Lemont Band Marches to Success at State Competition

Lemont IL

25 October, 2021

3:28 PM

Description

The Lemont High School Marching Band is celebrating a 2nd place finish in its class at the Illinois State Marching Band Championship. The competition was held at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University on October 23. Led by director Dave Nommensen and assistant director Matt Doherty, Lemont earned 2nd place in Class 3A, the band's best showing since finishing second at the 2016 competition. Lemont has placed among the top two in its class at this event 13 times since 1998. Lemont's 2nd place finish capped an awards-filled season for its crowd-pleasing show, The Witching Hour. The band posted a 2nd place finish in Class 2A at the Andrew Marching Invitational (2A), was third in Class 2A at the Stagg Jamboree, Romeoville Spartan Classic, and Lincoln-Way Invitational, and was fourth in Class 3A at the Providence Catholic Invitational. At Andrew, the band won the caption award for Best Color Guard. Lemont posted a prelims score of 78.200 and earned the Class 3A "Crowd Appeal" caption award. Its prelims score earned the band advancement to finals, where it competed against the top bands from all six classes. This marked just the fifth time in the program's history it reached the finals based solely on its score placement. The LHS Band placed 11th in the finals competition. The band's 2021 show included music arranged by Steven Pyter specifically for the Lemont band. Show selections included "Uninvited" by Alanis Morissette, "The Divine Comedy: The Inferno" by Robert W. Smith, and "Every Breath You Take" by The Police. Lemont's 2021 drum majors include seniors Jeremy Gumina and Kaitlyn Tuvilleja and sophomore Destina Sarussi. The band's section leaders include seniors Olivia Brown (Percussion-Drumline), Delaney Plotke (Color Guard), Molly Thornber (Percussion-Front Ensemble), Kalli Tulipano (Clarinet) and Annette Winterland (Low Winds), and juniors Alyssa Greer (Low Brass), Suzie Knutte (High Brass) and McKinley McManus (Flute). Sarussi (Flute), Tulipano (Clarinet), Winterland (Soprano Saxophone), senior Cullen DeWalls (Flugelhorn), and sophomore Zach Katauskas (Muted Trumpet) were soloists. Lemont placed 2nd in its class in 2006, 2007, 2012, and 2016 prior to this year. It won eight consecutive Class 3A state titles from 1998-2005. Follow the band on Facebook at this link: https://www.facebook.com/Lemon...