By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–The Union City High School band is again starting off the season with something big.
The marching Golden Tornadoes will end the competition year with something even bigger.
UCHS and War Memorial Stadium will host 12 bands from four states Saturday in the 34th edition of the annual Union City Invitational.
It will mark the first of six performances for the Tornadoes, who’ll culminate their season Nov. 9 by competing in the prestigious Bands of America Grand National Chamionships in Indianaplis along with 100 other entries from across the United States.
Union City will begin building toward that grand finale Saturday, performing “about three-fourths” of its show (The Pale Horse) in exhibition fashion around 1:45 p.m., according to director Jason Deem.
“This is really a big deal, and it’s become one of the biggest and best competitions in rural West Tennessee,” insisted Deem, who said the UCI regularly draws more than 4,000 spectators and is the marching Tornadoes’ biggest fund-raiser of the year. “Because it is so successful financially, it allows us to participate in the BOA in Indianapolis.
“For us, it is sort of a dress rehearsal for the competition season. We don’t perform all of our show and probably won’t until mid-October because I’ve learned you have to build up to that to be your best in November. It’s a chance for people who might not be able to travel to see us locally.”
Deem said planning for the annual Union City Invitational began in March. A tremendous amount of community support – in the form of financial donors and others who’ve volunteered time and services – has been vital to the continued success of the event
“We have a nationally-renowned group of judges and people have contacted us to come here and participate, “stated Deem, whose in his second year as Director after a 12-year stint in which he served as an assistant.
“We’ve worked on this six days a week, and we take great pride in it and what it’s become.”
Bands from Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee will compete in the UCI. The first band will take the field at 10:45 a.m., with each entry allowed 15 minutes to perform. There will be an initial awards ceremony at 1:45, after Union City’s exhibition performance.
Bands will then begin competing in the next round with final awards present around 9:30, according to Deem.
Union City band members will fill a variety of roles before and after they perform, including working concessions, taking up tickets and assisting with parking.
“This is such a huge undertaking, but our kids are excited to help out in any way because they know they’re going to benefit in the end,” Deem concluded.
“It (the contest) has become something we’re really proud of and look forward to each year.”
BAND CONTESTS
Sept. 22 ‑ Union City Invitational
Sept 29 – BOA @ Clarksville
Oct 6 – Franklin
Oct. 20 – UT Martin
Oct. 27 – Middle Tennessee State University
Nov. 9 – BOA Grand National Championships @ Indianapolis
Photo by Mike Hutchens
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