Arts: 60 Groups Compete Saturday in Cary
Cary, NC — On Saturday, March 19, 2016, nearly 60 high school groups will compete in Indoor Percussion and Winterguard competitions at Green Hope High School. This event is called “Sport of the Arts.”
Sport of the Arts – Saturday in Cary
Gymnasiums aren’t just for basketball and wrestling.
This weekend, our local high school marching bands will come together inside the Green Hope High School gymnasium to compete in Indoor Percussion and Winterguard competitions in an event called “Sport of the Arts.” Each 15 minute performance is quick and entertaining – almost like a mini-revue or Broadway number. You can see the nearly 60 groups compete in “Art in Motion” for yourself on Saturday, March 19 all-day between 8 am and 10 pm.
Amazing & Thrilling
“It’s an amazing and thrilling privilege to experience the sights and sounds that are presented by such talented and hardworking youth. You cannot help but smile and cheer for them all,” said Maressa Mathura, Green Hope’s Art in Motion Chairperson. Among the 60 groups performing will be Panther Creek High School, Green Hope High School, Cary High School, Broughton High School, Sanderson High School and Holly Springs High School.
Even NC State University’s Winterguard will be there.
Green Hope Varsity Winterguard performs in VA. Photo by Andi Howard.
Many of the high schools’ groups have different skill levels and include middle school students as well. Lloyd Hinnant, the Pres-Elect of Green Hope’s Band Booster, invites everyone to, “Come on out to support these students from our local schools and surrounding areas as they show what hard work and lots of practice can achieve. They truly do accomplish Art in Motion.”
The show themes vary from life-inspiring to comical to almost morbid with music that varies from classical to rock. It’s truly entertaining!
The Schedule
The Indoor Percussion ensembles start early, at 8 am, and the Winterguard groups start at 2:45 pm.
You can stop by anytime – the event’s complete schedule can be found online.
What’s Indoor Percussion?
An indoor percussion ensemble consists of the marching percussion (also called the battery) and the front ensemble of a marching band. Winterguard International, or WGI, defines it as, “Indoor Percussion marries elements of music performance, marching, and theater; thus the activity is often referred to a percussion theater.”
The Green Hope show, for example, is Chopin music adapted to drums, marimbas, cymbals and other percussion instruments. The school’s performance is called “Moments of Growth,” and their costumes resemble trees.
Green Hope’s Indoor Percussion Group. Photo by Simon Taylor.
As a “band mom,” I must confess that I only know details about the Green Hope show, but I am sure that the other schools have equally captivating shows.
What’s Winterguard?
Winterguard is a combination of the use of flags, sabers, mock rifles and other equipment to music along with dancing and other interpretive movements. Winterguard students have been practicing since November to learn the dance drill and the other skills required. The moms have been very busy sewing the colorful flags and adjusting costumes, and the dads chip in to move the decorative yet protective floors for the gym floors, equipment and props.
Event Details
Sport of the Arts: Indoor Percussion & Winterguard Competitions
Saturday, March 19, 2016; 8 am-10 pm
at Green Hope, 2500 Carpenter Upchurch Road, Cary
Tickets are $10 at the door and $5 for children
Story by Nancy Caggia. Lead photo by bennybanjo3.
