Dear Marching Band families,
I received word this morning that both 4A and 5A CBA State Championships have been cancelled (See email below). Although we are disappointed, we understand that student health and safety comes first and I fully support CBA’s decision to cancel. I know that the students will be very disappointed, especially the seniors. Thankfully, we are able to use the stadium tomorrow and we would like to invite all of you to a “Friends and Family” performance of our show at Stutler Bowl at 2:00pm on Saturday. We’ll perform in full uniform and take a full band photo as well as section photos afterward. Please join us and encourage as many of your friends and family as possible to attend. It’s been a great season and we look forward to our final performance tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks for your support,
Tim Libby
To all 4A/5A Directors of State Bands,
I have checked numerous online weather forecasts, watched several Colorado Springs TV forecasts and all are consistent with cold temperatures for Monday and Tuesday along with wind chill being in the mid-low 20’s. Forecast models disagree regarding snowfall and TV forecasts do the same. There is potential of heavy snowfall along the Palmer Divide Sunday into Monday morning. Regardless of any snowfall all forecasts have cold temperatures.
Student health and safety are a significant concern. This concern is not just for being outside in cold temperatures but with all of the travel. Western slope bands having to travel over the mountains on Sunday, all the bands coming from north of Colorado Springs having to negotiate the construction gap with potentially snowy or icy roads. If there is snowfall overnight at the Air Force Academy it would be very difficult to safely move props, front ensemble equipment, etc. to the tunnel entrance.
After consulting with the CBA President, CBA President-Elect and the CBA Chief Judge I have made the decision to cancel the 2019 4A/5A State Championships. As the sub committee determined last winter the Air Force Academy is our only viable option. It is not available for next weekend, Nov. 1-2. CBA moved the 1A/2A/3A contest from this coming Monday to November 4th to accommodate the 4A/5A Championships so moving their State again is not an option.
I regret this decision for all the high school seniors in your bands. I am hoping that many of you will be able to recoup some money for busing, hotels, etc.
I will not publish this on the website until later this morning to give many of you an opportunity to speak to your students.
I wish all of you the best in dealing with this!
Ken Ovrebo
Marching Chair
Colorado Bandmasters Association