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Drum major Ozzy Moreno conducts the Niles marching band during the MSBOA performance Wednesday afternoon at Niles Viking Stadium. (Leader photo/BEAU BROCKETT JR.)

Samantha Anders plays a trombone solo during a Brandywine marching band performance Wednesday at Niles Viking Stadium for District 6 MSBOA Festival. (Leader photo/BEAU BROCKETT JR.)

Ta’Nyah Ellis, front, and Jamey Love, back, play their clarinets during the Niles marching band performance that kicked off the District 6 MSBOA Festival Wednesday at Niles Viking Stadium. (Leader photo/BEAU BROCKETT JR.)

A flautist of Buchanan High School Marching Band steps to a new formation position during the group’s District 6 MSBOA Festival performance Wednesday at Niles Viking Stadium. (Leader photo/BEAU BROCKETT JR.)

Erica Nash, left, and Ethan Stout, right, perform Wednesday during Dowagiac Union High School’s show at the District 6 MSBOA Festival at Niles Viking Stadium. (Leader photo/BEAU BROCKETT JR.)

NILES — The Brandywine High School Marching Band color guard tossed streamers into the air around their performing bandmates. The Niles Viking Marching Band appealed to young meme fans in the stadium by performing “Africa” by Toto. The Buchanan High School Marching Band took its audience from one soloist to the next.

The Dowagiac Chieftain Marching Band color guard donned glittery attire and grooved to their band’s Abba songs. The Cassopolis Ranger Varsity Marching Band led an energetic audience in claps of increasing speed for a traditional Russian song. The Edwardsburg High School Marching Band’s brass section leaned back and let their instruments rip.

Each of these moments garnered audience enthusiasm during Wednesday’s District 6 Michigan State Marching Band Association Marching Band Festival at Niles Viking Stadium.

From 4 to 7 p.m., 11 area bands took to the field and played for judges in the media booth. Each band performed their football halftime shows during the event. Some played contemporary music. Others played pop music. Still others played songs from movies and television shows.

The bands were graded non-competitively on sound, marching and overall aesthetic.

Each band was placed in a class size that fit its school size then graded using Division I to V ratings, Division I being the best and Division V being the worst.

The following bands were scored:

•Niles Viking Marching Band — Division II, Class B

•Brandywine High School Marching Band — Division I, Class C

•Buchanan High School Marching Band — Division I, Class C

•Dowagiac Chieftain Marching Band — Division II, Class C

•Cassopolis Ranger Varsity Marching Band — Division I, Class D

•Edwardsburg High School Marching Band — Division I, Class B

Remaining schools of MSBOA District 6 performed the same day at Paw Paw High School in Van Buren County.

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