Evansville North Green Brigade are ISSMA Class B State champions

INDIANAPOLIS (WEHT) — The Evansville North Green Brigade made history as 2023’s Indiana State School Music Association Class B champions.

The band competed Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation says the Green Brigade becomes the first marching band in the school system’s history to win an ISSMA State Marching Band Competition with their show titled “Nimbus Caeruleus.”

Students tell us that more than 300 hours of work were done in preparation for the competition.

“It doesn’t feel real. I really was just going down, counting down the numbers. It didn’t feel real,” said drum major Sophia Edwards.

“Today our goal was to put all the emotion we had on the field and give it to the audience. I’m glad the judges felt the emotion that we poured out into our show,” said drum major Isaiah Farrell.

“The thing I always is that, no matter what happens, we want you to have to have your best show, and I can say for a fact that was our best show,” said North Band Director Noah Farmer.

“This is a phenomenal accomplishment, and we couldn’t be more proud. This achievement reflects not only the hard work and dedication of the Green Brigade, but also the EVSC’s ongoing commitment to fine arts education. We know that when you pair high expectations with high support, our students can truly achieve anything,” school officials said.

Jasper placed fourth with their show “All The World’s A Stage,” and FJ Reitz placed ninth with their show “Lost.” Jasper was the 2022 state champion.

“I feel like they’ve done everything they could possible do. If we had the chance to perform again, I don’t think I would take it. I think I would take the run they gave us today,” said Jasper Band Director Chad Gayso.

Forest Park won the state championship in Class D. Tell City placed sixth, South Spencer placed eighth and Mater Dei placed ninth.