GREENFIELD – Music rehearsals and marching drills began long before the first day of school, and local high school bands are getting ready for a new season of shows.

More than 300 local teens are preparing to wow judges at competitions and – of course—their own friends and family at hometown football games.

Here’s a look at what to expect in 2024 from each program.

 Greenfield-Central guard students practice in July at band camp. The G-C show this year is loosely based on Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

-Greenfield-Central High School’s 130-member band and guard will perform “Any Way the Wind Blows” this season. The show is loosely based off Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” A Community show is planned for 7 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Hancock Health Stadium at G-CHS, and a portion of the show will also be at the first home football game Aug. 30. The group’s first competition is at Lawrence Central high School Sept. 14.

-New Palestine High School’s band performs “A Northern Lights Fantasy” this year. The music is original composition by Ben Hylton with percussion by Justin Madren and Mike Ellis. The first performance for the 90-member band is Aug. 23 at the first football game of the season. The first competition for the group is Sept. 7 at Brownsburg High School.

 The Mt. Vernon High School marching band practiced last week at band camp; the group is also planning to visit Walt Disney World in the spring.

-Mt. Vernon High School’s 80-member marching band will perform “LUCID,” a show about the blurred lines between dreams and reality. Songs include “Gymnopedie No. 1” by Erik Satie; “Serenada Schizophrana” by Danny Elfman; “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane; “Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden Chris Cornell; and “Concerto for Piano and Orchestra” by Ben Folds. Their first preview show was Aug. 2, and they will perform again for the community Sept. 6 at the MV football game. The group’s first contest is Sept. 7 at Brownsburg High School. The Marching Band of Marauders is also planning to travel to Walt Disney World in April.

-Eastern Hancock High School’s band has a summer competition schedule, and concluded their season last week at the Indiana State Fair Band Day. Their show, “The Way Back Home” was first performed competitively July 26 in Anderson; the 30-member group placed 20 out of 27 bands at the Anderson Tartan Tournament.

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