COLOR GUARD ARCHIVE PAGE




EVA'S MUSIC IS POPULAR WITH 'WINTER GUARDS': What is a "Winter Guard," you ask? It's what the flag corps and color guard of a marching band do during the off-season. Instead of performing with the band, they apparently use recordings. And some of them are Eva's! Added March 2010:

At the 2010 WGI World Championships, the Miamisburg (Ohio) High School presented a program entitled "This Woman's World," using music from Eva's "What a Wonderful World." They placed fourth in the scholastic division. In 2006, East Stroudsburg High School in Pennsylvania (apparently also known as Eastburg) performed a program titled "I Miss You" that merged Eva's "Autumn Leaves" with a choral version of Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings in an interesting way. The 2010 show for Synergy Winter Guard in Ohio is accompanied by Eva's "Over the Rainbow." In the Netherlands, the Alliance Winterguard Juniors performed to Eva's "Ain't No Sunshine" in 2007. That same year, Michigan State University's guard competed with a program titled "The Music of Eva Cassidy." Salem High School in Virginia won a bronze medal for "Wade in the Water" in 2009. Maryland's Mills Godwin High School guard performed to "Autumn Leaves" in 2008. Trumansburg High School in Connecticut performed to Eva's "Time is a Healer" in 2003. Scotland High School in North Carolina performed to "You Take My Breath Away," but I'm not sure of the year. The video on YouTube was posted in 2009.

The Collins Hill High School Winter Guard in Georgia had a very successful 2005 season performing to Eva's recording of "I Know You By Heart." Deryl Colson, former director of the Collins Hill Winter Guard, explains his song choice: 'I chose the song "I Know You By Heart" because I wanted to dedicate this show to the memory of my relationship with the guard. If you listen to the words of the song, it talks about someone being there and then being gone. I was at Collins Hill for 10 years. I wanted the guard to know that even though I would no longer be there that they would forever have a place in my heart. I know that this sounds kind of sappy, but I invested a large chunk of my emotional well-being to that program. There are very few days that go by when I do not think about the color guard. Needless to say, I cared a great deal about these young ladies. They were like my children. So leaving the program was a very difficult decision, and I needed a song that would let them know that even in my absence that I still loved them.' The show was discribed on the band's web site: 'The soundtrack, performed by Eva Cassidy, takes the audience on a journey through the four seasons. The show itself is designed around the colors of autumn, such as the floor (the shape of a leaf), the uniforms (velvety brown), and the opening flag (browns, oranges, and golds). Winter is introduced through the use of rifle (white). Spring and summer are combined, using a beautiful multi-colored flag in the show's closing flag feature. As the flag moment continues, the audience begins to realize that the song is not only about the seasons, but about a love that is eventually lost. The performers drastically change their performance emotion, from bright happiness to utter and deep sadness and loss. The show finishes as it begins, and a soloist completes the idea of the lost love with a colorless flag, symbolizing the emptiness that is left behind.'

MORE WINTER GUARDS: US April 2004: The "Winterguard" team at Stephenville High School recently won top honors (the division championship) for their dance routine, performed to Eva Cassidy’s recording of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time.” The Stephenville Empire Tribune explains, "The SHS Winterguard is an extension of the Colorguard, a marching band-affiliated performance group. They differ from other dance teams in their use of props, such as rifles and flags."


The award-winning Central Crossing High School Winter Guard in Grove City, Ohio, performed to Eva's "Way Beyond the Blue" in 2005 and her "Ain't No Sunshine" in 2007. Also in 2005, a group called "Deep Purple" in the United Kingdom has performed to Eva's "Bridge Over Troubled Water." In 2004 the "Winterguard" team at Stephenville High School won top honors (the division championship) for their dance routine, performed to Eva Cassidy’s recording of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time.” Another 2004 show was "Fields of Gold" performed by the guard at Chantilly High School in Virginia. Also in 2004, Extreme Independent Winter Guard in Oklahoma "utilized music by Eva Cassidy [not specified] and ended in an all-white flag feature." The McNeil High School Winter Guard in Texas performed to Eva's "Songbird" in 2003. Indiana's North Putnam High School's group featured Eva's "Over the Rainbow" in 2003. The same year, the Independence Winter Guard in Illinois performed to "Fields of Gold," andin Minnesota the Eden Prairie High School guard used Eva's recording of "The Letter." The "Senators" of Eastleigh, Hampshire, UK, have performed or will perform to "Cheek to Cheek" (as well as John Cage's 4'33'!?!?!). In 2002, Thurrock Academy Performance Ensemble performed to Eva’s version of "Over the Rainbow": "the guard took their 2nd British title to a standing ovation." In 2001, a Winterguard called "Myriad of Colors" at Indiana University Southeast , performed 'ensemble of “Heart of All Seasons,” by Eva Cassidy at their competitions, portraying love and how it changes.' Can't tell what song or songs they used. Also in the "mystery" category is the LaPorte High School's guard, which apparently did some sort of Eva-related show sometime. I'll add more information to this list as it becomes available. (Added Oct. 27, 2005, updated December 13, 2005)