By Howard Packowitz

Unit 5’s two high schools are joining forces to form a marching band powerhouse in state and national competitions.

Next year, Normal Community and Normal West High Schools will compete as a single marching band, although the individual school bands will continue to perform at football games and other events.

Ryan Budzinski, co-band director at Normal West, said the merger might not save money, but it’s a better allocation of resources.

“We’re only designing and paying for one show between the two schools instead of two. It means that all three of the high school band faculty are working with the same group instead of one band having one director, and the other band having two directors, so it allows us to kinda put all hands on deck to create the strongest performing group,” said Budzinski.

Budzinski said the two schools have done very well, even qualifying for finals, in band competitions like the state championships held each year at Illinois State University. A unified band figures to do even better in regional and national competitions.

“We would be looking to continue that tradition of excellence and then expanding past that looking at regional competitions and national competitions that both bands have attended at and had good showings at in the past, but maybe could be more competitive at that level,” said Budzinski.

The soon-to-be formed Normal High School Marching Band won’t be known as the Ironmen or Wildcats. Budzinski said one of the options is to call it, “The Pride of Unit 5.”

He estimates the band will have about 250 members, which would make them one of Illinois’ largest.

Budzinski said Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Tournament of Roses in Pasadena typically invite larger bands.

Later this month, the Normal West band performs at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

Budzinski will direct the merged group along with Normal West co-director Lisa Preston and NCHS director Lance Meadows.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected].