The William Byrd High School Marching Terriers will host their 22nd annual Preview of Champions fundraiser on September 16 at the high school stadium.
The gates open at 4 p.m. Tickets are $5 per person with children under 5 free.
At least 10 bands will be competing, including Salem, Jefferson Forest, and Southeast Raleigh from North Carolina. The Terriers will perform their “Power of Music” program in exhibition.
The Preview of Champions has been a longstanding tradition at William Byrd and generally opens the band competition season in the region. According to Band Director Dan Plybon, “The concept of our competition is to offer excellent adjudication at an early stage.” Bands are judged and rated on their drum majors, color guard, percussion, marching, general effect, music, and overall performance.
In addition to Plybon, the band is led by assistant Denise Aspell, percussion instructor Rob Curtin, color guard instructor Jes Curtin, and Chris Steuart.
There are 64 members of the marching band this year, led by Corps Commander Megan Wu, Drum Major Jasmine Crawford, Horn Line Captain Rebecca Geisler, Color Guard Captain Natalie Yates, and Percussion Captain Jacob Speck. Squad leaders are K.J. Elmore, Everett Fletchall, Josephine Brandimore, Maggie Steuart, Alyssa Summey, Aalysa Stuckey, Dane Blackwood, Courtney Cherry, and Kaylee Tuck.
This year the program theme is “The Power of Music.” The repertoire includes “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark” by Fall Out Boy, “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake, “Someone Like You” by Adele, “Rumor Has It,” also by Adele, and “Firework” by Katy Perry.
The band boosters bear much of the responsibility for the logistics of the Preview of Champions event. Robin Geisler is returning as band booster president this season. Other band booster officers include Vice President Troy Stultz, Secretary Chrissy Dinnerville, treasurer Debra Dietrich, and head of Ways and Means, Robyn Tuck.
