Director:  Bill Sucha

Associate Director:  Chad Friesleben

Music and Visual Staff: Andy Combites, Kevin Bohl, Phill Erickson, Jordan Warfield, Tyler Shipe, Ryan Olson, Nick Flattum, Betsy Maraz, Kathy Scearce, Nate Blinn.

Guard Staff: Gary Swanson, Lisa Rodenkirchen, Callie Martin, Kirsten Bergstrom, Becky Gallagher, Maddie Greene

Percussion Staff:  Paul Weber, Kirk Fladung, Paul Baker, Sam Peck, Hannah Hoover, Bo Hoover, Clayton Watz    

The Marching Knights are proud to present their 2008 production, “Echoes,” with music composed specifically for marching band by Frank Sullivan. An echo is a reflection of sound, arriving at the listener sometime after the direct sound. While you will hear this effect produced several ways musically, the band will also produce echoes visually. Like a raindrop hitting a puddle and the ripples that occur after it, there are many ways to represent echoes visually. Irondale will use color, shape, pattern, and sequence to visually interpret the concept of echoes.

Show your support with Irondale Marching Knights products and clothing - including the 2008 show theme shirts!

The Irondale Marching Knights will be hosting their 16th Annual “Music of the Knight” Marching Band Festival on Saturday, September 27th, 2008.

Numerous other people volunteer their time to help with musical, marching, and visual instruction and support. These include techs (most are Irondale alumni or their friends) and guest instructors. We are eternally grateful for their untiring efforts.

Chad has been instructing marching bands since 1995, including five years on the visual/musical staff of the Valley High School Marchmasters in West Des Moines, Iowa, and four years at Dallas Center-Grimes High School in Grimes, Iowa, where he directed the color guard and arranged the horn book. Prior to moving to Minnesota Chad taught high school vocal music for five years, and he remains an active clinician for instrumental and choral ensembles. Chad holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Drake University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of St. Thomas School of Law. He is married to a wonderful wife, Kelly, and together they have a beautiful daughter, Caitlyn.

“AC” has been working with the marching band since the fall of 1998 and with the winter programs since 2001. He played trombone in the Iowa State University Cyclone Football “Varsity” Marching Band and spent three seasons in their winter drumline on cymbals and bass drum. AC played baritone with the Knights Drum & Bugle Corps from Geneseo, IL and euphonium with the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps. He was on the design team for the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps in 2004 and 2005. AC has been member of the North Star Judges Guild since 2000 and judges many local and regional competitions. For his “real” job, Andy is an E-Communications Manager at the University of Minnesota, where he is also working on his MBA at the Carlson School of Management. AC and his very understanding wife, Diane, have a very cute daughter named Taylor and are expecting their second child in September.

The 2008 season kicked off on Saturday, May 3rd, but there is still time to join if you are interested. Check out the calendar and join us at our next rehearsal.

If you plan on marching, please complete the attached registration and health forms. We hope to see you soon.