Marching Band

Mr. Sleppy holding microphone — Mr. Sleppy, Marching Band Director

Message from Mr. Sleppy

Hello Mason Band Families!

All of the band directors are excited for this upcoming 2024 season! The band is fresh off a spectacular showing at the 2023 BOA Grand Nationals and the Rose Parade, and we are ready to build another amazing and unique competition show. This show will be VERY different from the past few season and will be something band families, our community and audiences on the national stage will LOVE!

Here's to the kick off of an amazing 2024 season!

With Pride,

Mr. Sleppy

For 2024 Marching Band Registration Information, visit the Student Experience pages

William Mason Marching Band

As a consistent Bands of America Grand Nationals Finalist, the William Mason Marching Band is one of the best high school marching bands in the nation.

Our ensemble includes roughly 250 students in grades 9-12 making it the largest student organization on campus.

In addition to hosting competitions, the Marching Band performs in several competitions in the Mid-States Band Association and Bands of America circuits. We’ve proudly performed in the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade® in Pasadena, CA; Indianapolis, IN; St. Louis, MO; Pontiac, MI; and Atlanta, GA.

Marching Band Achievements

11 time Grand National Finalist at Bands of America (BOA) Grand Nationals
6 Time Regional Champions at Bands of America (BOA) Regional Championships
14 Time "AAAAA/Open Class" Champion at Mid-States Band Association (MSBA) Championships (2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2007)
Two-time Sudler Shield Award for Excellence in Marching Band in 2011 & 2022 from the John Philip Sousa Foundation
2016 & 2024 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade® Participant

BOA Grand Nationals Finalist Placement

2023 6th Place
2022 4th Place | 2021 11th Place
2019 7th Place | 2018 7th Place
2016 3rd Place | 2015 4th Place
2014 5th Place | 2013 6th Place
2012 8th Place | 2011 10th Place

Additional BOA Accomplisments

2nd Place Overall - 2022 BOA Grand Nationals Semifinals Class AAAA
Best Overall General Effect - 2022 BOA Grand Nationals Semifinals Class AAAA
Outstanding Visual Effect - 2016 BOA Grand Nationals Semifinals Class AAAA
BOA Regional Champions - 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2010

Marching Band Student Info

Marching Band is a co-curricular activity that meets entirely outside of the school day.

Our season runs from late May with most of summer break off, then reconvenes from late July through mid November.

During the school year, we rehearse several times a week and perform at home and away football games. Students receive .5 fine arts credit per season and can earn PE credit for participation.

All musicians in Marching Band must be enrolled in one of the school concert bands.

More Than Just Marching Band

Ask any student, and they'll tell you marching band is a lot of hard work. Whether they're an instrumentalist on the field, a perucssionist in the front ensemble or tossing flags and rifles as part of the color guard, these young adults put a ton of effort into performing an amazing show at the national level.

But marching band is so much more than a performance.

It's forming lifelong friendships on the hot blacktop. It's fun and games during spirit week and socials. It's incredible music coming together into one beautiful piece. It's special memories to last a lifetime. And it's lessons in grit, perseverance and leadership to catapult these teens into adulthood.

To all the marchers out there, we salute you!