The Sound and Spirit of Columbus plays the National Anthem before Columbus East’s game against Columbus North at Columbus East, Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. Paige Grider for The Republic
The Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp.’s high school marching band will soon hold an invitational competition that doubles as its biggest annual fundraiser.
The Sound and Spirit of Columbus will host its annual invitational on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Columbus North High School’s stadium. According to Columbus North band director Keith Burton, performances start at 4:30 p.m. Sound and Spirit — which is made up of over 150 students from BCSC’s three high schools — will perform at 9 p.m., and awards will be announced at 9:15 p.m.
General admission is $10. Students and seniors get in for $8 with an ID. Admission is free for children 2 and under.
Sixteen bands will be competing at the event, including five from schools in Kentucky. Sound and Spirit will give an exhibition performance but will not be in the competition for awards.
“When you’re a contest host, you don’t compete in the competition part of it,” Burton said. “The adjudicators will give us a score and evaluate us just like everybody else, but our scores don’t get included into the competition part. It’s more for us and to get a measuring stick to see where we are.”
According to a social media post from Denise Sharpe, president of North’s band boosters, the invitational is the biggest fundraising event of the year for the band, which has been working to raise funds to purchase another semi and repair its existing trailer.
Concessions will be available at the event, Burton said.
He added that the invitational is an exciting event and estimated that the school has hosted a competition nearly every year since 1995, with the exception of one season that was affected by COVID-19.
“It’s the first competition of a new season for everybody, so everybody’s traveling for the first time and putting their new programs out for the public other than a football game,” he said. “It’s a big deal for everybody.”
If you go
What: Sound and Spirit of Columbus Invitational
When: Saturday Sept. 9, with performances starting at 4:30 p.m. The Sound and Spirit of Columbus will perform at 9 p.m., and awards will be announced at 9:15 p.m.
Where: Columbus North High School stadium, 1400 25th St.
Cost: General admission is $10. Students and seniors get in for $8 with an ID. Admission is free for children 2 and under.
Performance schedule
According to Columbus North band director Keith Burton, the lineup for the event is as follows:
4:30 p.m. — Mitchell Jr. Sr. High School
4:45 p.m. — Madison Consolidated High School
5:00 p.m. — Brown County High School
5:15 p.m. — Southwestern Jr. Sr. High School
5:30 p.m. — Batesville High School
5:45 p.m. — Rising Sun High School
6:15 p.m. — Bedford North Lawrence High School
6:30 p.m. — East Central High School
6:45 p.m. — Monrovia Jr. Sr. High School
7:00 p.m. — Share Memorial High School
7:15 p.m. — Pleasure Ridge Park High School (KY)
7:45 p.m. — Martha Layne Collins High School (KY)
8:00 p.m. — South Oldham High School (KY)
8:15 p.m. — Bullitt East High School (KY)
8:30 p.m. — Louisville Male High School (KY)
8:45 p.m. — Floyd Central High School
9:00 p.m. — Sound and Spirit of Columbus
