More than 5,000 expected to attend Summer Music Games
Thousands will celebrate the 26th anniversary of the Summer Music Games in Cincinnati as they come together for the Drum Corps International Competition at Dwire Field in Mason.
Director Bruce Brown, who has been directing the competition with his wife, Sara, for 26 years, said The Summer Music Games in Cincinnati competition will showcase a handful of World Class drum and bugle corps. It’s set for 7 p.m. Wednesday. “Anybody who has seen our show over the years knows we’ve held competitions for nearly three decades. We have some extremely good corps this year, including the Bluecoats, Boston Crusaders, Carolina Crown, just to name those three corps. We have a really strong lineup, and our ticket sales are reflecting that,” Brown said.
The event features a diverse group of more than 1,200 youth from around the world who will come together in the Greater Cincinnati area to display their talents and compete as a part of a summer tour. Students in World Class corps are primarily college-age with some high school involvement.
Brown said each drum and bugle corps is comprised of up to 165 brass, color guard and percussionists that will give spectators an amazing display of athleticism, artistry and outstanding musical performances. Eight World Class corps will perform at the competition in Mason. Judges from across the country will judge the competition.
“There may be 600 kids audition for these parts, and that’s how competitive it is. So, the corps select the best of the best from high school and college ranks to put these corps together,” Brown said.
The choreography and musical arrangements go above and beyond anything spectators would expect to see at the high school or college marching band level, he said.
“That’s where the expression ‘Marching Music’s Major League’ is truly exemplified on the night of our show and people really get to see the talent,” Brown said.
Participants in U.S.-based drum and bugle corps hail from more than 15 countries. The Summer Music Games tour includes more than 110 events throughout North America. Total attendance at the tour events is expected to exceed 350,000 guests.
To date, people from 17 states have purchased tickets for this year’s event.
“It is the best of the best performing in our community, and it’s a family-friendly event. I’ve seen infants to 90-year-old guests attend our shows. The people that buy tickets are about as diverse as the performers themselves. People from across the country have already purchased tickets to the show,” Brown said.
Summer Music Games in Cincinnati is hosted by the Fairfield High School Marching Band, which will perform the National Anthem at the start.
More than 5,000 attendees are expected, including about 1,200 performers. Volunteers will help run the event, which was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.
Summer Music Games returned to Dwire Field inside Atrium Stadium at Mason High School in 2022.