Cape's Own Spirit of America Winter Percussion Ensemble Advances to Finals in WGI World Championships

Spirit of America Winter Percussion Ensemble placed 5th out of 28 groups in their division, "Independent Open," in the WinterGuard International (WGI) "Sport of the Arts" Percussion World Championships prelimsFriday evening, April 11. They have advanced to FINALS, performing today (Saturday, April 12) at 1:35 pm at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio.

WATCH SPIRIT PERFORM LIVE!

Powered by Drum Corps International, the WGI Fan Network provides a state-of-the-art live action webcast where you can watch the finals competition. Order your Single Day Webcast pass here: http://wgi.thefannetwork.org/store/service/display. Follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SpiritofAmericaBand.

ABOUT THE SHOW

Spirit's show, Hero: The Dragons and Tigers Within, is inspired by Asian culture, which values both the feminine (represented by the white tiger) and the masculine (symbolized by the dragon) characteristics of a hero, which are both essential for balance. Ensemble members have studied Asian history and culture for six months through films, lectures, Taekwondo classes, and training in traditional Japanese Taiko drumming with former Blue Man Group member Richard Cravens.

ABOUT SPIRIT OF AMERICA WINTER PERCUSSION

The Spirit of America Winter Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Richard K. Pugsley (Director) and Ian Hale (Ensemble Director), is comprised of 25 members between the ages of 10 and 22. The Winter Percussion Ensemble, based in Orleans and open to youth all over Cape Cod, is at the heart of Spirit of America's passion for music education. In addition to teaching young people the rudiments of music and marching, the experience of Winter Percussion offers them an education in life, imparting the values of teamwork, respect, and striving for excellence. Every year Spiritcompetes in the WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio, where they earned the Gold medal in their division in 2012, and the Bronze in 2013. Earlier this month, Spirit was promoted to the next level of WGI competition, moving from "Independent A" Class to "Independent Open."

ABOUT WGI SPORT OF THE ARTS

WinterGuard International (WGI) Sport of the Arts (www.wgi.org) provides a venue for young people to achieve the extraordinary through performance and competition. Founded in 1977, WGI Sport of the Arts is the world's premier organization producing indoor color guard and percussion ensemble competitions. As a non-profit youth organization, WGI serves as the leading governing body of the winter guard and indoor percussion activities. It is called the Sport of the Arts because it brings music to life through performance in a competitive format. Now entering its 37th year, the sport continues to evolve and grow. There were more than 36,000 participants at the regional level, and more than 12,000 participants at the World Championships in Dayton, Ohio last April.

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