Partnering with NESBA on Oct. 4 in Mass.

The New England Scholastic Band Association (NESBA) and USBands are excited to announce a new collaborative partnership for the October 4 event at B.M.C. Durfee High School in Fall River, Massachusetts.

The event at B.M.C. Durfee High School will offer bands in the Eastern Massachusetts region the opportunity to perform in a mid-season competition before an enthusiastic audience and a high quality panel of adjudicators as they prepare their productions for the peak of the 2025 marching band season.

In the spirit of true cooperation, all bands who participate in the event will earn a seeding point toward the NESBA Finals to be held Nov. 2 at Lawrence, Mass. Meanwhile, if applicable, the scores received by bands will be used for seeding in the USBands Massachusetts State Championship to be held November 1 in Stoughton, Mass.

The event will be adjudicated utilizing the USBands adjudication system with a panel of seven judges including (2) music, (1) visual, (2) effect, (1) colorguard and (1) percussion adjudicators.a

Lennie Machado, President of NESBA said in announcing the event, “It is the goal of NESBA to help support and grow the marching band activity in New England. With our dedication to the bands in the region and USBands committed to the same goals, it is a natural fit for our two organizations to come together to serve bands as they pursue their objectives for students and their overall programs in the 2025 season.”

“We have been looking for an opportunity to work in partnership with NESBA by providing a high quality experience at an accessible location on a convenient date. We are looking forward to welcoming bands from across New England to this excellent venue to provide directors, students, staff and parents with a remarkable experience,” said Sean King, Executive Director of USBands.

Bands interested in registering for the October 4 event at B.M.C Durfee High School in Fall River, Mass. can visit usbands.org/events for more information.