As the 2017 Bands of America season is approaching, we take a look back at the bands who made it all the way to the 2016 Grand National Finals.

From the design process to rehearsals to the actual competitions, marching band involves a lot of hard work. While some sports call for less than a dozen players on the field or court at one time, marching bands need to synchronize 100-plus performers together so tightly that you can get lost in a sea of motion and sound.

For the Wando High School marching band from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, pulling this feat off came down to a simple challenge from its director before the season.

"This is going to be hard," Wando director Bobby Lambert told his band. "It's going to be taxing...Trust us now when we say to you that you've moved beyond. You are more than you were in May, and you are greater than you were then."



Wando's performance of "THEREFORE" was one of the most intellectually challenging shows among the 2016 Bands of America Grand National finalists at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis this past month. Featuring striking artistic props, including a 12-foot tall stone-like face, the show was full of self-reflection and thought. The performers took a show that was already demanding and raised it to a level beyond what the designers imagined. 

The band's efforts did not go unnoticed. Wando was rewarded with the highest placement in school history by finishing eighth at Grand Nationals. 

"Success comes from how we carry ourselves from one place to the next," Lambert said. "Greatness is never easy."

UPCOMING 2017 BOA EVENTS:

BOA Atlanta Super Regional

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