Winter Guard International
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Spawning from the organization Drum Corps International (DCI), Winter Guard International (WGI) was founded in 1977. WGI is a visual performing arts organization that hosts regional and national competitions for color guard (known as winter guard) and indoor percussion ensembles. Contests are held in the U.S. and Canada and WGI headquarters is located in Dayton, Ohio.
Six people were responsible for the birth of this performing arts organization in San Francisco: Don Angelica, Shirlee Whitcomb, Stanley Knaub, Bryan Johnston, Marie Czapinski, and Linda Chambers. Together they created the first division of WGI, the color guard division. The second division, indoor percussion, would not be established until 1992.
WGI was created as a competitive vehicle for the performing arts. The organization sets standardized rules and criteria, provides educational clinics and resources, and manages competitions on a regional, national, and international scale.
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[edit] Mission Statement
"WGI Sport of the Arts exists to foster positive experiences for all who participate, by promoting education, creativity and freedom of expression through the unification of pageantry and the performing arts."
[edit] Scholarship Opportunities
As a part of their commitment to education, WGI offers scholarships every year. One member from each color guard or percussion group, performing at the Championships, qualifies to apply. More than $200,000 has been awarded to WGI participants over the years. The scholarship money is collected through raffles, World Championship program sales, and donations. Recipients are announced at the end of the night at the World Championships.
[edit] Color Guard
The visual art form of color guard incorporates spinning flags, rifles, sabres, and other various pieces of equipment, while performing to a selection of music, classical to contemporary. Dance is also featured and integrated into the spinning. WGI began with only 30 participating color guards. Today, it has grown to over 400 guard and percussion groups.
[edit] Competition
At the conclusion of a competitive season that starts in January, guards and percussion ensembles come together to compete within their respective divisions at the WGI World Championships every April. To qualify for competition, both guard and percussion groups must perform in at least one WGI regional contest during the season. The World Championships are usually held in Dayton, Ohio, however, every few years Championships are temporarily relocated (2004 - San Diego, CA, 2001 - Milwaukee, WI, 1997 - Phoenix, AZ.)
[edit] Competition Classifications
WGI classifies color guards into two divisions: Scholastic and Independent. Scholastic guards are made up of members from the same high school. University guards are classified in Independent Class. Independent guards often do not associate themselves with any one school, university units being the exception.
WGI goes on to divide these two divisions even further into classes. There are three classes in each division: A Class, Open Class, and World Class. A Class is for beginner to intermediate level ensembles. Open Class is for those better than A Class, World Class is the highest, reserved for experienced and superior color guards. Independent World Class is the only class with no age restrictions. Performers in A and Open classes "age-out" at 22 years old, and can no longer compete in those classes after their twenty-third birthday, but may continue performing with the Independent World Class.
- Color Guard Scholastic A (CGSA)
- Color Guard Scholastic Open (CGSO)
- Color Guard Scholastic World (CGSW)
- Color Guard Independent A (CGIA)
- Color Guard Independent Open (CGIO)
- Color Guard Independent World (CGIW)
[edit] Indoor Percussion
In 1992, WGI oversaw the development of the second division, indoor percussion. Only six groups competed the first year, and that first year Clovis West High School from Fresno, California won the Championships. Indoor percussion ensembles perform a musical selection while also featuring marching drill patterns and tying in artistic visual effects.
In addition to regular instrumentation of the percussion section of a drum corps, instruments such as the drum set, and electric bass and keyboard are often used in the front ensemble but aren't marched. Narration is used much more than in Drum Corps as well.
[edit] Competition Classifications
Like the color guard division, indoor percussion saw such a rapid growth that there became a need for multiple classes. As of 1999, eight classes have been created to accommodate indoor percussion's rising popularity. The concert classes are designed for scholastic percussion ensembles who do not feature marching in their performance.
- Percussion Scholastic A (PSA)
- Percussion Scholastic Open (PSO)
- Percussion Scholastic World (PSW)
- Percussion Independent A (PIA)
- Percussion Independent Open (PIO)
- Percussion Independent World (PIW)
- Percussion Scholastic Concert Open (PSCO)
- Percussion Scholastic Concert World (PSCW)
[edit] List of World Class Champions
List of World Class Champions in different classes (* denotes tie)
COLOR GUARD:
| Year | Scholastic World | Independent World |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | N/A | Quasar |
| 1979 | N/A | Phantom Regiment |
| 1980 | N/A | Phantom Regiment |
| 1981 | N/A | Cavaliers |
| 1982 | N/A | Cavaliers |
| 1983 | N/A | Cavaliers |
| 1984 | Center Grove High School | Skylarks* Erte Productions* |
| 1985 | Union High School | State Street Review |
| 1986 | Center Grove High School | State Street Review Odyssey |
| 1987 | Union High School | State Street Review |
| 1988 | Union High School | State Street Review |
| 1989 | Chaparrals of Tate High School (Tate Chaparrals) | State Street Review |
| 1990 | Center Grove High School | San Jose Raiders* Blessed Sacrament* |
| 1991 | Miamisburg High School | San Jose Raiders |
| 1992 | Miamisburg High School | San Jose Raiders |
| 1993 | Bishop Kearney High School | San Jose Raiders |
| 1994 | Bishop Kearney High School | San Jose Raiders |
| 1995 | Bishop Kearney High School | Blue Devils |
| 1996 | Bishop Kearney High School | Blue Devils |
| 1997 | Bishop Kearney High School | Blue Devils |
| 1998 | James Logan High School* Miamisburg High School* |
Blue Devils |
| 1999 | James Logan High School | Emerald Marquis |
| 2000 | James Logan High School | Fantasia |
| 2001 | James Logan High School | Pride of Cincinnati |
| 2002 | James Logan High School | Fantasia |
| 2003 | James Logan High School | San Jose Raiders |
| 2004 | James Logan High School | Fantasia |
| 2005 | James Logan High School | Pride of Cincinnati |
| 2006 | James Logan High School | Fantasia |
| 2007 | James Logan High School | Pride of Cincinnati |
| 2008 | Flanagan High School | Fantasia |
PERCUSSION:
| Year | Scholastic World | Independent World |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Clovis West | No independent class |
| 1994 | Lincoln Way High School | Blue Knights |
| 1995 | Hatboro Horsham | Atlanta Rhythm Machine |
| 1996 | John Overton | Music City Mystique |
| 1997 | Northglenn | Music City Mystique |
| 1998 | Dartmouth High School | Music City Mystique |
| 1999 | Dartmouth High School | Blue Knights |
| 2000 | King Philip High School | Blue Knights |
| 2001 | Mission Viejo High School | Music City Mystique |
| 2002 | Avon High School | Riverside Community College |
| 2003 | Winston Churchill | Blue Knights |
| 2004 | Centerville High School | Music City Mystique |
| 2005 | Center Grove HS | Riverside Community College |
| 2006 | Center Grove HS | Music City Mystique |
| 2007 | Mission Viejo High School | Riverside Community College |
| 2008 | Dartmouth High School | Rhythm X |
Percussion Historical Top 10 High Scores
| Score | Ensemble | Year | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99.10 | Mansfield High School | 2008 | Scholastic Concert Open |
| 98.75 | Franklin Central High School | 1999 | Scholastic Concert World |
| 98.40 | Gateway High School | 1999 | Scholastic Concert World |
| 98.35 | Dartmouth High School | 1998 | Scholastic World |
| 98.30 | King Philip High School | 2000 | Scholastic World |
| 98.25 | Franklin Central High School | 1998 | Scholastic Concert World |
| 98.20 | Gateway High School | 1996
2007 |
Scholastic Concert World |
| 98.10 | Northglenn High School | 1997 | Scholastic World |
| 97.40 | King Philip High School | 1997 | Scholastic World |
| 97.35 | Franklin Central High School | 2000 | Scholastic Concert World |
Independent World Percussion medalists and finalists
| Year | Gold Medal | Silver Medal | Bronze Medal | Finalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Rhythm X "Gone" 96.90 | Riverside Community College "City of Lights" 95.80 | Aimachi "Drum Roll" 94.85 | Music City Mystique 94.60, North Coast Academy 92.30, Blue Knights 91.75, Freelancers 90.60, Gateway Indoor 90.05, Matrix 89.70, Redline 89.10, Infinity 87.80, Pulse Percussion 87.30, United Percussion 87.00, Eastiside Fury Percussion 87.25, Timber Creek Independent 84.60 |
| 2007 | Riverside Community College "Memento" 96.95 | Music City Mystique "E=McM" 96.30 | Blue Knights "H20" 94.15 | North Coast Academy 93.15, Matrix 93.10, Rhythm X 92.20, Freelancers 90.25, Pulse Percussion 89.05, Eastside Fury Perc 86.45, Odyssey Percussion Theatre 86.05, Great Lakes Percussion 83.20, Indianapolis Independent 82.40 |
| 2006 | Music City Mystique "McM Traveling Side Show" 96.20 | Rhythm X "Lunaria" 95.75 | Aimachi "Go" 95.15 | Riverside Community College "The Sacred Geometry Of Chance" 94.00, Blue Knights 93.50, North Coast Academy 92.60, Odyssey Percussion Theatre 89.20, Pulse Percussion 87.60, Surround Sound 87.55, Matrix IMPE 86.85, Freelancers 86.15, Gateway Percussion 84.95 |
| 2005 | Riverside Community College "Manifest Destiny" 97.00 | Rhythm X "Wired" 96.70 | Music City Mystique "Cosmic Proportions" 95.25 | Blue Knights 94.35, North Coast Academy 93.10, Odessey Percussion 91.00, Eastside Fury 87.20, Black Knights 86.25, Pulse Percussion 86.20, Matrix 85.15, Gateway Percussion 84.85, Indianapolis Independent 84.00 |
| 2004 | Music City Mystique "Se7en" 95.85 | Riverside Community College "The Apple" 93.80 | Rhythm X "Audio Visual" 93.25 | Blue Knights 92.60, Momentum 88.50, Freelancers 88.20, North Coast Academy 87.90, Black Knights 87.70, Great Lakes Percussion 87.45, Esperanza 82.25, The Project 82.00, Pariah 81.75 |
| 2003 | Blue Knights "The Zodiac" 96.25 | *Black Knights "X" 94.60 | *Riverside Community College "South Africa" 94.60 | Music City Mystique 93.45, The Project 89.40, Aimachi 88.55, Rhythm X 88.20, Momentum 85.90, Penn State 83.80 |
| 2002 | Riverside Community College "The Sound Of Silence" 96.90 | Blue Knights "Line, Shape, Texture & Color" 95.05 | Music City Mystique "The Persistence of Time" 94.20 | Sacramento Freelancers 91.40, Great Lakes Percussion 88.80, Black Knights 88.70, Penn State 83.55 |
| 2001 | Music City Mystique "Strength and Honor" 96.50 | Blue Knights "In The Lot" 95.60 | Sacramento Freelancers 93.75 | Spirit 90.95, Patriots 90.95, Kiwanis Kavaliers 90.95, Carolina Thunder 88.85, Great Lakes Percussion 88.65, Penn State 87.15 |
| 2000 | Blue Knights "The Elements: Earth, Wind, Fire and Water" 95.95 | Sacramento Freelancers 95.15 | Aimachi 95.00 | Music City Mystique 91.85, Great Lakes Percussion 89.15, Carolina Thunder 89.15, Trinity Percussion 88.65, University of Kentucky 81.55, Black Knights 81.10 |
| 1999 | Blue Knights "Airborne: A Brief History of Flight" 97.10 | Music City Mystique "From Dawn Till Dusk: The Serengeti" 95.15 | Sacramento Freelancers 94.55 | Carolina Thunder 93.40, Spirit Performance 91.55, Black Knights 89.95 |
| 1998 | Music City Mystique "Vodun" 95.30 | Blue Knights 95.00 | Capital Regiment 93.30 | Spirit Performance Youth Ensemble 93.10, Black Knights 87.55, Carolina Thunder 87.55 |
| 1997 | Music City Mystique "A Different Drum" 96.25 | Blue Knights 96.15 | Spirit 90.70 | Phantom Regiment 89.50, Escape 88.20 |
| 1996 | Music City Mystique "Color of Rhythm" 95.10 | The Wheaters 91.80 | Blue Knights 90.40 | UNLV 90.30, Spirit Youth Ensemble 89.05, Atlanta Rhythm Machine 84.50, Escape 81.50 |
| 1995 | Atlanta Rhythm Machine 87.10 | Blue Knights 85.90 | The Wheaters 83.10 | Music City Mystique 82.65, Spirit Percussion 81.80, Eastern Kentucky University 73.40 |
| 1994 | Blue Knights 93.00 | The Wheaters 90.25 | Mandarins 75.50 | University of Toledo 72.25 |
Scholastic Concert World
- Ayala High School (2006, 2007)
- Claremont High School (2008)
- Fort Mill High School (2003, 2005)
- Franklin Central High School (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004)
- Gateway High School (1996, 1997)
- Baldwinsville High School (1994, 1995)
Scholastic Concert World Percussion medalists and finalists
| Year | Gold Medal | Silver Medal | Bronze Medal | Finalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Claremont High School "Kala" 96.05 | Goshen HS "It's Alive" 95.30 | Tunstall HS 94.00 | Warsaw Community HS 93.10, Tarpon Springs HS 91.60, Corona Del Sol HS 90.15 |
| 2007 | Ayala High School "Daphnis And Chloe" 98.20 | Claremont HS 96.80 | Goshen HS 95.80 | Woodbridge HS 95.70, Heritage HS 94.55, Tunstall HS 93.15 |
| 2006 | Ayala High School "Out of the Blue" 95.55 | Goshen HS 95.25 | Fort Mill HS 93.65 | Woodbridge HS 93.25, Warsaw Community HS 90.55, Corona Del Sol HS 89.15 |
| 2005 | Fort Mill HS 95.95 | Mission Viejo High School 95.50 | Warsaw Community HS 90.65 | Ayala High School 89.70, Tarpon Springs HS 88.45, Tunstall HS 84.50 |
| 2004 | Franklin Central HS "Monolithic" 95.90 | Fort Mill HS "Circuits" 94.95 | Gateway High School "Genesis: Life Begins" 94.45 | Tunstall HS 93.40, New Albany HS 89.70, Corona del Sol HS 89.15 |
| 2003 | Fort Mill HS 95.30 | *Tarpon Springs HS 94.10 | *Tunstall HS 94.10 | Franklin Central HS 93.95, Gateway High School 90.80, John Overton HS 87.45, New Albany HS 87.15 |
| 2002 | Franklin Central HS 95.70 | Rangeview HS 95.20 | Fort Mill HS 94.80 | Roland Hayes HS 93.35, Tunstall HS 90.80, Warsaw Community HS 89.50 |
| 2001 | Franklin Central HS 96.65 | King Philip High School 94.75 | Roland Hayes School 94.75 | Tunstall HS 93.80, Fort Mill HS 93.05, Warsaw HS 91.75, Rangeview HS 91.20, John Overton HS 89.20, Anderson HS 87.85 |
| 2000 | Franklin Central HS 97.35 | Tunstall HS 94.25 | John Overton HS 94.15 | Roland Hayes School 92.55, Anderson HS 92.30, Rangeview HS 92.25, Fort Mill HS 92.05, Douglas County HS 91.85 |
| 1999 | Franklin Central HS 98.75 | Gateway High School "West Side Story" 98.40 | Northglenn HS 96.80 | Bear Creek HS 94.90, John Overton HS 94.50 |
| 1998 | Franklin Central HS 98.25 | Tunstall HS 93.65 | Harrison Central Paragon HS 92.55 | John Overton HS 89.30 |
| 1997 | Gateway High School 96.75 | Amador Valley HS 93.20 | Tunstall HS 87.05 | |
| 1996 | Gateway High School 98.20 | John Overton HS 94.30 | Downers Grove HS 92.50 | Father Ryan HS 88.80, Springboro HS 82.65, Baldwinsville HS 82.25 |
| 1995 | Baldwinsville HS 90.00 | Father Ryan HS 84.50 | John Overton HS 82.00 | La Porte HS 72.50 |
| 1994 | Baldwinsville HS 67.25 | New Philadelphia HS 65.00 |
