Plymouth-Canton Marching Band

Plymouth-Canton Marching Band
School Plymouth-Canton Educational Park
Location Canton, MI
Founded 1972 (1972)
Director Jonathan Thomann [1]
Members 170
Uniform See below
Website pcmb.net

The Plymouth-Canton Marching Band (PCMB) is a nationally recognized marching band program located on the campus of the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park in Canton, Michigan.

Music program

The PCMB is part of a broader fine arts program offered in the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools. Its Wind Ensemble and Symphony bands have consistently rated among the best in the state of Michigan.[2][3] PCEP band students and alumni have performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Civic Youth Orchestra, the Michigan Youth Band, the National Honor Band of America, and the MSBOA All State Honor Band and Orchestra. The concert program is taught by directors David Armbruster [4] and Jon Thomann.

Winter programs

The PCMB also runs three very successful winter programs through the Michigan Color Guard Circuit and Winter Guard International. Both Winter Guards (A & World) have been State Champions [5] and the Open guard is a two time WGI Open Class Finalist.[6] The winter drumline formed in 2006, competing in "Open Class", though they did not travel to WGI Finals. From the 2007 through 2010 seasons, the ensemble competed in "World" class, earning three Finalist spots in that time. In 2011 the line was inactive. 2012 marked the return of the ensemble, where they competed, and continue to compete in open class. 2013 marked the first Open Class finals that Plymouth has competed in.

Plymouth Canton Percussion Ensemble WGI Placements:

·2007 - WGI Scholastic World Finalist, 6th place

·2008 - WGI Scholastic World Finalist, 10th place

·2009 - WGI Scholastic World Finalist, 13th place

·2010 - WGI Scholastic World Semifinalist, 16th place

·2012 - WGI Scholastic Open Semifinalist, 18th place

·2013 - WGI Scholastic Open Finalist, 6th place

·2014 - WGI Scholastic Open Semifinalist, 13th place

·2015 - WGI Scholastic Open Participant

·2016 - WGI Scholastic Open Participant

Staff

Previous staff have included Marc Whitlock (2003–2007), current music director for Discovery Middle School; Andy Ebert (2004–2007), current Visual Caption Head at Carolina Crown and West Bloomfield High School; Martin Montoya (2005–2008), current assistant director at Brazoswood High School in Clute, Texas; Clayton Wachholz (2001–2003), came back to Plymouth-Canton in 2016; David McGrath (1995–2001), current Director of Bands at Kennesaw Mountain High School in Kennesaw, Georgia; Jonathan Ovalle (1995–2006), current Assistant Professor of Percussion at the University of Michigan; Steven McGuire (1998–2002) current assistant director at Mariner High School in Cape Coral, FL; Jed Leach (2007–2008), Current Percussion director for Georgetown High School in Georgetown, TX,; Rob Myers (1998–2000), current Director of Instrumental Music for Dallas ISD. Michael Brady Tarr (1993–2002), visual instructor/ clinician for various drum corps and marching bands. Alan Spaeth (1993 and 1997–2003) Color Guard and show design; Mitch Rogers (1992–2003), drill designer for the Stephen F. Austin Marching Band, Carlton J. Kell High School, Glen Adsit (1989–1994), current Director of Bands at The Hartt School in Hartford, Connecticut; Don Booher, Chris (Gale) Booher, Patrick Ruddy, Tom Fikes, Chad Jacobs, Jonathan Miller, Casey Swanson, George Hester, David Kline, Benjamin Clark, Mark Hart, John Shaw, Dan Arreola Ian Horste, and Sheldon Frazier (currently associate director at McEachern High School in Powder Springs, GA). Sean McElroy, Scott Beck, Emery Craig, currently in United States Army band, Dick Eathorne, and Ross Blackley.

Their current staff includes James Sparling, Percussion caption head, Noah Bellamy, visual caption head, Katie Hanka, BK, visual support staff, John Hartwick, brass caption head, Rachel Nelson, Color Guard caption head, Kevin J, Mike Wells, visual and music support, and Clayton Wachholz, assistant director.[7]

Legendary drill writer Steve Brubaker wrote the drill for Plymouth's first national championship which also featured uniforms designed by Steve Cesario.

James Griffith served as Plymouth's Director of Bands until his retirement in 1994. Griffith is widely respected as one of the preeminent music educators in the state of Michigan.[8]

Uniform

Shako: Gray Cadet style shako and plume with three silver buttons on left side (Also worn as black or white depending on show theme). Black brim with decorative silver chain on the front.

Jacket: Gray jacket with darkening shades continuing down the front to a much darker gray. Three silver buttons are located on the upper right corner of the jacket. (Also worn as black or white depending on the show theme.) PCMB logo is stitched into the lower right hand corner. Gauntlets are white. Up until 1998, the cadet style shako and plume was black instead of the current gray and buttons of the left side were light gold rather than silver (always worn as black, no matter what the show theme.) Gauntlets were still white and all other present rules and regulations were in place.The PCMB logo was first stitched into the lower right hand corner of the jacket in 1976 in honor of the United States' Bicentennial Celebration.

Pantaloons: Black breeches with darkening shades that continue down the sides to a much shinier black anklet. One pocket is located on each pant, facing outward. From 2009-2011, right pocket featured an additional, smaller, mobile telephone-sized pocket within itself. Rules forbid members from carrying any telecommunications device on their personnel during performances, however, the inclusion of this controversial pocket had gained widespread use as a holder of loose change. In its two-year stay on the PCMB uniform, the miniature pocket was the source of unwarranted distraction as many a frustrated marchers spent several agonizing seconds trying to procure a loose dime from its narrow depths (also rumored to be black). As such, this third pocket was removed prior to the 2012 marching band season to very little media attention.

Awards and honors

Since the mid-1970s, the Plymouth Canton Marching Band has become one of the most consistent high school marching bands in Southeast Michigan. Within the state of Michigan, the PCMB has been a state champion 25 times, an honor shared with no other groups in Michigan, (both Fine Arts and Athletics), and only with one other group in the country: the Marian Catholic High School Marching Band. Upon entering the Bands of America in 1986, Plymouth-Canton has been a National Finalist (Top 12) all but three years since 1988. This has honor has been exceeded only by the Marian Catholic High School Band. The Plymouth-Canton Marching Band has won more than 500 awards in 16 years. The band has also been to the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Tournament of Bands in 1992 & 1996, winning the prestigious competition both years.

Outside of the competition, the band has had the distinction of playing for Presidents Ronald Reagan, in 1986,[9] and George H. W. Bush, in 1992, marching in Orlando, FL, the 1974 King Orange (Bowl) Parade, the 1973 Rose Bowl Parade, the 1973 Battle of the Bands shown nationally immediately prior to the Rose Bowl Parade, the Hudson's Christmas parade Santa's band as well as representing the community in various parades throughout the summer. In 2011, the band marched in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

In 2016 the band will be marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade.

Competitive results and repertoire

References

  1. ↑ Dave Armbruster Bio from PCMB website
  2. ↑ "Wind ensemble blows into Indy: Performance earns band a trip to national festival"Plymouth Observer, Front Page, March 10, 2005
  3. ↑ "Musical Excellence: PCEP bands earn top ratings at district festival." Observer:, Page A2, March 15, 2007
  4. ↑ " [Dave Armbruster Bio from PCMB website
  5. ↑ Michigan Color Guard Circuit Hall of Champions
  6. ↑ 2007 Winter Guard International World Championships Results
  7. ↑ "Staff" PCMB, Retrieved March 14, 2016
  8. ↑ "Former Teachers of the Year (1986)" MSBOA District 12, Retrieved March 6, 2007
  9. ↑ "Ronald Reagan Rally" Retrieved February 6, 2008
  10. ↑ "Michigan Competing Band Association Website" Retrieved on November 8, 2009
  11. ↑ "Bands of America Website" Retrieved on November 16, 2008
  12. ↑ "Band Scores 7th At National Contest" Detroit Free Press,November 19, 2007
  13. ↑ "One of the best-again: Marchers 9th at national band competition" Plymouth Observer, page A4, November 16, 2006
  14. ↑ "Regional champions: Plymouth-Canton marchers top 26 bands at Eastern competition" Observer & Eccentric, page A4, October 12, 2006
  15. ↑ "Among the best of the best: Hometown marchers take 9th in the nation" Observer & Eccentric, page A3, November 17, 2005
  16. ↑ "Plymouth band wins competition: School earns Grand National Champion title in Indianapolis" Detroit News, November 16, 1999
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