Over the past few months the Kentucky Music Educators Association has been working with the National Federation of State High School Associations, National Association for Music Education, and over 50 other music organizations to address what the fall of 2020 might look like for our students and directors across the Commonwealth. After careful deliberation with the Marching Band Council, Band Council, and with input from the membership, it has become clear that planning to hold the KMEA Quarterfinals on October 24 and Semifinals/Finals on October 31 will not be possible this year. We do not see options for these two events that will allow bands to safely rehearse in the normal way or travel. For the sake of students, directors, staff, boosters, workers, judges, and spectators, we must not incentivize behavior that could cause any of the schools to delay opening due to an outbreak within a band.
The intent of this action is NOT to cancel all marching band activities at Kentucky high schools. KMEA is hopeful that many marching bands can continue to function safely within the guidelines of their school system, and that band directors will be able to focus on musical skills and team building that may have been missed in the final weeks of the spring 2020 semester.
We are saddened to be unable to offer the spectacular series of competitions that make up our championship. The Kentucky Music Educators Association looks forward to the return of the KMEA State Marching Band Championship events in the fall of 2021.
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Quarterfinals—October 19, 2019
Semifinals and Finals—October 26, 2019
Click HERE for Semifinals and Finals Ticket Sales
State Marching Band Championship Manager
Dr. John Stroube — (859) 626-5635 — john@kmea.org
Participation
Bands that attend two KMEA Sanctioned local contests are eligible to compete in the Regional Quarterfinals of the State Contest on Saturday, October 19, 2019. The top eight bands from each Regional Quarterfinals site will advance to State Semifinals on October 26, 2019. Semifinals will be held at five separate sites during a time window of 10:00 am to 3:30 pm. Four Finalist bands will be chosen from each classification. Finals will begin at 6:00 pm at Houchens Industries – L.T. Smith Stadium on the Western Kentucky University campus. Seating (see Seating below).
Group Photography
There will not be a Group Photographer at either round of the state championships.
Finals Photos
Band Photographers are permitted to take pictures during the Semi-finals competitions, but may not photograph the finals competition. The SMBC Finals Official photographer is Custom Photo. All proceeds of event photo sales are donated to the Jim and Carolyn Fern Music Education Scholarship.
SMBC Finals Photos
Regional Quarterfinals Schedules
Semifinals and Finals
2019 Class A Semi-finals—Greenwood High School
1A Semifinal Schedule
Greenwood Site Map
Audience Directions to Houchens Industries—L.T. Smith Stadium
2019 Class AA Semi-finals—Warren East High School
2A Semifinals Schedule
Warren East Campus
Audience Directions to Houchens Industries—L.T. Smith Stadium
2019 Class AAA Semi-finals—Warren Central High School
3A Semifinals Schedule
Site Map (under construction)
Audience Directions to Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium
2019 Class AAAA Semi-finals—Barren County High School
4A Semifinals Schedule
Barren County Site Map
Audience Directions to Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium
2019 Class AAAAA Semi-finals—Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium
2019 Finals—Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium
Ticket Sales
Ticket pre-sales for semifinals and finals FOR 2019 IS CLOSED will begin on October 1, 2019. Semifinals tickets (general admission) may be purchased on Saturday, October 26 at any of the semifinals sites. Finals tickets (reserved seat) may be purchased at Houchens Industries – L.T. Smith Stadium after 10 AM on Saturday, October 26. The ticket booth will close at 4:00 PM to reopen at 5:00 PM that day, and tickets will be sold until the end of finals.
Regional Quarterfinals tickets
- $12.00, available onsite only.
Semi-Finals and Finals tickets
- General admission tickets to Semifinals are $12.00, available in advance or onsite.
- All Finals tickets are Reserved Seating, available in advance, or onsite at Houchens Industries—L.T. Smith Stadium starting at 10:00 am Saturday, October 26.
$15 — Finals Reserved (Sections 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 328, 329, 331, 332)
$20 — SOLD OUT Finals Premium (Section 330)
- Children age six and under will be admitted free, but will not be given a ticket. For Finals (reserved seating) children who are admitted free may have to be held by adults.
- Gates open one hour prior to the first band’s performance.
Photo of Seating Area (click for an enlarged view in a new tab)
Ticket Availability Diagram (real-time graphic showing which seats have been sold)
Handicap seating available upon request (top of Sections 128 through 133)
Advance phone ticket ordering will end Wednesday, October 23, 2019 at 4:30 PM EDT.
Tickets will not be sold by the KMEA staff in the state office.
You may pay for tickets by one of the following means (DO NOT SEND AN IMAGE OF A CHECK) –
In advance by including a check with the Ticket Order Form (mail only).In advance by including an image of a signed PO with the Ticket Order Form (mail, fax, or email).In advance by including credit card number, expiration date, and three-digit code on the Ticket Order Form (phone, mail, fax, or email).- Tickets will NOT be sold onsite at the KMEA State Office.
Mail Ticket Order Form to: KMEA, P.O. Box 1058, Richmond, KY 40476-1058
Ticket order line: CLOSED
Fax order: CLOSED
Email order: CLOSED
Video
Due to federal copyright law, videotaping or audio recording is prohibited. KMEA urges spectators to respect the composers and creators of the music you are hearing today by not recording or sharing these performances publicly or privately. Please help us insure a future for the marching bands by following these guidelines and not recording these performances. Spectators with video camera equipment will be turned away at the gates. Anyone who sets up to video record bands will be dismissed from the stadium with their equipment.
Box5 Media will produce a video of the Finals that will be offered for sale.
Concessions
This service is provided by the Band Boosters at the Semifinals host schools and is the one means through which we can reward them for the “extra mile” effort they are putting forth to host our State Contest. Please patronize the Concession stands. Contact Host director to arrange for group meals.
Admission/Passes:
Performing Band Members are admitted free. One chaperone per 10 performers, Band Bus and Truck Drivers, and Band Directors receive passes or badges. Please note: All Band Staff must be listed on the Application Form in order to receive a badge for admission. No further passes will be available on the day of the event. Equipment handlers will be admitted to the performance area only and during your performance time only. In order to enter the audience area they will need to purchase tickets.