By Kevin Shannahan
Dancing, flag twirling, marching and music were the order of the day as 20 high school bands with over 1,500 musicians and families from every corner of Louisiana as well as East Texas converged on Northwestern State University’s Turpin stadium for the 2024 Classic on the Cane High School Band Competition Saturday, November 2. The competition, a longtime tradition among band programs in Louisiana and elsewhere, is in its 35th year. The Classic on the Cane is a superb opportunity for the bands to showcase their abilities and spend a day in friendly competition with fellow musicians.
This year’s event had a notable addition to the competitive field. The NCHS “Pride of the Tribe”, 65 members strong, made its first scored appearance at the competition since 2004. They played at last year’s event, but only in exhibition. The Chiefs have made notable strides under 3rd year director Cody Thurber and assistant directors Emmaleigh Toney and Alex Cormier. Ms. Toney, a 2022 NSU alumna, is also in charge of the band’s auxiliary units. The band’s halftime performances at NCHS home football games have been superb and their show at the band competition was likewise well done. Their hard work and dedication set the example for the young men and women in their charge. The NCHS Pride of the Tribe took to the field with drums beating and performed a “Phantom of the Opera” themed show. The only first time competitors at the event, the Chiefs earned a respectable 2 for percussion, 2 for Auxiliary and 3 for band. Go Chiefs!
Each marching band gave a half-time type performance and was graded on several factors relating to marching, performing and musicality. The east side of Turpin stadium was packed end to end with the band members’ families and supporters who enthusiastically waved signs and cheered their favorite bands.
The NSU Spirit of Northwestern band gave the last performance of the evening, a high energy performance that drew repeated applause from the crowd. It is a sign of both NSU’s excellence and service to our state that many of the band directors at the competition are NSU alumni.
The Classic on the Cane has been a fixture of the high school marching band scene for the past 35 years. The Natchitoches Parish Journal is looking forward to seeing some of the superb young musicians at the competition coming to NSU to continue their education. We are looking forward to next year’s contest!
