(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – Young musicians representing 32 high schools from Missouri and Kansas will participate in the 2012 Festival of Champions Saturday, Oct. 20.
The University of Central Missouri is hosting the annual marching band and drum line competition at Audrey J. Walton Stadium.
Preliminary marching band competition begins at 7:45 a.m. on Vernon Kennedy Field at Walton Stadium. After lunch from 11:40 a.m. to 12:40 p.m., preliminary competition resumes. The UCM Marching Mules will perform at 4:30 p.m., followed by the preliminary awards presentation. Finals competition begins at 6:30 p.m., with final awards scheduled for approximately 9:15 p.m.
Indoor drum line competition begins at 8 a.m. in the Student Recreation Center, followed by indoor guard competition, which begins at 1 p.m., also in Student Recreation Center.
Missouri schools registered to compete include Concordia, Cole Camp, Warsaw, Centralia, Monett, Tipton, Butler, William Chrisman, Odessa, Rock Bridge, Fort Zumwalt East, Springfield Hillcrest, Pleasant Hill, Park Hill, Platte County, Branson, Fort Osage, Raytown, Warrensburg, Lee’s Summit West, Raymore-Peculiar, Lee’s Summit and Lee’s Summit North.
Kansas schools competing include Winfield, Blue Valley Southwest, Shawnee Mission North, Washburn Rural, Topeka West, Shawnee Mission West and Buhler.
The public is invited to attend all events. Admission is $13 for general admission and $5 for drum line and auxiliary events. Children under the age of six are admitted free. All proceeds will benefit the UCM Department of Music Scholarships Fund and the Ararat Shrine Temple Hospital Transportation Fund.
The 2012 Festival of Champions is hosted by the UCM Department of Music, the Department of Music Wind and Percussion areas, and the UCM Bands. Primary sponsors for the event are Meyer Music, Midwest Marching.com, Pep Wear, the Ararat Shrine/Houn’ Dawg Club, Evans Drum Heads, Sabian Cymbals and Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets.
For more information regarding the 2012 Festival of Champions, contact Michael Sekelsky, Festival of Champions coordinator, at 660-543-4681, or visit the Festival of Champions website at www.ucmo.edu/music/bands/FOC.
 
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