WGIcon 2019 Recap
WGIcon will return in 2021! On Friday, September 6, and Saturday, September 7, 2019, WGI launched the first-ever WGIcon in New Orleans! WGIcon is an educational event for all instructors, designers, technicians, and administrators of Percussion, Winds, and Color Guard groups around the globe. Featuring multiple motivational speakers and a Cirque Du Soleil® workshop, we heard […]
Visual Performers in Percussion Ensembles: Etiwanda HS
By Trudy Horsting Are you a percussion director who has been considering using visual performers in your next program? In this follow-up to the visual performers feature with Evidence from William Carey University, Director of Etiwanda HS Percussion (SW) Bryan Nungaray shares with us his perspective on how these individuals can be incorporated in a […]
Visual Performers in Winds Ensembles: Evidence from William Carey University
By Trudy Horsting Are you a winds director who has been considering using visual performers in your next program? Director of Evidence from William Carey University (WIA), Jeremy Morgan, spoke with us to help shed some insight on the process. He has had extreme success utilizing visual performers, presenting a spectacular production in 2019. Here, […]
WGI in Latin America
By Jenny Lyons On May 11, 2019, one month after the final scraps of glittering confetti had been swept up from the UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio, a new chapter of WGI history was being written 3,504 miles away in the BN Arena in San Jose, Costa Rica. Outside, the balmy 85 degree heat hung […]
Becoming “PHRĒ”
By Joselyne Grace A traditional percussion ensemble uses drum harnesses to move around the floor with their equipment. However, it can be quite demanding and restraining to carry a heavy drum with you while you perform. Then came Dark Sky Percussion’s 2019 program: “PHRĒ.” what is “PHRĒ”? “PHRĒ” takes the audience on the journey of […]
Bellbrook Dads Build Bridges to Support World Guard
By Adam Adkins Being a color guard dad is a year-round job. Even more-so if you’re like Brett Woeste. Brett is effectively in charge of building the props for Bellbrook HS World Guard, a process that begins months before the kids even take the floor for the first rehearsal. For the guard’s 2019 show, “The […]
Coronado: San Diego’s Newest Color Guard
By Mai Tran In the northwestern corner of San Diego, California, an 11-member guard rehearses on the blacktops of University City High School, braving wind and sun despite the “indoor” season. Instrumentals from the musical Bridges of Madison County play in the background, as director Greg Humphrey watches, scrutinizing choreography and technique. The inception of […]
A Balancing Act: Academics & The Marching Arts
By Caroline Meister College students are notorious for living in a constant state of exhaustion and stress. They run from classes, to work, and to extracurriculars with barely any time to breathe in between. As a result, they perfect a necessary balancing act between their various responsibilities. Let’s raise the stakes. Not only are you […]
Norwin HS World Guard Reaches New Heights
By Adam Adkins Earlier in the 2019 season, WGI writer Adam Adkins had the opportunity to chat with Norwin World Guard Director Heather Shrump about Norwin’s unique show—”Out of My Mind”—one which incorporated live vocals from American Idol contestant Aubrey Burchell. With the culmination of Color Guard World Championships in April, Adam caught back up […]
Here’s To Ten: GMU Indoor Percussion
By Caroline Meister Fairfax, Virginia, is 45 minutes away from America’s bustling capital and home to George Mason University. Despite this hub of creativity, there were no independent percussion groups in Fairfax or in Virginia until 2009. This was the year that Chris Martin and Dr. Michael Nickens created George Mason University Indoor Percussion in […]
Recap of #WGI2019 World Championships
All roads lead here. Congratulations to all performers, directors, volunteers and staff for an amazing 2019 WGI World Championships! With over 350 competing guards and 250 Percussion/Winds groups, WGI’s 2019 World Championships saw a wide variety of spectacular performances. Take a look at the Finals recaps below to reminisce or get a peek at what […]
Hall of Fame: William Harty
By Michael Reed Of the many men and women involved in drum and bugle corps and winter guard over the years, relatively few are honored in the Drum Corps International Hall of Fame. Even fewer are in the WGI Hall of Fame. Of those, an even smaller elite group is enshrined in both Halls of […]
Gold Spike Percussion: Don’t Forget Where You Belong
By Caroline Meister Ogden, Utah, is home to 87,031 people, making it the seventh biggest city in the state. The city is also home to Gold Spike Percussion, a clever homage to the city’s former railway fame. Gold Spike’s roots have been ingrained in Ogden history since 2005, first appearing under the name Junction City […]
What is the WGI Fan Club?
Jump inside the newly renovated UD Arena to learn about WGI Fan Club: WGI’s ultimate fan package! Get the most comfortable seats in the house 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 […]
WGI Fan Club: Exclusive Benefits
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 […]
WGI Hall of Fame: Daniel Wiles
By Michael Reed For over 30 years, Daniel Wiles has been a WGI mainstay as a performer, instructor and designer. Following successful stints at Lincoln-Way HS and Southport HS, he has led the Avon HS guard since 2000, winning titles in Scholastic World in 2009 and 2018 and Scholastic Open in 2001—in addition to medaling […]
Putting the “I” in WGI
By Caroline Meister 1978, Hoffman Estates, Illinois—Winter Guard International, known commonly by their acronym, WGI, holds its first ever color guard championships. The organization is practically unknown. 1993, Dayton, Ohio—Fifteen years later, amid growing momentum and recognition, WGI holds its first ever percussion championships. 2015, Dayton, Ohio—WGI, known now as America’s premiere destination for the […]
Lights, Camera, Color Guard!
By Jenny Lyons Streaks of white light, rain slicked pavement; a sleek car in deep red, gliding down the street. A beautiful woman in a smooth ponytail grips the steering wheel and stares down the road ahead with a smile and a confident gleam in her eyes. Ariana Grande’s “Bang Bang” plays buoyantly in the […]
Road to China: James Bowie HS
In May 2019, the James Bowie High School World Guard (Austin, Texas) will be the first and only United States group to perform in WGI Sport of the Arts’ inaugural WGI China Regional, held in Beijing. No stranger to travel, WGI China will be the group’s second international performance. “We could not be more excited about […]
Remembering Stanley Knaub: Part III
This is Part III of a three-part series. To read Part I, click here; to read Part II, click here. By Jenny Lyons Stanley Knaub’s legacy lives on not only through his technical contributions, but through the educators who continue to preach his wisdom. Many influential members of the color guard community, such as Karl […]
