To document and preserve the historic trip of the Laramie Senior High School “Plainsmen Band” world championship performances and European concert tour to the first International Youth Music Festival in Vienna, Austria in 1972. The Laramie Senior High School “Plainsmen Band” won two International Band competitions in Gorinchem, Holland and Vienna, Austria. |
The focus of the project is to produce a complete documentary film/DVD and Music CD utilizing all of the archived materials of the “Plainsmen Band’s” world championship competition and concert tour through Europe. The “Plainsmen Band” European competition and concert tour was fully documented with the aid of 2 (two) professional photographers, Ed Fowler and Bruce Mitchell. The performances were filmed with a 16mm movie camera, and photographically documented with 35mm slide film. The Laramie Daily Boomerang, Laramie’s local newspaper was outstanding in their coverage of the entire event. They reported on all the events leading up to the “Plainsmen Band’s” departure to Europe, and did complete coverage of the band’s competition and concert tour throughout Austria, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Luxemburg. They fully covered the band’s return to Laramie, and the public performances of the band after returning to Laramie. |
Documenting the “Plainsmen Band’s” world championship competition and concert tour through Europe would result in having multiple values to Wyoming and Wyoming history. The accomplishments the “Plainsmen Band” achieved have never been matched in the history of Wyoming. The 1972 award winning “Plainsmen Band” is the only, and the largest youth group in Wyoming’s history to win a world championship.
Historically, this major accomplishment by a youth group in Wyoming is of definite historical value, and needs to be added to the historical archives of Wyoming. This was an historic event for the town of Laramie, it’s youth, and to the state of Wyoming.
The accomplishments achieved by the “Plainsmen Band,” was not the only historic event that occurred, but also how the entire community of Laramie came together to send its only high school band to Europe for the 1st International Youth Music Festival. This historic event was a great accomplishment for the city of Laramie.
The “Plainsmen Band” were true ambassadors, representing not only Laramie, but also the state of Wyoming. To quote United States Senator Clifford P. Hansen, “Everyone in Wyoming is very proud of the Laramie High School Band, and more especially of the young people like you who make it the great musical unit it is.”
The Laramie “Plainsmen” marching and concert band captured countless honors throughout the Western United States and Canada, the marching band having won 26 first place trophies and two second place trophies in four years. The concert band received the “superior” trophy in all the festivals in which it took part, including the international competition in Calgary, Canada, which at that time the “Plainsmen Band” was named the “Outstanding American High School Band.” The energy and precision carried on from Canada, to being awarded the title of the world’s best marching band at the 1st International Youth Music Festival in Vienna, Austria.
The impact this historic event had on the band members, and those who participated are immeasurable. From the building of individual character, which carried over into their professional careers, and the immeasurable influence it has had on the band members will be part of their lives forever. Laramie and the state of Wyoming were represented by the finest group of high school musicians the state has ever produced, which demonstrated to the entire world that Wyoming’s educational capabilities are among the best. In the International musical community, the “Plainsmen Band” literally put Wyoming and the city of Laramie on the map. |
