Decorah High School Marching Band earns 9th straight Division I rating

(Left to right): Decorah HS Drum Majors Gabe Smith (senior), Claire Breitenstein (sophomore) and Allison Kephart (senior)

The Decorah High School Marching Band on Saturday earned their 9th consecutive Division I rating in the Iowa High School Music Association State Marching Band Contest.

The band performed the music of Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story," including "Maria," "Mambo," "Somewhere," "Jets Song" and "Tonight."

"It was a 'hot' performance both literally and figuratively," commented DHS Band Director Jim Fritz.  "The band gave their finest performance of the year in 87 degree heat."

The marching band earned one of its highest scores of any Decorah HS marching band in Fritz's tenure.  One judge gave the Viking Marching Band a cumulative score of 295 out of 300 points possible.  All four judges gave solid Division I ratings in all 14 of the criteria areas that are adjudicated.

"I was real proud of them," continued Fritz, "they really showed great 'Decorah Spirit' even though they were in black and blue uniforms under a blazing sun.  It was the best effort I could have hoped for."  Fritz stated, "I also want the community to know how much the students and staff appreciate all the efforts of our volunteers including the Decorah Music Boosters, drumline instructor Jerry Dean, pit instructor Mark Kvale, and of course Karen Wyse.  We couldn't have reached this level of accomplishment without them!"