15 Grand Nationals Fun Facts for 2015
While we offer many of our best predictions and opinions throughout the season, here are some fun facts about this year’s Grand Nationals Competition:- Music for All is celebrating their 40th Anniversary during the 2015 season. They have a whole section of their website to celebrate this, including Forty for Forty, which honors music educators who have made a difference.
- There are 22 states being represented in this year’s competition.
- The state best represented is Ohio with 29 bands competing this year.
- There are bands in attendance from both Alaska, Colony High School, and Hawaii, Mililani High School.
- The furthest distance being travelled to attend Grand Nationals is over 4,000 miles by Mililani H.S., HI.
- Not a single Texas band performs on Thursday, but there are plenty of excellent groups not from Texas performing on Thursday.
- This is the highest number of Tennessee bands that have ever been represented at Grand Nationals in a single year (Cleveland H.S., Dobyns-Bennett H.S., Franklin H.S., Father Ryan H.S., Fred J Page H.S., Goodpasture Christian H.S. and Ravenwood H.S.).
- There are 11 bands in attendance who have received the Sudler Shield within the last ten years. Avon H.S., IN; Blue Springs H.S., MO; Broken Arrow H.S., OK; Carmel H.S., IN; Dobyns-Bennett H.S., TN; Franklin H.S., TN; Hebron H.S., TX; Homestead H.S., IN; Round Rock H.S., TX; The Woodlands H.S., TX; and William Mason H.S., OH.
- There are eight bands competing in 2015 who have been named Grand National Champion previously. They are Avon, IN; Broken Arrow, OK; Carmel, IL; Center Grove, IL; Centerville, OH; Lake Park H.S., IL; Marian Catholic, IL; and The Woodlands H.S., TX.
- Marian Catholic, who is competing this year, has won the most Grand National Champion titles, with seven titles to their name. This group also holds the record for number of Grand National Finals appearances.
- Each year, Lucas Oil Stadium hosts more days of marching music competition than it does Indianapolis Colts football games!
- There are seven states represented by just one band:
- Alaska: Colony H.S.
- Georgia: Harrison H.S.
- Hawaii: Mililani H.S.
- Iowa: Davenport Central H.S.
- Minnesota: Eden Prairie H.S.
- Mississippi: DeSoto Central H.S.
- New York: Lancaster H.S.
- The most regionally diverse (and arguably most competitive) block of prelims is Friday morning. There will be 10 different states represented over 12 bands competing.
- There will be five 2015 Regional and Super Regional champions in attendance:
- Avon H.S., IN: Dayton Regional and Indianapolis Super Regional.
- Broken Arrow H.S., OK: St. Louis Super Regional.
- Dobyns-Bennett H.S., TN: Winston-Salem Regional.
- Kiski Area H.S., PA: Monroeville Regional.
- William Mason H.S., OH: Bowling Green Regional.
- This will be the 8th Grand National Championship held at Lucas Oil Stadium. The first year was in 2008. Avon H.S., IN was the champion.