Cheney marching band wins overall title, awards in categories at regional band festival

Cheney High School’s marching band won first place at Saturday’s Puget Sound Festival of Bands, as well as six of seven awards in specific categories for a Midas-themed performance.

Competing against 12 other Washington schools, Cheney took home titles in visual effect, music, general effect, color guard, percussion and people’s choice.

Band director Josh Wisswell said he’s proud of the hours of practice the 86 well-decorated young musicians put in to create the spectacle.

“The kids just worked really hard and they put in a lot of time to get better at what they’re doing,” Wisswell said. “The result is doing well at these competitions, but the better result for them is being satisfied and happy with their performance more than anything; they’re very selfless.”

The percussion section specifically, he said, dedicated weekly after-school rehearsals even after marching band season.

The band chose the performance theme of “Midas” after the Greek mythological king, looking for effective visual elements. Throughout the course of their 12-minute show, the band changed their drum covers, uniform tops and large wooden panels from black to gold.