Another successful competition season for O’Fallon’s Marching Panthers
After success in competition this fall, where they placed 13th at the Bands of America Grand National Championships, the O’Fallon Township High School Marching Panthers are getting excited about what opportunities are ahead in the new year.
Director Melissa Gustafson-Hinds said the nationals in Indianapolis Nov. 14-16 was an exciting time for the group, and they only missed making the finals by less than a point. Out of 113 bands, they were among the 35 bands that advanced to the semifinals.
“I am super-proud of these kids,” she said.
The Indiana competition is considered the country’s premier marching band event and is presented by Yamaha. It is an educational performance and evaluation opportunity, and draws the top-ranked national bands.
To just miss the cut was bittersweet, but to accomplish what they had was encouraging, she said.
“They were really good, I can’t complain. The competition was very stiff. It gets better every year. It’s really motivating. There seems to be no ceiling to it. The stakes are high,” Gustafson-Hinds said.
Major events to look forward to next year include performing in the Chicago Symphony Hall in February and working towards a 2026 appearance in the Disney concert hall at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
Holiday Music
In the meantime, the band is preparing for festive holiday cheer. On Saturday, Nov. 30, they will take part in the O’Fallon Illuminated Holiday Parade that starts at 6 p.m. downtown.
The Madrigals Dinner Concerts, a holiday tradition since 1977, will take place Dec. 6-8 at the Milburn School campus. They will take part in Christmas in O’Fallon on Dec. 11.
They recently participated in St. Clair Square mall’s special 50th anniversary Santa Parade that took place inside the mall, starting near Dillard’s and ending up at Santa’s home. Afterwards, the band and color guard performed.
Gustafson-Hinds said it’s important to be part of a community that is so encouraging, and that the students know the importance of teamwork. She noted the dedication of the staff and how supportive the community is.
“We are blessed to have so much support, and to have these parents to help. They build things, they work on costumes, they do whatever we need,” she said. “Our superintendent, school board, staff, the boosters – we are thankful. It means a lot.”
‘Set in Stone’ Show
The Marching Panthers show this year was “Set in Stone.” It was a take on Medusa, the snake-haired monster from Greek mythology who turned people into stone.
“We wanted to do a character-based show like we did last year, with Wednesday (Addams). We wanted to do something different. It had that vibe,” Gustafson-Hinds said.
She credits Jordan Lalama as the program coordinator for their show, praising his passion and expertise.
“It was really cool,” she said.
They started assembling the show in early summer, which incorporates elements of music, art and dance. It’s both creative and athletic. There are 270 students involved in band this year.
“This season has been nothing short of extraordinary, with countless hours of hard work, dedication, and heart poured into every note, step, and toss,” one of the band administrators wrote on Facebook. “Marching band is about so much more than just one performance. It’s about the bonds we’ve built through every challenging rehearsal, the friends who’ve become family, the staff who guide us every step of the way, and the volunteers who lift us up with endless support. Together, we’ve created something powerful, something that goes beyond the scores and the placements.”
Besides the Marching Panthers, the program includes four concert bands – wind ensemble, which performs at the Illinois Music Education Association All State Conference in January; all chamber ensembles, pep band, musical pit, madrigal brass, flute choir, winter guard, two jazz bands and a jazz combo.
More Accolades
This past summer, they won the marching band competition in the VP Fair Parade.
On New Year’s Day in 2022, they were one of the 15 marching bands who participated in the iconic annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on New Year’s Day. It was their second time.
They have been invited three times to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and their most recent performance was in November 2023.
They appeared at the 70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, Carnegie Hall, and at the Hollywood Parade in 2018.
Gustafson-Hinds, known as “Dr. G,” has been the band director for 17 years. Last summer, she won the St. Louis Manilow Music Project Teacher Award winner, recognized by the legendary singer Barry Manilow during his July 25 concert. She and the high school split a $10,000 grant from the Manilow Fund. The high school received $5,000 in new band instruments for their school band and Gustafson-Hinds received a separate $5,000 cash prize.
The contest was part of Manilow’s Last, Last Tour and was created to support high school music teachers and bands throughout the U.S.