Music For All (Bands of America)

Music for All (Bands of America) – Bands of America emerged in 1975 and held its first Grand National Championship for marching bands in 1976. In 1984, the new Hoosier Dome in Indianpolis hosted its Grand National Championship. The Championship of 2007 was the last marching band event held at the RCA Dome (formerly the Hoosier Dome), and the 2008 event introduced marching band competition to Indy’s new Lucas Oil Stadium. BOA’s Summer Band Symposium added concert and jazz band in 1990 and expanded to include the World Percussion Symposium in 1991. The non-competitve National Concert Band Festival began in 1992 and then moved to Indianapolis in 1997. In 2003, BOA moved its business operations from Chicago to historic Union Station in Indianpolis. During the same year, Music for All Foundatin was founded to promote and expand music and arts education programs. In 2006, Music for All Foundation and BOA merged to form Music for All, Inc., which not only stimulates the cultural life of Indianpolis but also its economy. Since the beginning of its parent organizations, Music for All has provided an artistic outlet for over 1.25 million young musicians across the country. Although it continues to include the brand name “Bands of America,” Music for All encompases a wide range of range of performance, educational, and research activities in the realms of marching band, concert band, orchestral performance (introduced by BOA in 2005), and percussion groups. In the future, Music for All would also like to include choral programs.