The marching band season has ended after the band placed fifth at the Grand Nationals Competition at the Lucas Oil Stadium on Nov. 14.

Now that the season is over, Kristen Pileri, drum major in marching band and junior, says some band students will join the Jazz Band to keep up their musical skills in the off season, but there will be no more marching band practices until right before summer vacation.

“We won’t practice again until our new season starts before summer,” Pileri said.

Although few students are thinking about next year’s performance already, according to Alan Hll, marching band member and junior, the marching band conductors are beginning to throw out ideas for next year’s performance.

“But really it is too early to tell what will be going on next year,” Hill said.

In the meantime, Hill will be one of the students to be involved in auditioning for the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band. This program will allow two of the students nominated by their conductors, to have a chance at playing on the Army All-American Band.

“Having been nominated for the All- American Band, we will audition for the two open Indiana spots in the band of 98 players from all 50 states,” Hill said via e-mail.

To get the spots on the band, the students will have to go through a musical audition, a marching audition, as well as a brief interview. The marching band students who have been recommended by the band directors are juniors Brandon Candis, Alan Hill, Austin Miller, Kristen Pileri, Daniel Smith and Katie Wurtz. By Katie Norman <[email protected]>