LVW PREVIEW - Saturday, January 5th 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
January Camp - Saturday, January 5th 12:00 PM - Sunday, January 6th 4:00 PM
Fox Valley Lutheran High School; Appleton, WI
Full PREVIEW + 1st camp details HERE
LVW 2019 Membership Information is Now Available! Go to our JOIN page for all the info.
The LVW 2019 Calendar can be found on our SCHEDULE page.
A New Story
In May 2018, Lutheran Vanguard was in a crisis. The summer season was rapidly approaching, decisions about the show and the tour made, but underneath it all there was a crumbling fault line.
The band couldn't survive.
At least not in a way that would be a positive experience for the members; one that would challenge them physically, spiritually, and artistically. There were some key puzzle pieces missing that could never be substituted. And so the band folded.
Until...
A courageous group of parents and staff lifted the band, willed it to live on, to continue the tradition of sharing its "light" to parade audiences around the state. And so the band survived for one final season.
I remember talking it over with my wife saying, "It's sad to see such a positive group go under. Bands all over the country have been shutting down for the past 20 years, and there's nothing quite like LVW - we really don't want to lose them. If only there was a strong Lutheran with some music leadership experience that had the time in their work schedule to help carry the banner."
It's funny how sometimes you can look back in your life and see how God's direction for you played out. All too often we lose the forest for the trees.
FACEPALM! That person I described to my wife... is me.
I pitched my idea to Mr. Neujahr and the rest of the LVW board. After some significant discussion, plans for the upcoming season began to take shape.
Allow me to introduce myself - my name is Brian Braatz (pronounced like the sausage) and I'll be serving as Director of Operations for the 2019 LVW season. A graduate of Lakeside Lutheran High School, I have marched in drum corps for nine years, in addition to six years in college marching band, two of them as drum major. Since then I finished my degree from UW-Whitewater in music education and have been a band teacher in Wisconsin and Montana, as well as taught with half a dozen other high school bands and drum corps.
Lutheran Vanguard has something no other band has, and I hear it repeated over and over: that the students are so "good". Which means they're respectful, they take direction, they 'gel'. Which means they take pride in what they do, and they do a good job. Which means they try, even if they might fail. Which means they love Jesus and other people can see it in how they perform and how they live.
And in terms of marching band, it means we have a real opportunity to put together a fantastic product and perform it for people around the country.
Field shows are a logistical challenge, but limiting to parades is a major disservice to color guard and pit percussion. Let's find a middle ground:
- A group that lives its history by performing world class parade routines, dazzling audiences and "letting our light shine" to thousands of people young and old, witnessing something they've never seen before.
- Let's live our mission by hosting renowned Lutheran teachers to challenge us spiritually, and share our talents to edify the churches we visit during our season.
- We'll live our future with a full contingent of color guard, percussion, and wind ensemble performance pieces; exploring new territories in our state and beyond, and making new friends and memories every "8-to-5" step of the way.
Here I am, ecstatic to venture with you into Lutheran Vanguard 2019. Join me. January camp details are here.
~ Mr. Braatz
In May 2018, Lutheran Vanguard was in a crisis. The summer season was rapidly approaching, decisions about the show and the tour made, but underneath it all there was a crumbling fault line.
The band couldn't survive.
At least not in a way that would be a positive experience for the members; one that would challenge them physically, spiritually, and artistically. There were some key puzzle pieces missing that could never be substituted. And so the band folded.
Until...
A courageous group of parents and staff lifted the band, willed it to live on, to continue the tradition of sharing its "light" to parade audiences around the state. And so the band survived for one final season.
I remember talking it over with my wife saying, "It's sad to see such a positive group go under. Bands all over the country have been shutting down for the past 20 years, and there's nothing quite like LVW - we really don't want to lose them. If only there was a strong Lutheran with some music leadership experience that had the time in their work schedule to help carry the banner."
It's funny how sometimes you can look back in your life and see how God's direction for you played out. All too often we lose the forest for the trees.
FACEPALM! That person I described to my wife... is me.
I pitched my idea to Mr. Neujahr and the rest of the LVW board. After some significant discussion, plans for the upcoming season began to take shape.
Allow me to introduce myself - my name is Brian Braatz (pronounced like the sausage) and I'll be serving as Director of Operations for the 2019 LVW season. A graduate of Lakeside Lutheran High School, I have marched in drum corps for nine years, in addition to six years in college marching band, two of them as drum major. Since then I finished my degree from UW-Whitewater in music education and have been a band teacher in Wisconsin and Montana, as well as taught with half a dozen other high school bands and drum corps.
Lutheran Vanguard has something no other band has, and I hear it repeated over and over: that the students are so "good". Which means they're respectful, they take direction, they 'gel'. Which means they take pride in what they do, and they do a good job. Which means they try, even if they might fail. Which means they love Jesus and other people can see it in how they perform and how they live.
And in terms of marching band, it means we have a real opportunity to put together a fantastic product and perform it for people around the country.
Field shows are a logistical challenge, but limiting to parades is a major disservice to color guard and pit percussion. Let's find a middle ground:
- A group that lives its history by performing world class parade routines, dazzling audiences and "letting our light shine" to thousands of people young and old, witnessing something they've never seen before.
- Let's live our mission by hosting renowned Lutheran teachers to challenge us spiritually, and share our talents to edify the churches we visit during our season.
- We'll live our future with a full contingent of color guard, percussion, and wind ensemble performance pieces; exploring new territories in our state and beyond, and making new friends and memories every "8-to-5" step of the way.
Here I am, ecstatic to venture with you into Lutheran Vanguard 2019. Join me. January camp details are here.
~ Mr. Braatz
Membership Eligibility
Participation in Lutheran Vanguard of Wisconsin is open to any student who is regularly enrolled in the band program of one of
our member schools. This includes seniors who will be graduating at the end of the school year. In addition, students at any high school who are enrolled in band and are a member at a WELS or ELS congregation may also participate. Eighth grade students who are enrolled in one of our member school’s grade school band programs may also participate with the approval of the high school band director.
Interested in joining our Color Guard or Front Ensemble? Students who would like to be in our color guard or front ensemble do not need to be a member of their school's band program. You simply have to belong to a WELS congregation and in grades 8-12!
For more about the brass, woodwind, percussion, and color guard see our JOIN page.
our member schools. This includes seniors who will be graduating at the end of the school year. In addition, students at any high school who are enrolled in band and are a member at a WELS or ELS congregation may also participate. Eighth grade students who are enrolled in one of our member school’s grade school band programs may also participate with the approval of the high school band director.
Interested in joining our Color Guard or Front Ensemble? Students who would like to be in our color guard or front ensemble do not need to be a member of their school's band program. You simply have to belong to a WELS congregation and in grades 8-12!
For more about the brass, woodwind, percussion, and color guard see our JOIN page.
Who is Lutheran Vanguard of Wisconsin?Lutheran Vanguard of Wisconsin is a competitive marching band made up of students from nine Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod member high schools:
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