Yamaha Corporation of America the National Presenting Sponsor of Music for all’s 2011 Bands of America Championship Season

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Yamaha Corporation of America is pleased to once again serve as National Presenting Sponsor for Music for All and the Bands of America (BOA) Championship Season. Outstanding high school marching bands from across the country will compete this fall in the nation's most prominent marching band championships, Music for All's BOA Regional Championships. The 2011 season will feature 15 marching band championships.

"Music students are among the most successful and dedicated in their schools," says Jay Schreiber, General Manager of Yamaha's Band & Orchestral Division. "We're thrilled to continue to support Music for All's mission which is to create, provide and expand positively life-changing experiences through Music for All."

YCA will additionally present BOA's Grand National Championships.

The premier events for marching band in the nation, BOA's shows offer remarkable experiences for the students, teachers and parents of the bands who participate, as well as fans and spectators. All high school marching bands are eligible and encouraged to participate, and the events focus on providing a positive atmosphere, as well as evaluation and input that will help elevate bands to the next level.

Bands of America Regional Championships are one-day, Saturday events, drawing bands from surrounding states. Bands perform in preliminary competition, and they receive written and recorded evaluation by a panel of world-class evaluators. The top scoring bands will advance to evening finals competition, where the Regional Champion will be named. Awards are given for placement and outstanding performance in music, visuals and general effect. BOA finalists and champions receive national recognition of their program's achievement.

Bands of America Super Regional Championships
Super Regionals offer enhanced one and two-day regional events at world-class venues. Bands of America will offer two, two-day Super Regional events in San Antonio and St. Louis. In 2011, BOA will also offer two, one-day Super Regional events in Atlanta and Indianapolis. These events take place at world-class, professional venues, including the Edward Jones Dome, Georgia Dome, Lucas Oil Stadium and the Alamodome.

BOA Super Regionals attract bands from across the nation and make each venue a destination for these high school band events. Up to 60 bands perform in a two-day preliminary competition with 12-14 bands. Up to 35 bands will be accepted in Prelims at the one-day Super Regionals, with twelve bands advancing to Finals.

Grand National Championships - America's Best Marching Bands
Music for All's Bands of America Grand National Championships, presented by Yamaha, is the nation's premier championship for high school marching bands. Nearly 100 of the best marching bands in the country will perform at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, November 9 through Saturday, November 12. Indianapolis Public Schools will kick off the event November 9 with the Indianapolis Public Schools Marching Band Tournament, hosted by Music for All.

Fall 2011 Schedule

Studies show that music education helps students achieve in other academic subjects like math, science and reading. It develops skills needed by the 21st century workforce, including critical thinking, creative problem solving, innovation, effective communication and teamwork.

Visit www.musicforall.org for tickets ($5-$115) and additional information.

Bands of America is a program of Music for All (MFA), one of the nation's largest and most influential organizations in support of active music making. For more than 35 years, MFA, through its Bands of America and Orchestra America programs, has been a destination and set the standard for scholastic music ensemble performance and music education advocacy. A 501(c) 3 not-for-profit educational organization, MFA uses its national profile programming to recognize, model, showcase and provide individual, teacher and organizational examples of music performance excellence and achievement. MFA's programs include 20 annual events, including the Bands of America Grand National Championships and Regional Championships for marching band, the Music for All Summer Symposium camp for students and teachers and the Music for All National Festival for concert bands and percussion ensembles. Music for All's programmatic model is designed to mirror and supplement the classroom and performance model adopted in most American scholastic settings.

For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Band & Orchestral Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/press.