On the horizon of winter guard season is Winter Guard International's (WGI) World Championship. The annual competition brings together top performers from all over North America and Europe and honors its winners with renown and prestige. For a rounded-out preparation for the competition, here are some facts about the championship weekend and the group behind it.
WGI was the first of its kind
Established in 1977, WGI sought to bring organization, standardization and guidance to the growing sport. Since then, it has developed and refined communication within the winter guard community, offered educational clinics and created a series of competitions, regional and national, all over the United States, Canada and Europe that filter candidates for their world championship.
World Championship takes place in April
As WGI tradition has it, the world championship occurs every April. For the 2015 season, the WGI World Championship for color guard will take place from April 7 to 9, 2016. For winds and percussions, it is scheduled for April 14 to 17.
It's rapidly expanding
Executive Director Ron Nankervis reported that the upcoming world championship is projected to break previous participation records, so the organization had to consider ways to expand. On October 22, WGI announced that Millett Hall, a 6,400-seat basketball arena at Miami University, was selected as a contest venue.
"Winds" isn't limited to winds
Though the category is dubbed "winds," the name is meant to be interpreted broadly. WGI explains on its website that winds includes anything found in a concert band or orchestra and can even include color guard performers and percussionists.
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