It has been nearly 20 years since Indian Hill earned this prestigious recognition.
Indian Hill High School (IHHS) congratulates the Braves Marching Band (BMB) for winning the Mid-States Band Association Class A Championship Saturday, November 9, at Simon Kenton High School in Kentucky. IHHS student-musicians competed against 26 other bands from Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.
“Winning the championship is a very difficult and rare accomplishment to achieve,” said Chris Rotsching, teacher and assistant band director. “It is the culmination of the competitive season. The championship is designed to gather all of the bands from each class to get an accurate comparison between them in order to crown a champion. Winning the class championship identifies you as the best of the best.”
While Indian Hill regularly places as one of the top bands in the competition, the last time Braves claimed the top spot was in 2000. The Mid-States Band Association divides bands into classes based on group size. The IHHS Braves Marching Band will compete one more time this season in the Bands of America Grand National Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Friday, November 15.
“As a teacher and mentor, this is very gratifying,” said Rotsching. “Winning is really not our goal – there are other things that take priority. But, it is very gratifying when the students are rewarded for their efforts! This is really a very special group of students. They are not afraid to fail, and do not know how to back down. Their perseverance is exceptional. This is another reason why it is so gratifying to see them be recognized.”
“Having been a member of the BMB for six years, it has been a large part of my life,” said IHHS senior Will Warfel. “It’s incredible to see the people I’ve grown up with enjoy this moment with me, and this will be a memory I cherish.”
“The one thing that means the most to me is that marching band epitomizes team effort,” said IHHS junior and Drum Major Amitesh Verma. “Every individual is important, and when everyone is working together, fascinating feats are accomplished. That’s what we did at the Mid-States Championships – we kept the spirit high and gave it our all.”
Photo caption: The Indian Hill High School Braves Marching Band won the Mid-States Band Association Class A Championship Saturday, November 9, at Simon Kenton High School in Kentucky.