With 450+ colleges and high schools across the U.S. having signed up since its April 10 announcement, the first annual Metallica Marching Band Competition has announced its finalists today at http://metallicamarchingband.com/.

Five finalists have been chosen in each of the following categories by professional judges, furnished by Conn Selmer: 

Collegiate: Division 1 – $75,000 in prizing:

Auburn University

Fresno State University

Iowa State University

University of Iowa

University of Texas at Austin

Collegiate: Division 2, 3 – $40,000 in prizing:

Blinn College

Eastern New Mexico University

Manchester University 

West Texas A&M University

Western Illinois University

High School: Small, Medium & Large – $15,000 each in prizing:

Small High School:
Cleveland High School – Cleveland, AL
Edinburg High School – Edinburg, TX
Oakton High School – Vienna, VA
Oologah High School – Oologah, OK
Valhalla High School – El Cajon, CA

Medium High School:
Boerne High School – Boerne, TX
Desert Mountain High School – Scottsdale, AZ
DeWitt High School – DeWitt, MI
Kell High School – Kennesaw, GA
Malverne High School – Malverne, NY

Large High School:
Austin High School – Sugarland, TX
Dobyns-Bennett High School – Kingsport, TN
Lambert High School – Suwanee, GA
Lorena High School – Lorena, TX
Pell City High School – Pell City, AL

The members of Metallica will select the winners in each of the above categories at a date to be determined in early January.  

Additionally, two Fan Favorite winners—one Collegiate (across all divisions) and one High School—will be determined by popular vote and awarded $10,000 each in prizing. Go to https://www.metallicamarchingband.com/submissions/high-school#content to watch submissions and vote anytime up until December 31.

Winners will receive musical instruments and equipment for their school programs at the values listed above, provided by Metallica and sponsors including Tama, KHS America, Zildjian, D’Addario Woodwinds, Evans Drumheads, ProMark, and Gator, in partnership with Sweetwater. 

The Metallica Marching Band Competition promises to be a yearly national challenge to marching bands of all levels to craft their most exciting, unique, and impressive performances of the band's songs. For further information, please go to http://metallicamarchingband.com