jhancock@journalnet.com

POCATELLO - Monte Grisé said fewer participants entered this year's Idaho State University Marching Band Invitational, but the reduced number of bands on Saturday allowed time for an educational segment.

"We had a scheduling conflict with a festival in Utah," said Grisé, associate director of bands at ISU. "But it gave us some flexibility and we added a percussion clinic."

In all, 16 bands competed at Holt Arena on Saturday, with about 1,800 students and family members filling the stands on one side of the minidome during the show.

Grisé said the usual bands from throughout Southeast Idaho were present on Saturday, and the competition also included two high schools from Utah and one from Elko, Nev.

The university hosts the annual event for several reasons, including the opportunity to show off ISU's marching band and facilities in hopes of attracting some of the students.

Jay Ronk, band director at Highland High School, said his students train hard for the event. He said a weeklong camp was held just for the drumline, and a two-week camp was held for the entire band, both during the summer.

"The kids really dedicated themselves to this," Ronk said.

Each band is judged in six areas, including music execution, music general effect, marching performance, marching general effect, drumline and color guard. The two music categories are worth 300 points each, the marching categories are worth 150 points each and the color guard and drumline categories are worth 50 points each.

"They are looking for excellence in all areas," Ronk said. "There are six or eight categories within each judging (category)."