By Jon ArmStrong, Sun Correspondent

news@evesun.com

Sherburne Pageant of the Bands virtual link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVRAP5tLP-CoHGdVW1n8H0w

Below is a guide to the 2021 Sherburne Pageant of Bands with some information about each participating group.

CLASS AAA

AUBURN - This year will mark the first time Auburn has participated in the Sherburne Pageant since 1981.  The Maroon Vanguard competed at Sherburne each year from 1973 to 1981.  During that time they placed in the top three in jazz ensemble every year, winning that event almost every time.  Auburn also placed among the top concert bands nearly every year.  In fact, Auburn won the Frank L. Miller Outstanding Director Award in 1979 and 1980 as well as the Albert Whitney Overall Achievement Award in 1980.  The Vanguard also won the Seneca Falls Pageant of Bands Grand Championship in 1985.  Auburn also competes in the New York State Field Band Conference during the fall.  This past fall, in virtual competition, their marching band won first place in the Creative Class in the USBands circuit. 

BRENTWOOD - The Green Machine from Brentwood, Long Island is pleased to be a part of this year’s Sherburne Pageant of Bands.  They have been active for several decades in marching competitions as well as participants in some very prestigious parades.  As members of the New York State Field Band Conference the Green Machine competes in the National Class.  They have three NYSFBC championship titles-2006, 2007 and 2010.  Brentwood has also competed in the Tournament of Bands and USBands marching band circuits.  Annually, the band has participated in the Newsday Band Festival at Hofstra University.  The Green Machine has also participated in numerous parades in and around the Tri-State area including televised appearances in the New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the New York Columbus Day Parade. 

CICERO-NORTH SYRACUSE - The Northstars have participated in numerous local and national events.  The band marched in the 1990 Tournament of Roses Parade and the 2018 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  In December of 2016 CNS swept all the awards at the Taxslayer Bowl Field Band Championship in Jacksonville, Florida.  In 2018 the field band was named the Class V National Champions in the USBands circuit.  Closer to home, the Northstars won top honors at the 2016 and 2017 New York State Field Band Conference Championships.  The winter guards at CNS have also met with great success making the finals in the WGI Olympics numerous times.  The guard has also won the Mid-York Color Guard Circuit Championships eight times.  At Sherburne the Cicero-North Syracuse MIddle School Band won first place in parade and parade color guard in 2019 as well as second place in the drumline contest.

CORNING-PAINTED POST - While the Hawks may be a newcomer to the Sherburne Pageant, they are no stranger to competitions.  Their accomplishments are many.  Earlier this year their indoor drumline became the NYS champions in the Scholastic A Standstill class following an undefeated season of virtual competition.  The CPP winter guard was awarded an excellent rating this season.   The Hawks were the 2017 New York State Field Band Conference champions in the Large School 3 Division.  They have also participated in the Seneca Falls Pageant of Bands where they were declared the grand champions in 2017 and 2018.  CPP features two field bands, which combine into one unit for parades, a jazz ensemble, three concert bands, a drumline, pep band, winter guard, majorettes unit and small ensembles.  Their plan is to travel to Dublin, Ireland in 2022.

VESTAL - Welcome back to Sherburne the Vestal Golden Bears!  This year marks their first time participating in the pageant since 1990.  Between 1952 and 1990 the Golden Bears made 35 trips to Sherburne and won the Overall Achievement Award in 1958, 1963, 1970, 1971, 1974 and 1977.  Vestal amassed nearly 200 trophies at the pageant, frequently winning first place in the parade, concert band and field band events.  In 1972 they, like Norwich, were charter members of the New York State Field Band Conference and frequently competed at Sherburne’s Gold Rush.  More recently, Vestal won the 2016 New York State Field Band Conference Small School Division 3 Championship and has placed among the top bands in their class regularly.  During this past winter the Vestal indoor guard won a rating of superior.  

CLASS AA

ALBION - The Purple Eagles made their one and only Sherburne Pageant appearance in 1979 and won first place in the parade competition.  However, they are no stranger to spring pageants and parades.  In their twenty-nine appearances at the Seneca Falls Pageant of Bands Albion has taken first place in the parade nineteen times and second place five times.  The Purple Eagles have also won first place in the parade, concert band and jazz ensemble contests at the Gorham Pageant of Bands and Batavia Pageant of Bands.  In the past the band has performed at the Albion Strawberry Festival Parade, Rochester’s Lilac Parade and numerous other events.  In November of 2020 the music department presented an online Veteran’s Day concert.  This past March Albion was named one of the Best Communities for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation, which was their fourteenth straight recognition by that organization.  

FATHER RYAN - The first of any Sherburne Pageant group to come from the state of Tennessee is Father Ryan HS from the city of Nashville.  Father Ryan’s performing arts program features nationally recognized percussion ensembles, marching winds, winter guard and marching band programs.  Since Winter Guard International began the national percussion ensemble championships twenty-nine years ago Father Ryan has made the finals seventeen times and were crowned the 2000 national champions.  The marching winds ensemble was the 2015 national champions.  The Father Ryan marching band most often participates in the Bands of America Grand Nationals Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

FONDA-FULTONVILLE - The Braves have participated at Sherburne nearly every year since 1998 and have won over 50 trophies in the pageant.  They have consistently placed either first or second in the high school and middle school jazz competitions.  Fonda-Fultonville has also been successful in the small ensemble competition at Sherburne.  The concert band and parade band have also picked up several third and fourth place trophies in the last few years.  A number of students from Fonda-Fultonville participated in the virtual Montgomery County All-County Band this past year, joining students from Amsterdam and Canajoharie.

NEW HARTFORD - The Spartans are participating in the Sherburne Pageant for the first time this year.  They bring with them a long list of accomplishments stretching back to the early 1970’s.  Their field band has won the New York State Field Conference Championships in their class eight times; 1982, 1990, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2008, 2014 and 2016.  The New Hartford indoor color guard has several championship titles to their credit in the MId-York Color Guard Circuit and was a Winter Guard International Olympics finalist in 1985.  This past winter the guard, competing virtually, was given a rating of excellent.  New Hartford has also competed in the New York State Percussion Circuit.  This past year the Spartans took second place in the circuit’s championship.

NORWICH - The Purple Tornado Band holds the record for attending the most Sherburne Pageants, having only missed 1976.  In that time they have amassed 275 trophies.  They have won the Best of Class ten times: 1997, 1998, 2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08 and 2018.  In 2008 they won the Albert Whitney Grand Achievement Award and the Frank L. Miller Outstanding Director Award.  In the earlier days of the pageant Norwich won the Craine Overall Achievement Award in 1957, 59, 60 and 64.  In 2018 they won second place in parade, parade color guard and cadence.  At the 2019 they won second place in parade color guard and drumline as well as third in the parade.  Norwich is a charter member of the New York State Field Band Conference, winning championship titles in 2002, 2003 and 2004.  In the fall of 2019 the Purple Tornado band finished a strong third in their class at the championship show.

CLASS A

MORAVIA - The Blue Devils originally competed at Sherburne from 1980 until 1992 before returning to the pageant in 2016.  In their earlier years at the pageant they won numerous trophies in jazz ensemble, parade and color guard.  From 2016 to 2019 Moravia took first place in the parade competition.  They have also won three first place and one second place finishes in the parade color guard event and the drumline event.  Moravia has also taken first or second place in the parade at the Seneca Falls Pageant of Bands seventeen times of their thirty-three trips there.  In their twenty-eight appearances at the Gorham Pageant of Bands, the Blue Devils have won either first or second in the parade twenty times.  

PULASKI - Way back in 1965 Pulaski made their first Sherburne Pageant appearance.  After that one appearance they returned to Sherburne in 1992 and have made every pageant since then.  The Pulaski Devils Marching Band has been very successful at Sherburne, winning over 100 trophies including the Best of Class Award in 2003, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2013.  The Devils have won the parade competition at Sherburne a total of fifteen times and have taken first in the drumline contest fifteen of the seventeen times that event has been part of the pageant.  Pulaski also has several first place finishes in jazz ensemble and parade color guard at the pageant.  In the past they have performed in the Armed Forces Parade in Watertown, the Watertown Dairy Festival Parade and Canastota’s Boxing Hall of Fame Parade and many other events.

SIDNEY - The Warriors have participated in almost every Sherburne Pageant since 1968.  They have won the Best of Class Award four times; 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2003.  Sidney has finished among the top three jazz ensembles in their class twenty-eight times and among the top three in concert band twenty-five times at Sherburne.  Numerous other top three finishes have come from the small ensemble and parade contests giving the Warriors a Sherburne Pageant trophy count of nearly 120.  At the 2019 pageant they won second place in jazz and small ensemble as well as third in concert band and fourth in the parade.  In the past, Sidney’s jazz ensemble has also received a gold rating at the Fonda-Fultonville Jazz Festival and has participated in the Syracuse University Band Day.

CLASS B

DUNDEE - The Scots from Dundee made their first Sherburne Pageant of Bands appearance in 2018.  That year they won first place in jazz ensemble as well as second in small ensemble and concert band plus third in the parade.  In 2019 they won first place in the drumline competition, second in small ensemble and parade color guard and fifth place in concert band.  While they may be relatively new to Sherburne, Dundee has competed at some of the other New York State pageants.  Since first appearing in the Gorham Pageant of Bands in 1968, the Scotsmen have been Class Champions nine times and have won over 100 trophies.  They have also competed at the Seneca Falls Pageant of Bands where they have been Class Champions eight times and were named the Grand Champions of that event in 2011. 

MARION - The Black Knights have competed at Sherburne since 1988 and have amassed over 140 trophies.  They have won the Best of Class Award in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2009 and 2017.  Marion has finished in the top 3 in their class for parade 28 times, 21 times for jazz and 25 times for concert band.  In 2019 they took third place in jazz ensemble and small ensemble along with fourth place in concert band.  In their five appearances at the Springville Pageant they won Best of Class four times and were the pageant champions in 2004.  They placed first in concert band in each of their 11 appearances at the Seneca Falls Pageant of Bands and were Class Champions twice at the Gorham Pageant of Bands.  In 2018 the Black Knights performed at Disney World.

NAPLES - The Green Machine hails from the small town of Naples near the southern end of Canandaigua Lake.  Their first trip to Sherburne was in 2014 and they have participated every year since then except for 2016.  Naples has finished in first place in the parade and parade color guard events four of the five times they have been to Sherburne and have placed first once and second four times in the drumline contest.   In their 43 appearances at the Gorham Pageant of Bands they have been first in the parade twenty-two times and were named Class Champions thirteen times.  At the Seneca Falls Pageant of Bands they have taken first place in the parade fifteen times.   They were also named Grand Champions of the now defunct Prattsburgh Pageant of Bands twice.  Aside from pageant competition Naples has frequently marched in the Rochester Lilac Parade and the Colonial Days Parade in Painted Post.

OPPENHEIM-EPHRATAH-St. JOHNSVILLE-The Wolf Pack has collected quite  a few trophies since their first trip to Sherburne in 2016 as the newly merged O-E/St. J Central School.  In 2018 they won third place in concert band, parade color guard, jazz ensemble and drumline plus fourth place in the parade.  Their middle school band took second place among small ensembles and fourth place in concert band.  At the 2019 pageant the middle school small ensemble was second, the middle school jazz ensemble was third and the middle school concert band placed fifth.  Prior to the merger of the two districts, Oppenheim-Ephratah attended every Sherburne Pageant of Bands from 1989 to 2014.  During that era the band was a consistent winner of trophies in the jazz ensemble and the parade events. 

OXFORD-In the lengthy history of the Sherburne Pageant of Bands, Oxford has missed only three of those pageants, 1950, 1953 and 1954.  Among their long list accomplishments at Sherburne are over 230 trophies.  The Blackhawks have won the Best of Class Award nine times; 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2017.   They also won the  Albert Whitney Achievement Award and the Frank L. Miller Outstanding Director Award in 2001.  At Sherburne Oxford has placed in the top three of their class for parade 40 times and the top three in concert band 38 times.  At the 2019 Sherburne Pageant they won second place in high school concert band, third in the parade and took first in the middle school class for concert band.  

CLASS C

EDMESTON- The Panthers made their first trip to Sherburne in 1960 and have over 60 pageant trophies to their credit.  They have consistently attended Sherburne since 2007.  In 2017 they took fourth place in the parade and fifth place in concert band.  The following year Edmeston placed third in the small ensemble contest as well as fourth in concert band.  At the 2019 Sherburne Pageant they won second place in parade color guard, third place in small ensemble, drumline and the parade as well as fourth in concert band.  This past year Edmeston’s director, Michelle Fritts, was selected to be one of the 300 members from across the nation to be part of the Marching Band of Directors at the 2022 Tournament of Roses Parade.

 

GILBERTSVILLE-MOUNT UPTON-The Raiders have met with great success at the Sherburne Pageant.  GMU has won the Best of Class Award eight times; 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019.  In their previous appearances at Sherburne they have been among the top three in their class for jazz 19 times, the top three in concert band 15 times and the top three in parade 14 times.  Their small ensemble groups have been in the top three of their class every  year that event has been offered at Sherburne. At the 2019 pageant GMU took first place in jazz, small ensemble, concert band and parade.  Prior to their first pageant appearance as GMU both Mount Upton and Gilbertsville won numerous trophies. Mount Upton participated at Sherburne 21 times between 1950 and 1983 while Gilbertsville attended the pageant 37 times

Between 1949 and 1990.

CLASS D

LAURENS-Laurens has met with record breaking success at the Sherburne Pageant, having won the Albert Whitney Achievement Award 22 times and the Frank L. Miller Outstanding Director Award 20 times.  Additionally, they have won the Best of Class Award for each of the 27 years that has been offered at the pageant.  Overall, Laurens has won over 300 trophies at Sherburne.  Their first appearances in the pageant were in 1954 and 1955.  Since 1969, though, Laurens has been in attendance every year.  In 2018 they won first place for parade, parade color guard and drumline plus second in jazz band and small ensemble and third place in concert band.  At the 2019 pageant Laurens finished first in jazz, small ensemble, parade, color guard and drumline along with fourth in concert band. 

WORCESTER-The first Sherburne Pageant of Bands appearance for the Wolverines was in 1994 and they have attended every pageant since then.  With over 90 trophies to their credit they have established themselves as a strong competitor.  Worcester has been among the top three jazz bands in their class 20 times.  They have also finished among the top three in drumline 17 times, parade 16 times and concert band 13 times.  2018 saw the Wolverines take first place in small ensemble and jazz band, second place finishes in concert band and parade, third place in drumline and fifth place in middle school concert band.  The following year Worcester was first in concert band and second place in jazz band, parade, parade color guard and drumline.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

  Several of the above mentioned schools will also be featuring middle school groups competing in the pageant events.  These include Cicero-North Syracuse, Fonda-Fultonville, Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville, Oxford and Wocester.

  Good luck to all of the pageant’s participants!!

HOST BAND

SHERBURNE-EARLVILLE-Director of Bands at S-E had this to say about his band members, “I am proud of the students this year especially for their participation and flexibility during these unprecedented times.  Also proud that this senior class will leave their legacy as taking care of our Historic Pageant and making sure it continues regardless of it being Virtual or not.”   Sherburne-Earlville has a  long list of accomplishments.  The band has participated in numerous local and national parades.  Within New York State the list includes the Hamilton 4th of July Parade, the Canastota Boxing Hall of Fame Parade, the Painted Post Colonial Days Parade, the American Legion Parade in Syracuse, Dolgeville’s Violet Festival and many more.  Outside of the Empire State the S-E band has performed in the Football Hall of Fame Parade, the Washington, DC 4th of July Parade, the Buckhannon, WV Strawberry Festival, the Lobster Fest Parade in Maine, the Miss USA Parade in New Jersey and others.  Members of the band have also been selected to march in the Macy’s Great American Marching Band on Thanksgiving Day.  Over the years S-E’s color guard has many championship titles to their credit.  Sherburne-Earlville was one of the charter members of the New York State Field Band Conference in 1972 and hosted the very first contest in the conference, the Gold Rush.