[ i ] AM WGI Day: Celebrating the WGI Community
By Jenny Lyons Every year, there is a pilgrimage to Dayton, Ohio. Through sprawling midwestern suburbs, past forests of spindly black trees denuded by the winter, over smooth open highways, thousands of members of the WGI Community—sponsors and vendors, volunteers, staff, performers, educators, designers, families, and fans—flock to the University of Dayton Arena. We come
Helping Hands: Fred J. Miller
By Trudy Horsting Our “Helping Hands” feature series takes an in-depth look at how a few businesses in the marching community have gone above and beyond in their response to the need created by COVID-19. In the third article of this series, we are proud to shine the spotlight on Fred J. Miller! On March
WGI Statement: June 11, 2020
WGI would like to take this opportunity to make a statement on two issues that have received attention in the world at large and within our community: our support of Black Lives Matter and accusations of alleged abuse amid a culture of silence at one group participating in WGI. The recent deaths of George Floyd,
Helping Hands: A Wish Come True
By Trudy Horsting Our “Helping Hands” feature series takes an in-depth look at how a few businesses in the marching community have gone above and beyond in their response to the need created by COVID-19. In the second article of this series, we are proud to shine the spotlight on A Wish Come True! Like
Helping Hands: Band Shoppe
By Trudy Horsting Our “Helping Hands” feature series takes an in-depth look at how a few businesses in the marching community have gone above and beyond in their response to the need created by COVID-19. In the first article of this series, we are proud to shine the spotlight on Band Shoppe! As a large
Blast! Part III: Showtime/Curtain Call
By Mai Tran Every summer, the Emmy and Tony award-winning show Blast! tours Japan, utilizing percussion, brass, and a visual ensemble (VE) to create shows. We spoke to three WGI performers who went on tour with Blast! the music of Disney in 2019, to learn about their experiences. Read Part III of the Q&A feature,
Blast! Part II: Setting the Stage
By Mai Tran Every summer, the Emmy and Tony award-winning show Blast! tours Japan, utilizing percussion, brass, and a visual ensemble (VE) to create shows. We spoke to three WGI performers who went on tour with Blast! the music of Disney in 2019, to learn about their experiences. Read Part II of the Q&A feature,
Blast! Part I: Unexpected Opportunity
By Mai Tran Every summer, the Emmy and Tony award-winning show Blast! tours Japan, utilizing percussion, brass, and a visual ensemble (VE) to create shows. Many WGI performers have participated in Blast! over the years, submitting detailed video auditions before traveling abroad. We spoke to three performers who went on tour with Blast! the music
#iamwgi
We are all WGI
It is safe to say these past weeks have been among some of the most tumultuous and emotional than any of us can remember. The abrupt end to the WGI season, with all its promises of small and big moments, left us to discover something profound and moving about ourselves: an overpowering wish to be
Virtual Program Books
WGI Statement on Remaining 2020 Events
With our announcement of the cancellation of the WGI World Championships, questions about remaining events for the year have naturally arisen. On March 12, the Board of Directors unanimously voted to suspend all other events for the remainder of the 2020 season. After reviewing the social distancing recommendations of the CDC, WHO, as well as
2020 Solo & Ensemble
Avon HS: Looking Back
By Jenny Lyons “Music was his life, it was not his livelihood, And it made him feel so happy and it made him feel so good. And he sang from his heart and he sang from his soul. He did not know how well he sang; It just made him whole.” In 1990, an eighteen
WGI Announces New Training Partnership with U.S. Center for SafeSport
WGI Sport of the Arts, the world’s leading producer of indoor events for color guards, percussion ensembles, and marching winds groups, today announced the creation of a strategic partnership with the U.S. Center for SafeSport. The partnership will focus on providing training to safeguard those participating in WGI from bullying, harassment, hazing, physical abuse, emotional
WGI Welcomes BAND App as a 2020 Sponsor
WGI Sport of the Arts, the world’s leader in producing indoor marching arts events for color guard, percussion ensembles and winds groups, announced today that BAND App will serve as a Corporate Partner for the 2020 WGI season. BAND App, a leading group communication app, is built to help organize and facilitate peer-to-peer communication. “Heading into
CGT: Splitting Tradition
By Annie Hollon Following a successful five years filled with memorable pre-shows, a 2018 WGI Fan Favorite award and an Open Class silver medal, the Color Guard Theatre Performing Ensembles—more commonly known as CGT—will once again be represented by two World Class performing ensembles for the WGI 2020 season. So, what’s new? This time around,
WGI Fan Club: The Ultimate Fan Experience
Get the ultimate fan package with the WGI Fan Club. By becoming a member of the “WGI Fan Club,” your tax-deductible donation grants you larger club seating spaces and access to a new private lounge, hosting invitation-only receptions throughout World Championships World Semi Finals, A Finals, Open Finals and World Finals events. Gain access to the
Paramount: The Elusive Horizon
By Jenny Lyons Paramount’s 2019 program lives. It breathes in soft airy breaths. It ebbs and flows like waves to a shore or wind through the trees. Each moment is as fluid and ephemeral as the next. Each event is complex, exponentially textured and layered—scattering in a flurry of performers before it has a chance
Diamante: If It’s Meant to Be
By Jenny Lyons A thread—red, thin and ephemeral, yet constant, steadfast, and unbreakable—ties you to your soulmate. This cord, beautiful in its constancy, may tangle, be pulled violently one way and then another, or stretch to its very limits; but absolutely nothing in this world can break it. This blazing red thread eventually leads you
