The Youth in Music Band Championships is an annual high school marching band competition in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is one of the largest marching band events in the Upper Midwest, attracting three dozen competitors and thousands of spectators every year. The Annual Championships are held the 2nd Saturday in October, at U.S. Bank Stadium. The first championship was held in 2005. Since 2006, state championship honors have been awarded to competing bands from Minnesota. The competition has been called the YIM Grand Championships and YIM Upper Midwest Championships. The competition and its awards are also known as the YIMMYs.

History

Past participants

Bands from Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska have attended YIM since its inception. The following is an incomplete list of recent and past participating bands. † Indicates a past participant.

Illinois bands

Iowa bands

Minnesota bands

• Anoka-Hennepin School District 11 • * Andover High School, Andover • * Anoka High School, Anoka • * Blaine High School, Blaine • * Champlin Park High School, Champlin • * Coon Rapids High School, Coon Rapids • Eden Prairie High School, Eden Prairie • Farmington High School, Farmington • Grand Rapids High School, Grand Rapids • Hastings High School, Hastings • Independent School District 196 • * Eastview High School, Apple Valley, Minnesota • * Rosemount High School, Rosemount • Irondale High School, New Brighton • Lakeville South High School, Lakeville • Luverne High School, Luverne • Maple Grove Senior High School, Maple Grove • Marshall High School, Marshall • Minnetonka High School, Minnetonka • Osseo High School, Osseo • Park Center High School, Brooklyn Park • Pipestone Area High School, Pipestone • Rochester Lourdes High School, Rochester • Rocori High School†, Cold Spring • Waseca High School, Waseca

South Dakota bands

• Brandon Valley High School, Brandon • Brookings High School, Brookings • Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg • Mitchell High School, Mitchell • Sioux Falls School District • * Lincoln High School, Sioux Falls • * Roosevelt High School, Sioux Falls

Nebraska bands

Wisconsin bands

• Chippewa Falls High School, Chippewa Falls • North High School, Eau Claire • Menomonie High School†, Menomonie • River Falls High School, River Falls • West De Pere High School†, De Pere

Past championship locations

Classification and adjudication

YIM utilizes their own Adjudication Handbook and have created their own adjudication sheets. Tabulation software is provided by Competition Suite.

Classifications

Three classes, A, A****A, AAA, have been available since 2005. In 2016, AAAA Class was added. Criteria for class alignment is unknown. However, an archived FAQ from 2007 suggested participating bands consider school attendance, the number of performing members, booster organization, experience of staff and other qualitative information when selecting a class.

Captions and rubric

Scoring is based on two broad categories: Performance, and Effect. The categories are further divided into four reference criteria or captions, with each given a maximum value of 200 points, or up to 20 points when factored. Percussion and Auxiliary (or color guard) captions are also available. Both given a maximum value of 100 points, or ten points when factored. The final score is tabulated by adding all captions, less any penalties. One adjudicator is assigned to each caption, and one each for percussion and auxiliary. An additional adjudicator is responsible for timing and penalties. YIM does have captions for Best Visual, Best Colorguard, Best Percussion Section, YIMMY Drum Major and YIMMY Best Performer Overall. Youth in Music also honors a YIMMY Hall of Fame Band Director each year.

Awards and honors

As of 2017, the top scoring band in each class, and the next six highest scoring bands from the first, preliminary, round advance to the final round. The two rounds are called Sessions I and II by competition organizers. Following the preliminary round, caption awards for "Outstanding Percussion", "Outstanding Winds", and "Outstanding Color Guard" which are given to recipients in each class.

YIMMY awards

Recognition is also given to "Best Drum Major" and "Best Performer" in response to their performance excellence. The "Spirit of YIMMY" award is given to one band each year in recognition for their esprit de corps. The criteria for these awards is unknown. An award memorializing musician Butch DuFault is given to an outstanding band director. YIM has awarded academic scholarships to participating students in the past.

Minnesota State Marching Band Championships

YIM began awarding state championship honors in 2006. The format for such awards has varied. In 2017, honors were given to the top three highest scoring Minnesota bands in each class. A single state champion award has also been announced in years prior. The inclusion of a state championship award was likely due to other Minnesota music education organizations lack of sanctioned marching band events. Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), the Minnesota NFHS affiliate, only organizes soloist and small ensemble festivals. Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA), the Minnesota NAfME affiliate, organizes an All-State honor band program which includes concert and jazz bands. And the Minnesota Band Directors Association (MBDA) has only issued guidelines for marching band performances, in addition to organizing an alternative All-State concert and jazz honor band.

Past champions

YIM realigned the classes available in 2016. A Grand Champion award was not awarded in 2005.

Minnesota State Marching Band Champions

Below is an incomplete list of Minnesota State Marching Band Champions awarded at YIM: