NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University will host the 31st Annual Classic on the Cane Marching Contest Saturday, Nov.2. Competition begins at 9:30 a.m. with the final performance at 6:45 p.m. The Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band will play at 7 p.m. with the awards ceremony at 7:15 p.m. Admission is $5. The contest will be livestreamed at banddirector.com

 Thirty-three bands from Louisiana and Texas are expected to compete. The contest will bring several thousand band members, family and supporters to Natchitoches and NSU.

According to Director of Bands Dr. Jeffrey Mathews, the Classic of the Cane provides a valuable performing opportunity and exposure for top high school bands and a recruiting opportunity for the nationally recognized Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band.

“The recruiting impact over the years has been phenomenal,” said Mathews. “Once a high school student sees our band they are almost instantly interested in looking at NSU as viable college choice for them. If I ask the members of the Spirit of Northwestern if they attended our marching contest during their high school years, over 80 percent will raise their hands. The impact that these students have on campus through their participation in band and their own recruiting efforts is immeasurable.”

Schools in Class IA are Bossier, Ruston, Sterlington, Franklin Parish and St. Michael of Baton Rouge.

Class IB includes Many, Logansport, Buckeye, Caldwell Parish, DeQuincy and Delcambre.

 Those competing Class II are Iowa, Destrehan, Central, Pineville and Tioga.

Class III consists of E.D. White, Kaplan, Mabank (Texas) Acadiana, Canton (Texas), Zachary, West Ouachita and Benton.
East Ascension, North Vermillion, Erath, Haughton, H.L. Bourgeois, Southside of Lafayette, Airline, Parkway, West Monroe and Lafayette will compete in Class IV.

The Classic on the Cane Marching Contest is sponsored by Northwestern State University and the Band House music store of Shreveport.

For more information, contact the NSU School of Creative and Performing Arts at (318) 357-4522 or at band@nsula.edu.