One of the largest student organizations on the campus of Belleville East High School is the Belleville East Marching Lancers. This year, the band consists of approximately 170 musicians and 22 in the color guard. The band is lead by drum major Greg Underwood, Brett Beelman and Megan McVicar, who conduct the field show and parades, and serves as a student director.
The Marching Lancers march parades throughout the year, starting at the beginning of the summer and finishing in late November. At the beginning of August, the band goes through two weeks of band camp, when they learn their marching show for the fall season. They perform the show during halftime at home football games and at major competitions in the Metro East area.
This year the band is planning to compete at the...
* Mozingo Percussion Competition
* Belleville East Marching Invitational (exhibition)
* Metro East Marching Classic
* Alton Echoes Off The River
* Edwardsville Marching Invitational
* Blue Springs Marching Invitational
* Francis Howell Contest
* Greater St. Louis Marching Band Festival
Every two years, the band attends a bowl game. In 2002, the Marching Lancers went to the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia where they won top honors including Grand Champion. In 2004, they marched at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee, also winning the Grand Champion trophy. In 2006 the Marching Lancers performed in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, FL where they were grand champions of Jazz and Concert Band and placed 2nd in the parade and 3rd in the field show. Recently the band returned from another successful trip to the 2008 Liberty Bowl in Memphis, TN. They placed 2nd in field show and 1st in the Liberty Bowl Parade. We are hoping to travel to either New York for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade or a return trip to Florida in 2010.
The Marching Lancers have a strong history. Under the direction of the first director, Mr. Leroy Kirsch, the band was chosen to participate in the grand opening of Six Flags - Mid America (now Six Flags - St. Louis).
