2015 - Kagemusha: Shadow Warrior

Our 2015 production, "Kagemusha: Shadow Warrior," explored the training, meditations, and battles of the samurai of ancient Japan, and represented a step forward in the refinement of show design and performance.  The first movement saw the band called to action by a mellophone soloist, which led into the first big hit of the show.  Other training scenes ensued through the rest of the first movement; a short drum and piccolo feature bridged the gap between the opener and ballad.  The ballad dealt with the meditations of our warriors after they had completed their training as they sought out inner peace.  The final two movements represented a war between two factions; guard/drumline, and the wind section.  These factions were marked by differently-colored headbands; in the end, the winds were defeated by the combined efforts of the guard and drumline.

In the competitive space, this year marked another huge step forward for the band; this was the highest qualifying seed for finals (8th place) and state finals finish (10th place) ever seen in the history of the VMB.  The band also saw nearly 15 points of growth over the course of the season, one of the biggest margins of growth in the band's competitive history.