Watervliet Marching Band presents 2026 show “Dark Horse”
The Watervliet High School Marching Band has been working hard on their 2026 show titled “Dark Horse,” composed by Randall Standridge. Watervliet has been competing in the Michigan Competing Band Association also known as MCBA since 2002.
The band is a twenty-one time state finalist, placing third at the MCBA State Championship in 2019, second in 2021, 2022, and 2024, and receiving two state championship titles in Flight V in 2023 and 2025.
WHS marching band has a full competition season ahead with the Rockford Invitational on October 17, Portage Northern October 24, state preliminary competition at West Ottawa October 31, and the MCBA State Championship at
Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Watervliet’s 2026 Dark Horse show combines All the Pretty Little Horses, minor-mode treatments of Shenandoah and the William Tell Overture. When Director Jennifer Hollandsworth was asked about this year’s show, she described it as “fun” and “powerful,” with many solos that showcase some of the leaders.
Hollandsworth said, “The show is about strength and determination. I think it is a really nice mix of serious and fun, with some really majestic moments.”
The students chose the show after narrowing it down to about three or four different ones. They commented, “We kind of consider Watervliet a ‘Dark Horse’ because we’re an unexpected contender. We don’t have a large budget or all of the resources that some of the bigger programs have, so the idea of being an unexpected winner really resonated with us. We also liked that the theme gives us the opportunity to incorporate actual horse imagery both visually and musically throughout the show.”
The public only sees a small portion of the work that is put into these shows. Competition days can be ten to sixteen hours long for the students. Hollandsworth commented, “What the public doesn’t see are the hours of class time, evening rehearsals, personal practice and sometimes sections getting together outside of school.”
The band first gets their music in May, start sectionals in July, pre-camp late July, and in August they have a week of band camp. Then starting late August they have evening rehearsals and work on their show during band class.
Senior Olivia Mitchell described band as a constant for her being the grade that started band during the pandemic. “This is my favorite place, the class I love, where I want to be. It allowed me to flourish and I don’t know where I’d be without it. I am very grateful for the program and teacher we have.”
Saturday, Oct. 3, the Watervliet Marching Band will be doing a tech rehearsal with the friends and family performance at 2:00 p.m. at the Panther Stadium. Everyone is welcome to watch. Watervliet Public Schools and the community wish the band best of luck for their 2026 competition season.
The Beat Goes On!
See next week’s paper for more Tri-City marching band stories.
