By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
STEVENSVILLE – Roll over, Beethoven, Edwardsburg and Buchanan are marching to you.
And the Eddies' 80-member Class B band, directed by Mark Hollandsworth and Tom Crowner, carded a first-division (I), or excellent rating Wednesday night at the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) District VI Marching Band Festival at Lakeshore High School's Al Stockman Stadium.
Some 2,000 musicians from 22 high schools performed on a rainy, windswept night, trying not to take a tumble on the slick muddy midfield.
Edwardsburg featured "Beethoven's Fifth," "Fur Elise," "Pathetique Sonata" and "Ode to Joy."
Also in Class B, Niles High School, directed by Steven Gruver and Kenneth Working, garnered a I for its "Pirates of the Caribbean" show.
The Viking band has 104 members.
With the temperature hovering in the low 40s preceding the season's first snowfall overnight, timbers didn't need much help shivering, but faux pirates flourished alongside the Decatur Raiders.
South Haven High School also featured "Pirates of the Caribbean."
The Purple Pride pirates included violin solos and field directors in buccaneer garb, like Johnny Depp lookalikes. Argh!
Dowagiac's 101-member Chieftain Marching Band, which received a II, played music from the movie "King Kong" under the direction of Josh Bartz and Katie Hahn.
Listening to his old band was former director Jeff Comfort.
Rain resumed as St. Joseph's 98 musicians took the field for "West Side Story," but by a show of hands, some fans were still hanging in there since Brandywine started off the show at 2 p.m.
Benton Harbor High School, a defiantly old school, high-stepping crowd pleaser, was especially challenged by field conditions as the 120-member Tiger Marching Band skidded through "Power and Glory Fanfare," "September," "Deja Vu," "Going in Circles" and "Dance Mix '06."
The finale was provided by Lakeshore High School's Michigan-leading, 190-member band directed by Lori Von Koenig and Phil and Cindy Huff played "Red Skies."
Phil Huff was a member of the Chieftain Marching Band in the early 1970s.
Anyone who lasted through the entire event heard a wide range of sounds, from the Beach Boys and Styx to "The Sound of Music," James Bond and Paw Paw's "Conflict Through the Eyes of Broadway."
Karah Hiscott's 55-member Cassopolis high school band's theme was taking flight, including "Flight of the Condor," "Birdland," "On Eagle's Wings" and "Firebird Finale."
Here are the Oct. 11 ratings:
Brandywine – I
River Valley – I
Bridgman – II
Marcellus – I
Fennville – I
Bangor – II
Cassopolis – II
Decatur – I
Gobles – I
Berrien Springs – I
Hartford – I
Buchanan – II
Watervliet – I
Coloma – I
Niles – I
Edwardsburg – I
Paw Paw – I
Dowagiac – II
South Haven – I
St. Joseph – I
Benton Harbor – II
Lakeshore – I