Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation (MVCSC) is proud to announce that the Mt. Vernon High School (MVHS) Wind Ensemble has advanced to the Indiana State School Music Association’s 40th State Concert Finals for the first time in Mt. Vernon history. This is only the fourth year the Wind Ensemble has participated in ISSMA State Qualifications. The MVHS Wind Ensemble is now recognized as one of the top 16 concert bands in Indiana—and notably, is the only high school concert band in Hancock County history to advance to the state finals.

Out of 153 participating high school music ensembles, only the top-performing groups were selected for the Finals, including 16 concert bands, 16 mixed choirs, 8 univoiced choirs, and 8 orchestras. Ensembles earned their place by achieving the highest scores at regional qualification events held this past weekend.

“This is very exciting and a major accomplishment for our band program,” shared Director of Bands Dr. Kathryn Spangler. “We have been focused on individual accountability and musicianship as an ensemble, and these students have exceeded our expectations in every way.”

The MVHS Wind Ensemble is composed of 37 students, primarily juniors and seniors, who have been preparing their program since February.

Guided by the mantras “Get Better Every Day” and “Dare to Be Great,” the ensemble has remained committed to continuous improvement and striving for excellence.

“It has been a joy to see them grow musically, learn to trust each other, and to see them work together to improve each week. We have amazing students and great staff. A mentor of mine and colleague who passed away a few years ago used to challenge me to 'Dare to be Great,' and this is something I challenged the wind ensemble with this year. 'Dare to be great - dare to do something you've never done before. If you dare to go to limits that you've never gone to, they will remember your legacy forever,'” added Spangler. 

At the conclusion of the event, the state champions in each classification will each receive a $1,000 “Winners Drink Milk” scholarship for one student, courtesy of the American Dairy Association Indiana and Prairie Farms Dairy.

In addition to the Wind Ensemble becoming a state finalist, the MVHS Band was recently recognized as a recipient of the 2026 Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) Award by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation, which honors schools and districts that demonstrate exceptional achievement and support for comprehensive music education programs. 

The Wind Ensemble will perform on Saturday at the Lawrence Central High School Auditorium. Concert band performances will take place between 8:45 a.m. and 7:15 p.m. The event is open to the public, with an admission fee of $7.00