BENTONVILLE -- Tim Hendrix, band director at Bentonville High School, sees the annual Music on the Move show as a great experience for anybody, but especially his students.
"The best thing is, it exposes our students to the high level of performance," Hendrix said. "The people who play at these things are literally the most talented musicians in the country."
Music on the Move, a marching competition put on by Drum Corps International, returns to Bentonville High School's Tiger Stadium for a show at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Eight bands will compete.
General admission tickets will be available at the gate for $27. Reserved seats are $37. Proceeds go to the Bentonville Band Boosters.
The corps consists of high school and college students from across the country. More than 8,000 students audition each year for the fewer than 3,500 positions available in top-tier member corps, according to Drum Corps International's website.
Among those participating Monday will be Byron Marciniak, a 2014 Bentonville High School graduate and former Bentonville Pride Marching Band member.
Marciniak, a junior at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, will be playing with the Carolina Crown corps, said Dan Fogleman, co-chairman for publicity and public relations with the Bentonville Band Boosters.
Other corps competing will be the Boston Crusaders, Crossmen, Jersey Surf, Madison Scouts, Pioneer, Spirit of Atlanta and The Academy.
Music on the Move is the booster club's biggest fundraiser of the year. About 3,000 people are expected to attend. Hendrix estimated the event brought in $14,000 last year.
"It takes months to prepare for this," Hendrix said. "The public sees a few hours of entertainment, but behind the scenes, the boosters work really hard."
Fogleman said the booster club wants corps members to have a successful, enjoyable stay. Many will be visiting Northwest Arkansas for the first time, so it's a chance to showcase the area to them as well.
Abby Russell, a booster club vice president, said the club does everything from booking hotels for judges to directing traffic at the event. Bentonville band students will volunteer at the event as well, she said.
Russell, who has a child in Bentonville's band, said seeing Music on the Move is inspiring to the students.
"I believe it sparks something in them to do better," she said. "These are the elite bands they're watching. I think it gives them something bigger to shoot for."
NW News on 07/15/2017