2016 Bands of America Grand National Championships, presented by Yamaha

2016 BOA Grand National Finalist Feature: Marian Catholic H.S.

Take a closer look at the Marian Catholic High School marching band and its historic run of excellence.

Dec 8, 2016 by Michael Gilley

2016 BOA Grand National Finalist Feature: Marian Catholic H.S.

Now that the DCI season has ended, we turn our focus to the upcoming Bands of America season. To better understand what might transpire in 2017, we take a look back at 2016 with the bands who made it to finals at Grand Nationals.

When you think competitive marching bands and Bands of America, there's one name that everyone either knows or should know -- Marian Catholic. Even before YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and America Online, band director Greg Bimm and the musicians of Marian Catholic were churning out incredible performances year after year.

Marian Catholic has enjoyed one of the most historic runs in the marching arts world, and the band's longevity and ability to evolve has set a trailblazing example.

A fellow director put it like this, "Without Greg Bimm...We would not be here right now doing what we're doing at the level of performance that we see."

The Marian Catholic band has made Bands of America Grand National Finals every year since 1984 and has a winning streak of Illinois Class 2A state championships that extends back to 1980!

Watching the show this year, you can see why Bimm's program has continued to stay on the cutting edge and evolve over such a long period of time. In its 2016 program, named Unbroken, Marian Catholic uses a variety of non-traditional instruments such as the glissando headjoint, alto flute, bass flute, hammered dulcimer, tuned glass bottles, and marimbula.

At the BOA Grand National Finals in Indianapolis last month, Bimm discussed the pressure that comes with leading such a historic program and how the band handles its high expectations each year.

"If you're truly pursuing excellence, it causes it's own pressure" Bimm said. "It's not a matter of 'you got to finish in this place or that place.' It's really just a matter of you versus the art. Just how far along can you push the art. That's significant pressure."

UPCOMING 2017 BOA EVENTS:

BOA Indianapolis Super Regional
BOA Grand National Championship

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