The 7th Annual “Drew’s Gift of Music” Event is Happening Tomorrow in Knox

Candlelight Vigil Held for Drew in 2011 Photo Source: Jayme Goetz

An inspirational Knox student who impacted the lives of countless people before his sudden passing in October of 2011 continues to make a major impact posthumously.

Community members have the chance to collectively commemorate Drew Shearin and contribute to the cause created in his honor this Saturday at the 7th annual “Drew’s Gift of Music” event.

The charitable organization “Drew’s Gift” has been instrumental in providing band students throughout Indiana with the equipment they need to pursue their musical passions. Continue reading

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

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 Redskin Brigade Ends Season at Semi-State

06-07-14 Music Recycled picThe Knox Redskin Brigade performed in the semi-state round at Decatur Central High School this past weekend. Twenty schools competed for the top ten spots to advance to state on Nov. 8th at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Their gold rating received at the Indiana State School Music Association regional competition earned the band a slot to compete at the semi-state round. Continue reading

Redskin Brigade Heads to Semi-State Competition

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.

Knox Redskin Brigade Advances to Semi-State Competition

06-07-14 Music Recycled picMembers of the Knox Redskin Brigade have marched their way into the next round leading to the state competition.

The band participated in the Indiana State School Music Association Regional marching competition at Lafayette Jefferson High School on Saturday and received a gold rating. With that, they were selected as one of the top 10 bands to continue to the Semi-State level on Saturday, Nov. 1 at Decatur Central High School.

The band will perform at 4:20 p.m. CT that day for a chance to compete at the state finals at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 8.

Marching Bands Perform in 15th Annual Harvest Festival Invitational

 
 
The Knox Redskin Brigade participated in the 15th annual Harvest Festival Marching Invitational in Plymouth Saturday night where the band placed second in Class B and won the Best Auxiliary Caption.

Eight judges adjudicated the 14 bands that took part in the event.

Invitational events such as these get the bands prepared for ISSMA state competitions to be held later this month.

Knox’s 2013 show features various Hitchcock themes including “Psycho,” “The Birds,” “North by Northwest,” and “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”

Knox Redskin Brigade Marching Season Steps Off on Right Foot

 
 
The Knox Redskin Brigade performed well at the Concord Marching Band Invitational this past weekend.

The band placed first in marching and second overall in the Class C competition.

This year’s Brigade features 82 members – 50 of which play woodwind instruments and 15 students in the percussion section. The 2013 show features various Hitchcock themes including “Psycho,” “The Birds,” “North by Northwest,” and “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”

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Knox Redskin Brigade Received Silver at Regional

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.

Knox Redskin Brigade Advances to Regional ISSMA Competition

The Knox Redskin Brigade will advance to the Indiana State School Music Association Regional competition on Saturday, Oct. 13, having earned a Gold rating at the District Competition held at Concord High School in Elkhart this weekend.

Craige Phipps, band director at Knox, says a Gold rating is required in order for a band to advance to the Regional level. With the Redskin Brigade’s success at District, Phipps says they will soon advance to the Lafayette Jefferson Regional competition on Saturday, Oct. 13. The competition will take place at 12:05 p.m. ET.

Knox will also be competing this Saturday at the Plymouth High School’s “Harvest Festival of Bands.”

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No Rest In Sight For The Knox Redskin Brigade

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.

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Year in Review – Part Four

We’re down to the final three top 10 stories of 2011.

One of the top stories of the year involved State Representative Nancy Dembowski, who with 43 Democrat legislators, fled to Illinois to avoid voting on anticipated right to work legislation. After staying out for weeks, the legislators finally returned to the cheers of union workers and jeers from their Republican colleagues. The issue is coming back to the legislators in the 2012 General Assembly. The Republican majority party imposed fines on those who left.

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Knox Redskin Brigade’s Season Comes to a Close

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.

Local Marching Bands to Perform in Semi-State Competition

The Knox Redskin Brigade performs during Regional compeition at Chesterton

The Knox Redskin Brigade and the John Glenn Marching Band will be performing in the Semi-State Marching Band competition in Class C tomorrow at Decatur High School in Indianapolis.

John Glenn will perform at 5:20 p.m. ET and the Knox Redskin Brigade will perform at 5:46 p.m. ET. Awards for all of Class C, which contains 20 bands, will be at approximately 6:12 p.m. ET. 10 bands will advance to the State Finals which will be on Saturday, October 29th, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Funeral Services Held for Drew Shearin

Drew Shearin

On the first Sunday following the death of a popular student a week ago, the clergy of the community used the occasion to pray for and ask comfort for the family and friends. By the outpouring of sorrow all last week, the student body of Knox High School and the community at large showed what an impact Drew Shearin had on all who knew him.

Before hundreds of those in his services Friday night, his youth pastor, Rev. Rick Martin, put it best in his closing prayer.

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Knox Redskin Brigade to March in Regional Competition with Heavy Hearts

Drew Shearin

The Knox community continues to mourn the loss of Knox High School Junior, Drew Shearin. Drew died in a car accident on State Road 8 east of Knox late Monday night.

Drew was a Drum Major for the Knox Redskin Brigade, who is set to take the field Saturday for the ISSMA Regional Marching Band competition to compete for a chance for the State title in Indianapolis on October 29th. Director Craige Phipps says that the band will march in Chesterton this Saturday.

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Knox Redskin Brigade Prepares for Another Season

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.

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