Century Marching Knights
The Century High School Marching Knights is a competition marching band, combining the visual artistry of color guard with the musicianship and precision marching of percussion and wind instrument band members. In addition to playing pep music and football halftime shows, Century's marching band participates in a competitive marching band circuit where they are judged and compared against similar experienced and sized bands. This entire endeavor is about the pursuit of excellence - excellence in musicality, marching, precision, and most important, excellence in teamwork and dedication.
Marching Band Info and FAQs
BAND CAMP AND REHEARSALS Rehearsals and practice for the fall season begin in the spring prior to the end of the school year. From May thru August there are several rehearsal opportunities and current and prospective band members are highly encouraged to attend as many of these as possible. In August, things get serious with a mandatory two week band camp. When school starts, rehearsals are two nights per week, from 6PM to 9PM.
WHAT IS THE TOTAL TIME COMMITMENT? The time required for marching band and color guard is very similar that required for high school sports. There is a significant commitment of time required and learning the needed time management skills is one of the key benefits of participating. Ask any marching band member and they will tell you, they are most productive and efficient at their school work and other commitments during the marching season. In addition to two evenings per week, there are four to five friday night football games and roughly six to seven Saturday competitions.
WHAT ARE THE INSTRUMENTS? In marching band you will hear terms like winds, battery, and pit instruments. Winds are the classic marching instruments like trumpet, clarinets, flutes, tubas, and saxophones. The Battery consists of drums that are part of the marching formation. Pit instruments are stationary and do not march. These consists primarily of percussion instruments like of marimbas, xylophones, timpani drums, and keyboards.
BUT I PLAY THE VIOLIN!? No matter your instrument or level of experience everyone can participate in marching band. String players can easily move over to another instrument for marching band. Oboe players have moved to clarinet or saxophone. You can even move over to the challenge of color guard if marching and playing is not your thing.
COLOR GUARD Century is well known for its tremendous Color Guard. The Color Guard utilize flags, rifles, sabers, and dance choreography in drill routines to make the marching band music come alive for the audience. During the fall the Color Guard performs with the marching band at football games and competitions. During the winter and spring, when it is known as Indoor Guard, the ensemble performs at regional competitions and school events.
WHAT IS A HOME SHOW? The competitive marching circuit relies on participating high schools to host competitions at their facilities. Each year the Century Music Boosters, with assistance from the school faculty, hosts one of the competitions using nearly the entire Century facility. With ten to sixteen bands and two to three thousand total visitors on site, extensive planning and volunteers are required.
Although an incredible amount of work, the spotlight it brings to Century's music program and the large scale involvement of parent volunteers makes for a rewarding day and demonstrates Carroll County's commitment to the performing arts.
In addition to being a major fundraiser, the home show also offers the marching band the opportunity to perform on its home field to a huge crowd of family, friends, the local community, and participating schools. In 2016, all four Carroll County marching ensembles, from Liberty, South Carroll, Westminster, and Century, performed during the show.
2016 Home Show Highlights!
2018 Home Show Highlights!
COMPETITIONS The hours, weeks, and months of preparation finally come together when competition begins. Each school's performance is judged for musicality, marching, guard, percussion, and overall effect. While its fun to win, the most important part of any competition is receiving the feedback from the adjudicators. Band directors are expected to take the feedback back to the next week's rehearsals and further fine tune trouble areas. This process results in improvement week after week and when State and National competitions begin in November, marching bands are expected to be performing at the very best of their ability. This feedback system and quest for continual improvement is what sets marching band apart and instills the valuable habit of striving for excellence in all endeavors.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT Marching band is an 'all hands on deck' activity providing numerous rewarding opportunities for parent volunteers to help out. Parents are encouraged to help support in any way they can. Parents are needed to chaperone competitions, help with uniforms and flags, help build, load and move equipment, help fundraise, and cheer on the marching band. Marching band does not happen without the broad support and involvement of parent volunteers.
