By Jon Armstrong

Correspondent

 

CLASS AA

Greene – Making their 43rd Sherburne Pageant appearance this year is the Greene Central School Band.  In fact, Greene was one of the nine bands to attend the first pageant in 1949.  Among their many pageant accomplishments are 15 trophies in the parade competition, 12 in concert band, 4 in field band, baton twirling and jazz as well as 2 in color guard.  Greene was also the winner of the Craine Achievement Award, the Sherburne Pageant Grand Championships Award, in 1961 and 1962.  At last year’s pageant Greene3rd in concert band and 5th in parade.  This year they will compete in jazz, concert band and parade.

 

Marion – The Black Knights from Marion Central School are from Wayne County, north of the NYS Thruway between Rochester and Oswego.  This year marks the 22nd pageant appearance for Marion.  At Sherburne they have been first in jazz 4 times, first in parade 5 times and first in concert band 13 times (including 11 straight victories from 1996 – 2006).  In addition to those awards, Marion has won the Best of Class Award 4 times.  In the past two decades Marion has attneded band pageants in Springville, Seneca Falls and Gorham.  At this year’s Sherburne Pageant Marion will enter the jazz, small ensemble, high school concert band, junior high school concert band, parade and cadence events.

 

Mexico – 1999 marked the first appearance at the Sherburne Pageant for Mexico.  They also attended the 02, 03, 05, 06, 07 and 08 pageants.  Last year Mexico won 2nd place in concert band, 3rd in small ensemble and percussion and 4th in the parade.  This year Mexico will enter numerous performing groups in competition at the pageant.  They will feature both a junior and senior high school jazz band, several small ensembles, a senior and junior high concert band, a parade band and a drum line.  During the winter months Mexico’s color guard competes in the Mid – York Circuit.  At this year’s Mid – York Circuit Championship they placed 4th in the Scholastic Regional Class.

 

Norwich – Another one of the original bands from the 1949 pageant, Norwich enters this year’s pageant as the defending winner of the Frank L. Miller Outstanding Director Award and the Albert Whitney Overall Achievement Award.  They claimed those prestigious awards by placing first in jazz, small ensemble, high school concert band, parade and cadence.  Norwich also picked up a 4th place trophy last year for their junior concert band.  For the past seven years Norwich has also won the Best of Class Award.  Making this their 59th pageant (missing only the 76 pageant), Norwich will again enter every event offered at the pageant as well as having a junior jazz band and junior concert band.  Last fall, Norwich placed fourth in the New York State Field Band Conference Championships at the Carrier Dome.  Norwich is a charter member of the New York State Field Band Conference.

 

Sidney – The Sidney Warriors have missed only two pageants (79 & 84) since they first came to Sherburne in 1968.  Since that time they have won over 70 pageant trophies.  These include 6 first place awards in jazz, 4 in concert band, 3 in parade, 2 in color guard and 1 in cadence.  Sidney has also won the Best of Class Award in 1999 and 2003.   At this year’s pageant the Warriors will feature groups in the jazz, small ensemble, concert, parade and cadence events.   Each winter the Sidney’s jazz band attends the Oneida Jazz Fest and has also performed at the Fonda – Fultonville Jazz Festival.

 

CLASS A

APW – The Rebels first attended the Sherburne Pageant from 1976 to 1983.  After a break they returned in 1992 and have attended every pageant since then.  They have been consistent trophy winners.  They have won the parade competition five times (80, 81, 94, 98 & 99), color guard seven times (77, 78, 79, 80, 06, 07 & 08), cadence competition four times (04, 05, 06 & 07) as well as winning first place in last year’s small ensemble contest.  In 2005 APW also won the Best of Class Award.  This past winter their indoor color guard took 6th place in their class at the Mid – York Color Guard Circuit Championships.  APW will enter the jazz, small ensemble, concert band, parade and cadence competitions at this year’s pageant.

 

Bloomfield – The Bloomfield Bombers are making their 7th pageant appearance this year at Sherburne.  They have placed first in concert band and jazz band every time they have competed at the pageant.  They have also won the Best of Class Award for the past three years in their division.  Hoping to add to their long list of awards, Bloomfield will be entering the jazz, small ensemble, concert band, parade and cadence competitions.  During the winter months the Bloomfield indoor color guard competes in the North East Color Guard Circuit.  At this year’s circuit championship in Rochester the guard placed 4th in their class.

 

Newfield – Last year’s winner of the Class B Best of Class Award hails from the southern tier of New York near Ithaca.  The Trojans won first place in color guard and concert band last year at Sherburne as well second place awards in jazz and small ensemble.  In 2006 and 2007 their drum line won silver medals at the Sherburne Pageant.  Their concert band won first place in 2003 and 2005 at the Music In The Parks competition in Virginia.  They also won first place in concert band, jazz band and drum line at the 2007 Festival of Music in Toronto, Canada.  Newfield attended the 2004 Seneca Falls Pageant of Bands where they won 2nd in concert band and 4th in drum line.  At the same pageant in 2005 they were 1st in concert band, 3rd in drum line and 4th in the parade.  This spring the NAMM Foundation named Newfield as one of the top music communities in the nation.  Newfield will enter the jazz, small ensemble, concert band, cadence and parade events at Sherburne.

 

Pulaski – This will be Pulaski’s 19th appearance at the Sherburne Pageant.  They first attended the pageant way back in 1965 where they won a third place trophy in the parade.  Pulaski returned to the pageant in 1992 and has attended every pageant since.  During that time they have amassed three Best of Class Awards in 03, 06 and 07.  Among their many awards are nine first place finishes in the parade, four in cadence, three in jazz and one each in small ensemble and concert band.  Pulaski will enter all of the various contests at this year’s Sherburne Pageant; jazz, small ensemble, concert band, parade and cadence.  In just under a month the marching band will travel to Washington, DC to participate in the 4th of July Parade.

 

West Canada Valley – The Indians from West Canada Valley attended their first Sherburne Pageant in 2005 where they won third in concert band.  In 2006 they were first in concert band and third in parade.  The following year they won the Best of Class Award and picked up first in concert band, parade and color guard and second in cadence.  Last year they were again the Best of Class winners with first place finishes in jazz, small ensemble and concert band as well third in parade and cadence plus a fourth place finish in junior concert band.  This year West Canada Valley will enter the jazz, small ensemble, high school concert band, junior concert band, parade and cadence events.

 

CLASS B

Dolgeville – The Blue Devils from Dolgeville will be featuring groups in the concert band, parade and cadence contests at this year’s Sherburne Pageant.  Last year Dolgeville won 1st in cadence and fourth place in the parade and concert band contests.  In 2007 they won second in conert band and cadence plus fifth place in the parde.  This year will mark their 13th straight appearance in Sherburne.  Over the years they have brought home over 20 trophies from the pageant.  Most of their award have come in the parade, concert band and cadence contests. Annually, the band participates in the Violet Festival Parade.

 

Marathon – The Olympians from Cortland County’s Marathon Central School are making their third consecutive appearance at the Sherburne Pageant.  In 2007 they won third in concert band and fourth in parade.  Last year they took home third in small ensemble and fifth in the parade.  This year they will enter all of the pageant’s contests; jazz, small ensemble, concert band, parade and cadence.  This past weekend Marathon also participated in the Gorham Pageant of Bands.  Each year they are active in numerous parades such as the Albion Strawberry Festival, Cortland County Dairy Parade, Dryden Dairy Days, Homer Field Days and the Marathon Maple Festival.

 

Morrisville-Eaton – Every year since 1967 Morrisville – Eaton’s Warriors have participated in the Sherburne Pageant.  This year will mark their forty – second appearance.  In their previous times at Sherburne they have won nearly 60 awards including nine first place finishes in parade, four in cadence, two in concert band and one in color guard.  Last year Morrisville – Eaton took home a third place trophy in concert band and first place in parade and cadence.  This year they will enter the jazz contest as well as high school concert band, junior concert band, parade and cadence.  The marching band will also be appearing in Canastota’s Boxing Hall of Fame Parade. 

 

Oxford – The Blackhawks appeared in the very first Sherburne Pageant in 1949.  This year will mark their fifty-seventh time at Sherburne, missing only the 50, 53 and 53 pageants.   Oxford has won well over 100 trophies at the pageant.  They have finished in the top three for parade 34 times, 32 times in concert band, 19 in jazz, 16 in color guard, 6 in cadence and once in small ensemble and field band.  Oxford has won the Best of Class Award in 95, 96, 97, 98, 00, 01 and 04.  They also won the Frank L. Miller Outstanding Director Award and the Albert Whitney Overall Achievement Award in 2001.

 

Waterville – This July Waterville’s marching band will be performing in Disney World in Orlando, Florida.   Ths is just one of the band’s many accomplishments.  2009 will mark the 26th time Waterville has competed at Sherburne.  They first attended the pageant in 1951 and 1952.  Waterville returned from 1984-89 and has been here every year since 1992.  At last year’s pageant they were first in jazz, second in cadence and concert band and third in the parade.  In 2007 they won second in jazz and third in both the cadence and parade competitions.  This year Waterville will enter the jazz, concert band, parade and cadence competitions.  Next weekend the marching band will participate in the Violet Festival Parade in Dolgeville.

 

CLASS C

Andover – This year will mark Andover’s 18th pageant appearance in Sherburne.  Their first trip to Sherburne was in 1986 and they only missed two pageants since 1991.  Andover, from Allegany County near Wellsville, is known in the southern tier and western New York for their parade band. Each year they attend several events.  At Sherburne Andover has claimed first place four times (01, 02, 06 and 08) as well as second or third place numerous other times.  Andover’s concert band has done well at Sherburne.  In the 08 pageant their concert band won second place.  This year they will enter the concert band and parade events.

 

Cherry Valley-Springfield – Way back in 1953 and 54 Cherry Valley sent their band to the Sherburne Pageant.  In 1954 they won third place in parade and concert band.  1988 marked the first year that Cherry Valley – Springfield attended the pageant and this year makes their 18th year. Since that time they have won nearly 30 trophies at the pageant.  Their first place awards have included first place in jazz in 2002 and 2006 and first in concert band in 2003.  Last year they third in jazz, fourth in parade and fifth in concert band.  This year the band will compete in jazz, concert band, parade and cadence.

 

Edmeston – The Edmeston Panthers made their first Sherburne appearance in 1960.  During the 60’s they were well known for their outstanding color guard.  The guard brought home four first place trophies in that event at Sherburne during that decade.  Edmeston returned to the pageant from 88 – 95, picking up additional awards.  They also competed in 98, 2001, 2007 and 2008, making this their 24th pageant appearance.  Last year they were first in small ensemble, second in concert and third in parade.  At this year’s pageant Edmeston will enter jazz, small ensemble, concert, parade and cadence.

 

Gilbertsville-Mount Upton – GMU makes their 19th Sherburne Pageant appearance this weekend.  Prior to the merger of Gilbertsville and Mount Upton in 1990 both districts often sent their bands to Sherburne.  Gilbertsville was one of the competitors at the first pageant in 1949.  Gilbertsville won 8 first place awards in concert band from the late 50’s through 82.  Mount Upton also won several parade titles in the late 70’s and early 80’s.  This year the Raiders will enter groups in the jazz, small ensemble, concert, parade and cadence contests.  GMU won the Best of Class Award in 2000 and again just last year.  At last year’s pageant they won first in concert band, second in jazz and third in parade.

 

McGraw – Another long time competitor at the Sherburne Pageant is McGraw.  Their first trip to Sherburne was in 1952 and this year will mark their twenty – sixth time at the pageant.  They will send a jazz band, concert band, small ensemble, parade band and cadence line to compete this year.  Throughout their history at the pageant McGraw has been very successful.  Among their many accomplishments are the Frank L. Miller and Albert Whitney Awards in 1985 and the Best of Class Awards in 2006 and 2007.  They have won concert band seven times (95, 96, 97, 01, 02, 06 & 07), jazz seven times (84, 95, 96, 97, 98, 07 & 08), parade five times (81, 84, 85, 86 & 07), color guard twice (82 & 94) and cadence once (07).

 

Morris – Competing this year in concert band, parade and cadence will be Morris.  This year will be the fifty – fourth time at the pageant for the band.  Their history at Sherburne stretches back to 1951, when they brought home second place in the parade.   Morris has  attended every pageant since 1956.  Over the years they have won nearly 90 pageant trophies, nineteen of which have been first place awards.  In fact, they have placed in the top three in concert band thirty – four times, fifteen times in jazz and fourteen times in parade.  At the 2008 pageant Morris took second place in concert band and fourth in parade.

 

Poland – This year marks the 40th appearance at the Sherburne Pageant for Poland.  They have attended nearly every pageant since 1964.  Their list of victories at the pageant is impressive.  Poland won eight straight concert band titles from 1973 – 1980, including a perfect score of 100 in 1979.  They also won first place in jazz seven straight times, from 77 – 83.  In 1978 Poland won the Frank L. Miller Outstanding Director Award.  During the past three years they have place second in parade and were fourth in concert band the past two years.  This year Poland will enter the concert band and parade contests.

 

Richfield Springs – One of the most consistent award winners at the Sherburne Pageant are the Indians from Richfield Springs.  They have attended the pageant thirty – eight consecutive times, which stretches back to 1973.  Richfield Springs won the Frank L. Miller and Albert Whitney Awards in 1986 and the Best of Class Award in 1994 and 2002.  They have first in color guard thirteen times, parade ten times, field band seven times, jazz four times, twice in concert band and once in small ensemble.  Richfield Springs will be entered in this year’s jazz, small ensemble, concert band, parade and cadence contests.

CLASS D

Charlotte Valley – The Wildcats from Charlotte Valley Central School are making their 14th appearance at the Sherburne Pageant.  They have participated in the pageant every year since 1995 except for 1997.  Over the years they have picked up one fourth place award and three fifth place awards in concert band.  Charlotte Valley has also been awarded fourth place twice and fifth place five times in the parade.  This year Charlotte Valley plans to compete in the jazz, concert band, parade and cadence competitions.  The band will also be participating in the Stamford Flag Day Parade.

 

Laurens – Celebrating their 42nd Sherburne Pageant appearance is Laurens.  Their first pageant appearances were in 1954 and 1955.  The band returned in 1969 and has attended every pageant since.  They have won over 150 trophies at the Sherburne Pageant of Bands.  Laurens holds some amazing pageant records. They have won the Albert Whitney Overall Achievement Award a record fourteen times and the Frank L. Miller Outstanding Director’s Award twelve times.  They have also won the Best of Class Award every year since 1993, when that award was first given out.   Laurens has taken home first place in color guard 27 times, 22 times in jazz (every year since 1992), 25 times in parade, 20 times in concert band, 7 times in field band, 3 times in cadence and once in small ensemble.  This year they hope to add to their collection of awards by entering all of the events at Sherburne.

 

Milford – Making their third consecutive pageant appearance is Milford.  In all Milford has attended 11 pageants.  Their first trips to Sherburne were in 1961, 62 and 65 and then again in 71, 73, 74 and 75.  At their first two pageants they took home a pair of  third place trophies in parade.  In 2006 they placed first in cadence, third in jazz and concert band and fourth in parade.  In 2007 they won third place in the parade.  Milford plans on adding to trophies by entering groups in jazz, small ensemble, high school concert band, junior concert band, parade and cadence.

 

Oppenheim-Ephratah – The Hawks from Oppenheim-Ephratah will be entered in the jazz, small ensemble, concert band, parade and cadence contests this year.  They will be making their twenty-first consecutive Sherburne Pageant appearance this year.  At last year’s pageant they won second place in jazz and parade, third place in cadence and small ensemble and fifth place in concert band.  O- E is well known all over the United States for their parade band.  Each year they march in the Syracuse St. Patrick’s Day Parade as well as parades in Johnstown, Gloversville and Saratoga Springs.  The Hawks have also performed in Orlando, Florida, Washington, DC, at the Kentucky Derby Festival, Gettysburg, in St. Louis, Missouri and more.

 

Worcester – This year marks the 16th straight appearance for the Worcester Wolverines at the Sherburne Pageant.   Since their first appearance in 1994 Worcester has won numerous pageant awards.  Their drum line has been either first or second five times and the jazz band has placed in the top three of their class ten times.  Both the concert band and parade bands have met with great success as well.  At last year’s pageant Worcester placed first in the parade, tied for first in the cadence contest and took third place in both the jazz and concert band events.  This year they will feature a jazz band, small ensemble, high school concert band, junior concert band, cadence line and parade band in competition.

HS/MS CLASS

Central Square – A new band to the Sherburne Pageant of Bands is the Junior Redhawk Regiment Band and Color Guard from Central Square.  Numbering nearly 100 members the band will be competing in the parade and cadence events.  Over the past decade the Junior Redhawk Regiment has won numerous awards.  They have competed in the Gorham Pageant of Bands each year from 2000 – 2008 and were named the Junior High School Grand Champions at that event in 2001, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07 & 08.  They have won first place in the parade at Gorham every year they have competed.  They have also collected numerous first and second place awards in the concert band and jazz band events at Gorham.  In 2004 they competed at the Seneca Falls Pageant of Bands and won first place in parade event.  Two weekends ago the band appeared at Darien Lake.  The Junior Redhawk Regiment is a feeder organization for the Central Square Redhawk  Regiment field band, which has won the New York State Field Band Conference Championships for the past two years in their division.

 

HOST BANDS AND SPECIAL APPEARANCES

 Sherburne-Earlville – The excellence of the band program extends as far back as the late 1930’s when Frank L. Miller, one of the pageant’s founders, came to Sherburne.  Throughout his career at Sherburne the band program was continuously recognized as being one of the best in the northeastern United States.  They won numerous titles such as the New York State Fair Parade Championships in 1958 and the Mid – York Color Guard Circuit Championships in 1966 and 1967.  That tradition continued after his retirement when Sherburne and Earlville merged into one district.  Sherburne – Earlville was a charter member of the New York State Field Band Conference, winning many trophies in field band during the 1970’s and early 80’s.  The indoor color guard was the winner of the Mid – York Color Guard Circuit Championsips in 1972, 1985 and 2006. They have been declared grand champions at such New York State band pageants as  North Syracuse in 1969 and 1971, Batavia in 1975 and Mohawk in 1995.  They also won numerous awards in out of state pageants such as the Ridgewod, NJ Spring Festival of Music and the Williamsport, Pa. Millionaire’s Festival.  In recent years the S – E band has participated in many parades such as the Painted Post Colonial Days Parade in New York, the Football Hall of Fame Parade in Canton, Ohio as well as parades in Belfast, Maine, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and more.  This year Sherburne-Earlville Marching Marauders will take part in the Philadelphia 4th of July Parade.

 

Sherburne-Earlville Elementary School Band – This year will be the second pageant appearance for the Sherburne-Earlville Elementary School Band in the parade.  Last year the band charmed parade spectators with their performance.  This year will be no exception.  The band will feature 76 playing members.  Under the direction of Joanna Bartlett the Sherburne-Earlville Elementary Band will be performing This Band Rocks.

Sherburne-Earlville Alumni Band – Helping to celebrate the 60th Sherburne Pageant of Bands is the Sherburne-Earlville Alumni Marching Band and Color Guard. They band will entertain the crowd at the parade with Love Me Forever and Temptation, both of which were arranged by Frank M. Miller.  This band will draw members from both near and far.  Numerous members are from the Sherburne area and different sections of New York.  Other members are from states such as New Jersey, Virginia, Iowa, New Hampshire and Texas, just to name a few.  There is even a member that has traveled all the way from London, England.  A special member of the band is the daughter of Frank L. Miller, one of the pageant’s founders.  The band also features three generations of several families!  As of press time the drum majors will be JoAnne Tarbell and Tom Lawrence and the acting color guard captain is Pam Northey.