Knox Marching Band One of Four Local Schools Heading to ISSMA Semi-State Competition

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

Four local high school marching bands will be heading down to Indianapolis tomorrow for the Indiana State School Music Association Open Class Semi-State Marching Band Festival. Students from Bremen, John Glenn, Knox and Plymouth will join 80 other bands from around the state competing to be chosen as one of the 10 bands who will represent their class at the 45th Annual Indiana State Marching Band Finals.

As the sole band representing Starke County, the Knox Band Boosters are asking community members and business owners to put up signs or decorate their windows today to show support for these students. Booster Sandra Redden said the marching band members sacrificed every Saturday since the start of the school year, not to mention band camp during the summer.

She said, in all they have dedicated more than 200 hours of practice to their show entitled Pi 3.14. Friends and family as well as faculty and former band members are encouraged to come out and line Redskin Trail to see the band members off and wish them luck at their performance tomorrow. Continue reading →

Knox School Board Recognizes Recent Band Accomplishments

Posted on Author WKVI

Knox-School-Board-2014The Knox Band was congratulated, when the Knox Community School Board met last night, for its recent awards recognizing its outstanding music accomplishments. Director Craige Phipps and drum major Josh Enger announced the group has received the 2016 “Best Communities for Music Education” Award from the NAMM Foundaton as well as the ISMA’s “ALL Music Award.”  Continue reading →

Knox School Board Reaffirms Support for Programs

Posted on Author WKVI

Knox-School-Board-2014With the meeting room packed with parents, teachers, and band and athletic fans, the Knox School Board, late yesterday afternoon, assured those patrons it had no intent to “do away” with any particular extracurricular activity in its 2016 budget cutting efforts.

Social media had been reporting all day that budget support of certain programs was scheduled to be drastically reduced or completely removed from the schedule of activities at the scheduled work session.

That didn’t happen.   Continue reading →

Official Final Call for WKVIdol

Posted on Author WKVI

wkvidolA deadline extension was allowed but it can’t last forever; the final call for WKVIdol submissions is here. Kids still have a chance to send their minute long singing sample and contact information into the station until the close of business hours today. Continue reading →

Harlem Wizards Set to Work Basketball Magic at Weinberg Gym

Posted on Author WKVI

Wizards LogoHead to Weinberg Gym in Knox tonight for “trick-hoops and alley-oops” courtesy of the Harlem Wizards. The legendary exhibition basketball team will take on “The Tribe” – a team comprised of local celebrities in a fundraiser for the Knox High School Band Boosters. Director Craige Phipps says general admission, reserve seat and meet-and-greet tickets are available. Continue reading →

Redskin Brigade Heads to Semi-State Competition

Posted on Author WKVI

06-07-14 Music Recycled picThe Knox Redskin Brigade will compete this afternoon for a shot at a state championship. Their gold rating last Saturday at the Indiana State School Music Association regional competition earned the band a slot in today’s competition at Decatur Central High School. They must place in the top 10 among the 20 schools performing in order to advance. “It’s a pretty tall order for any band, really,” band director Craige Phipps said. “These guys have done an amazing job over the last two weeks. I’m pretty confident they can do it. They’ve just got to have ‘that show’ – that one show.”

Phipps added the Redskin Brigade is more than capable of advancing to state.

“They’ve had some amazing performances this year, and the best thing about this group is everyone keeps considering them an underdog. We don’t consider ourselves an underdog. We keep rising to the challenge every week. I tell these guys when they come off the field after a performances, ‘you guys just had a great performance, but it’s not good enough any more. Now we need to take that next step.’ They’ve really risen to that challenge all season long,” he said.

The Redskin Brigade will take the field at 4:20 p.m. CDT today at Decatur Central High School. The state finals will take place Saturday, Nov. 8 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

WKVI Raises $200 for Hoosier Burn Camp

Posted on Author WKVI

WKVI morning show host Tom Berg and sports director Nathan Welter answered their cold water challenge Thursday afternoon in the radio station parking lot. They were called out by news director Mary Perren to either donate $10 to the Hoosier Burn Camp and get wet or stay dry and write a $100 check. The guys decided to play along, so members of the Bass Lake Fire Department brought their dump tank to our parking lot and filled it with water. Several listeners also stopped by with extra ice and donations to really help the guys chill out. Another Step Forward Walking Challenge Coordinator Ryan Greer had also been called out previously, as had fire chief Les Jensen. They took the plunge as well. So did Knox High School Band Director Craige Phipps, who opted not to prolong his torture when Nathan called him out. WKVI raised $200 in donations for the Hoosier Burn Camp, thanks to the generosity of the listeners who donated and the staff for being such good sports.

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Knox Redskin Brigade Received Silver at Regional

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox Redskin Brigade concluded their marching season this past Saturday, Oct. 13. They received a silver rating at their Regional competition held at Lafayette Jefferson High School. Although this was, according to Band Director Craige Phipps, their best performance of the year, they still were unable to go on to compete at the semi-state level.

Despite that, the students said they have no regrets. They feel that they gave it their all and there isn’t much more that could have been expected of them. No other area bands were at this competition.

Meanwhile, the Pride of Plymouth Marching Band did advance to the Semi-State level. The band will now perform at Pike High School on Saturday, Oct. 27, where the final 20 bands (10 from the north and 10 from the south) will meet up in one last event leading into the state finals.

No Rest In Sight For The Knox Redskin Brigade

Posted on Author WKVI

The summer months usually mean a summer vacation for students, but not for the members of the Knox Redskin Brigade. Director Craige Phipps says the marching season and the regular band season is right around the corner.

“We start full-bore at the end of July and run through the end of May,” said Phipps. “We really do try and give them as much time as we can, but even with that, there’s things that need to be done through the summer.”

Phipps said the staff talked about what type of show to do this year and the music from “Cirque du Soleil”came up in conversation. He explains the show’s concept from there.

Continue reading →

Harlem Wizards Come to Knox!

Posted on Author WKVI
The Roadrunner and Tom Berg

The Harlem Wizards came to Knox last night appearing in a fundraiser for the Knox High School Band. Money raised was to be used for a band trip to Florida.

While the Wizards play almost every night, some of the “ringers” rounded up by Coach Craige Phipps left a little to be desired. Tom Berg tried to keep up with the Wizards star guard who was simply known as “The Roadrunner.”

Continue reading →

Knox Redskin Brigade’s Season Comes to a Close

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox Redskin Brigade ended its season Saturday after placing 11th in the Semi-State Marching band competition at Decatur High School in Indianapolis. The top 10 bands went on to the State Finals.

Director Craige Phipps said it was tough, but the students did a great job and got a standing ovation for their performance.

Knox Redskin Brigade Prepares for Another Season

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox Redskin Brigade is in the middle of its summer camp and band members have been busy preparing for the fall marching season. Director Craige Phipps invites you to a community performance of the show “By the Water’s Edge” on Thursday, August 4th at 8:45 p.m. at the High School.

This year’s show tells the story of a watering hole that has been touched by man, infiltrated by man and then creating balance between man and beast in the environment.

Continue reading →

Knox Music and Dance Department Hosts ISSMA Organizational Contest

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox Instrumental Music and Dance Department and Knox Community Middle School was host to fifteen middle school bands this past Saturday for the annual Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Junior High, Middle School and Elementary Organizational Contests. The contest is a chance for bands, orchestras or choirs to perform in front of a panel of judges where they can receive a Gold, Silver, Bronze, or Participant rating. Knox Middle School entered their 7th grade band, conducted by Mr. David Elliott, and 8th grade band, conducted by Mr. Craige Phipps into the competition where they both were awarded Gold ratings.

Continue reading →