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MHS Marching Rams move into larger division

Aug 16, 2016

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Growth changes many things. Along with the Maricopa High School football team and athletic programs, the Maricopa High School Marching Rams will move to a new, larger division in two different associations for the 2016 marching season.

The band has experienced rapid growth over the last five years, from less than 30 students in 2012 to 118 this year. This puts the Marching Rams into Division 1 for the Arizona Band and Orchestra Director’s Association (ABODA) and the 4A Class for the Arizona Marching Band Association (AzMBA). Both classifications are the largest classification possible.

Due to rapid growth, the Maricopa Marching Rams have the unusual distinction of having performed in all four ABODA divisions in the last 5 years:
2012 – Festival Class – 28 members
2013 – Division III – 55 members
2014 – Division II – 66 members
2015 – Division II – 92 members
2016 – Division I – 118 members

MHS Music Director and Fine Art Chair Ivan Pour stated, “The band will be performing among the best programs in our state this year and after working with our band for several weeks, this change in division has become a source of motivation – we are working hard and the students are excited to accept this new challenge!”

Upcoming Festival and Competitive Performances include:
• ABODA Evaluation Show and Clinic with ASU Marching Band staff – Sept. 17
• AzMBA Mesquite HS Show – Oct. 8
• ABODA Basha Show – Oct. 22
• Northern Arizona University Band Day – Oct. 29
• ABODA State Marching Band Festival @ Dobson HS (if qualified) – Nov. 5
• ABODA Marching Championships (if qualified) – Nov. 12
• AzMBA Championships @ Perry and Campo Verde High Schools – Nov. 19

Both AzMBA and ABODA use the overall number of performers in marching bands to determine classification. For ABODA, the breakdown is:
Festival Class – less than 45 performers,
Division III – 64 or fewer performers
Division II – 65 to 94 performers
Division I – 95 or more performers

For AzMBA, it is
Class 1A – 0-49 performers
Class 2A – 50-74 performers
Class 3A – 75-104 performers
Class 4A – 105+ performers