Photos: Highlights from the 2025 Youth in Music Marching Band Championships

For 21 years, the Youth in Music Marching Band Championships has brought together high school marching bands from across Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. This year’s gathering on Oct. 11 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis showcased 34 high school ensembles in competition, three high school groups in exhibition, and one college exhibition unit.

Rosemount, which has ruled the largest class of bands (AAAA) for years and was the defending champion, won again. It was their ninth championship in a row.

All of the bands competed during the day, in various classes based on size. Then the top 11 bands returned to compete in the finals at night. Minnesota’s Rosemount High School won the championship once again, capping a day and night filled with outstanding performances and musicianship. (Check out the scores from prelims and finals.)

“All classes are extremely competitive,” says Youth in Music founder Brent Turner. “There are about three bands in every class that could win in their class.”

Rosemount’s main competition the past few years, Lincoln High School of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, finished second.

Out-of-state bands hailing from South Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska maee up nearly half of the competition. New to the competition this year were groups from Rock Island, Illinois; Washington High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Theodore Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa.

Exhibition performances were presented by bands from Minneapolis’ Edison High School, St. Croix Central High School of Hammond, Wisconsin, and Eastern Carver County of Chaska (middle school rock group called Questionable Legalities), and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Blugold Marching Band at night.

Besides the musical performances, Youth in Music bestows several awards and scholarships. Awards given out annually include a Hall of Fame inductee, volunteer of the year, and awards honoring school administrators who support the arts. Ken Martinson from marching.com is this year’s Hall of Fame recipient. Volunteers of the year are Suanne and Rhonda Turner.

At the event, the YourClassical booth shared information for students who are interested in preparing an entry for the 2026 Karin Larson YourClassical Prize, which features a cash prize, recording session, and more.

Relive the excitement and pageantry of the Youth in Music Championships through our huge photo galleries below.

Bands are presented in alphabetical order from their daytime performances. The full band names and their scheduled performance order are listed below the galleries.

All photos by Jorge Valenzuela Mora and Todd Snover of Ceremony Photos, exclusively for YourClassical MPR, which does not make reprints available. To order official photos from the event, go to Ceremony Photos.

Andover

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Anoka

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Baldwin-Woodville

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Blaine

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Brandon Valley

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Brookings

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Champlin Park

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Chippewa Falls

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Coon Rapids

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Eastern Carver County

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Eastview

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Eden Prairie

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Farmington

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Greendale

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Harrisburg

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Hastings

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Hutchinson

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Irondale

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Lakeville South

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Lourdes

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Mankato Area 77

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Marshall

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Millard North

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Millard West

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Minnetonka

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Osseo

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River Falls

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Rock Island

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Rosemount

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Sioux Falls Lincoln

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Sioux Falls Roosevelt

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Sioux Falls Washington

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St. Croix Central

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Theodore Roosevelt

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Thomas Edison

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UWEC Blugold

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Youth in Music lineup

Youth in Music Marching Band Championships at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Oct. 11

Note: All are Minnesota high schools unless noted otherwise.

• Osseo: 7 a.m.

• Hutchinson: 7:15 a.m.

• Harrisburg (S.D.): 7:30 a.m.

• Andover: 7:45 a.m.

• Blaine: 8 a.m.

• Minnetonka: 8:15 a.m.

• Lourdes: 8:30 a.m.

• Coon Rapids: 8:45 a.m.

• Anoka: 9 a.m.

• St Croix Central (Wis., exhibition): 9:15 a.m.

• Theodore Roosevelt (Iowa): 9:30 a.m.

• Sioux Falls O'Gorman (S.D.): 9:45 a.m.

• Baldwin - Woodville (Wis.): 10 a.m.

• Brookings (S.D.): 10:15 a.m.

• Waseca: 10:30 a.m.

• Sioux Falls Roosevelt (S.D.): 10:45 a.m.

• Champlin Park: 11 a.m.

• Hastings: 11:15 a.m.

• Mankato Area 77 Lancers: 11:30 a.m.

• Eastern Carver County, exhibition: 11:45 a.m.

• Class A and AA Awards: 12 p.m.

• Sioux Falls Washington (S.D.): 12:30 p.m.

• Rock Island (Ill.): 12:45 p.m.

• River Falls (Wis.): 1 p.m.

• Chippewa Falls (Wis.): 1:15 p.m.

• Farmington: 1:30 p.m.

• Lakeville South: 1:45 p.m.

• Marshall: 2 p.m.

• Eden Prairie: 2:15 p.m.

  

• Irondale: 2:30 p.m.

• Millard North (Neb.) 2:45 p.m.

• Millard West (Neb.): 3 p.m.

• Greendale (Wis.): 3:15 p.m.

• Brandon Valley (S.D.): 3:30 p.m.

• Sioux Falls Lincoln (S.D.): 3:45 p.m.

• Eastview: 4 p.m.

• Rosemount: 4:15 p.m.

• University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, exhibition: 4:30 p.m.

• Class AAA and AAAA Awards: 4:45 p.m.