This year’s Bands of America Grand National Championships featured 6 great bands from the Carolinas.

Pictured: 6th Place Grand National Finalist, Wando HS Band, Mount Pleasant, SC

Photo Credit: J.P. Wilson

Wando HS (Mount Pleasant, SC), Fort Mill HS (Fort Mill, SC), and Nation Ford HS (Fort Mill, SC) represented the Palmetto State proudly in competition, with Wando making Grand National finals, finishing in 6th behind 2014 National Champion, Tarpon Springs HS (Tarpon Springs, FL), with Fort Mill HS taking 34th overall (16th from Prelims Panel 1), and Nation Ford in 38th overall (19th From Prelims Panel 1).

Wando’s highest caption score in finals was their 5th place General Effect score, which outscored Tarpon Springs’ GE heavy show by .10 points.

Fort Mill fielded an impressive Music caption score of 17.20, the 19th overall score in the entire preliminary competition, which was higher than semifinalists West Salem (Salem, OR), and the Centerville Jazz Band (Centerville, OH).

Nation Ford capped off a strong season by scoring 35th overall in music, just below semifinalist Morton (Morton, IL).

Our brothers and sisters from North Carolina placed impressively as well, with three bands all from Cary, NC, coincidentally: Panther Creek coming in 33rd overall, Green Hope coming in 36th overall, and Cary Senior coming in 46th overall. Every participating band from the Carolinas finished in the top 50 of the 108 participants. We are so incredibly proud of our excellent Carolina bands.