Mullingar Town Band will host the 2024 Irish Marching Band Association Championships, where six of the countries best bands will compete for the prize.
The event, taking place at St Loman’s GAA Club on Sunday, 21 July, is planned to be a celebration of all things good about Irish marching bands. Entry is free, and will the competition will run from 2pm to 4pm.
Club representative, Kim Magee said her club has prepared an Elvis Presley inspired medley for their performance, with hits such as Can’t Help Falling In Love, Suspicious Minds and Hound Dog.
Competing against the Mullingar Town Band are defending champions, Inbhear Mór Performance Ensemble, Portarlington Marching Band, Tallaght Marching Band, Inbhear Mór Cadets and the Mullingar Town Bands Celtic Crusaders.
“It is a show of marching and movement with a colour guard,” said Kim. “There will be judges there who will view us on our technique and our music and technique together and the flow of it, and if we are executing the creative expression of the music correctly.”
The Mullingar Town Band only recently returned from the World Championships, where they were placed in the silver and bronze categories in some competitions and reached the World Final, but Kim said competition will still be stiff in the Irish tournament.
She said: “Having competed on the continent with bands from Holland, Germany, and even further afield, the standard is quite high. But each band has something different to offer.
“In Ireland, the scene is small enough but the standard is high. The Arklow (Inbhear Mór) band travel to Holland for the finals and qualify for them.”
Whilst competition is important, Kim spoke of how the day is an opportunity to promote music and banding.
“When people say ‘I am in a marching band’, the first thing people think of is St Patrick’s Day,” stated Kim. “This is more about the banding technique and the musicianship but still has an audience appeal to it.”
“It is about promoting the activity. We are fortunate enough that when we do get out and perform, we do have enquiries about people looking to learn the music and anyone who is interested, even if they are complete beginners can ask me or the band team.
“This would be more of an entertainment day for the audience and the people taking part. It is not just about the competition.”
