MHS Marching Band receives high marks at festival

The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
·2 min read

Sep. 25—MARSHALL, Minn. — The Mitchell High School Marching Band took home third place in the Navy Class and fifth of 19 bands overall at the Pursuit of Excellence competition at Southeast Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota, recently.

The band's show, "Nightmare at 30,000 Feet," tells the story of a man who has a mental breakdown during a flight, believing that a gremlin is ripping the plane apart in midair. The show includes airline-themed costumes and the body of a Cessna airplane outfitted for the performance.

"I thought it was our best run of the year so far," said Ryan Stahle, Mitchell High School director of bands. "We weren't sure we'd be able to perform at all, given the weather forecast, but we were fortunate that the rain held off long enough to get the event in."

Earlier in the day, the band rehearsed with clinicians who advised them on how to improve their performance.

"These were outstanding clinicians — nationally renowned folks," Stahle said. "Some of the things they left us with are going to pay off for us going forward, I think."

Mitchell's show, which debuted at the home football game Sept. 8, received an immediate positive response from the crowd. While they had hoped for a higher finish, Stahle said he was pleased with the band's performance.

"We were up against some great programs," he said. "The contest results weren't quite what we hoped, but we've got a great foundation to build on."

Next up for the band is the final home football game and senior recognition at 7 p.m. Friday at Joe Quintal Field, which includes the popular "Lights Out" show after the game. The band's next regional event will be Starfest in Sioux City on Sept. 30.