintained turf field.
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Well organized festival with a welcoming and helpful staff.
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Energetic environment that focuses on student success.
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Judges from DCI, BOA, WGI, and the best marching directors in nation.
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High camera video of all band performances provided by EIU visual media free of charge.
- Panther Marching Band performances!
2018 Adjudicators
Music General Effect - Matthew Conaway, Purdue University
Music Ensemble - John Apple
Music Individual - Gregory Clemons, Harper College
Visual General Effect - Jeff Fiedler
Visual Ensemble - Josephine Smith
Visual Individual - Christopher Frick
Auxiliaries - Marc Preston Moss
Percussion - Adam Hill, Pioneer Indoor Percusion
Drum Majors - Molly Elvert
Panther Marching Band Festival Adjudication Forms
Registration
The registration fee for the 43rd Panther Marching Band Festival is $300. Online registration will open on March 1, 2019. Follow the link below.
2019 Panther Marching Band Registration Form
Registration deadline is August 30, 2019.
Checks for the $300 Registration Fee should be made out EIU and sent to:
Panther Marching Band Festival
Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Ave.
Charleston, IL 61920
Spectator Tickets and Parking
$10 for adults
$5 for students/senior citizens
Children ages 5 and under are FREE
Festival Programs will be available for $5
Tickets available on the day of the event. Cash or check accepted.
Parking for the festival is FREE. Spectators can park in the stadium lot to the west of the stadium or the J lot to the north.
We hope you will join us for the exciting and spectacular pageantry of Illinois high school marching bands at O’Brien Stadium!
Contact
If you have any further questions, please contact Prof. David Boggs, Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Athletic Bands at: dgboggs@eiu.edu
