Kiski Area marching band set to return to national competition after PIMBA championship

The Kiski Area High School marching band once again has qualified to compete in a national band competition.

The band earned its second consecutive Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band (PIMBA) crown Saturday during the 2022 PIMBA Championships at Norwin High School in Irwin.

Kiski placed first in Class AAAA in the High Music, High General and High General Effect categories.

The band has 137 musicians.

“It’s 37 years of continuing the tradition,” band director Shawn Pityk said. “There’s a good system in place, and there’s a lot of dedication to the program.”

Kiski Area competed against 16 bands from the Pittsburgh region.

The band earned the highest score, 94.9, for its “Corners of My Mind”-themed performance that included wall corner props on the field.

Pityk explained the theme as being open to interpretation.

“It’s an abstract representation of using corners on the field and portraying different emotions and thoughts,” he said.

Jody Sarno, a Vandergrift councilman, is a Kiski Area band parent who praised the musical support system that includes volunteers, directors, parents and staff.

“The win is a testament to all the hard work the kids have put in through the year,” Sarno said. “The band is a living, breathing example of what a group of individuals can accomplish when they come together and focus on a common goal.”

The Kiski Area band is rehearsing several times a week for their final competition of the year. The Bands of America Grand Nationals is a three-day competition Nov. 10-12 in Indianapolis.

The competition will be livestreamed on box5tv.com.

Pityk, a former Kiski Area band member, has directed the band for 15 years.

“Our successes can be attributed to an awesome instructional staff and design team, a top-rate parent/booster program and amazing kids who want to do great things,” Pityk said.

With more than 100 competing bands, the national competition can be intimidating.

“We just stay on task. At this point, it’s about doing everything we can in rehearsals to be meticulous with playing and marching,” Pityk said. “The students are thrilled. Some of them are nervous, but very excited to perform at nationals.”

Kiski Area band member Abigail Mortensen, a senior, said she is grateful to be headed to nationals.

“The weekend was very productive. I walked onto the field for our performance feeling confident in my own abilities and my teammates,” she said. “When we heard our placement, we were all so grateful and proud of our achievements and the history we created.”

Senior Kiski Area drum major Gianna Kraus said she was ecstatic when she learned Kiski Area had won first place.

“The competition between Norwin and Kiski was tight this year, so I was uncertain going into the awards ceremony,” Kraus said. “PIMBA champs, as a whole, was a wonderful way to close out the local competitive season and prepare us for what awaits at Grand Nationals.”

Other schools

Norwin took second place in Class AAAA, with a total score of 94.1, while Moon Area had the highest score in Class AAA with 91.575.

The top Class AA band was Mars Area, which posted an 89.675 score. Also in Class AA, Fox Chapel Area had a score of 84.35 while Burrell scored 81.525.

Burrell’s score was its highest ever, and the band was awarded the Esprit de Corps award for exhibiting pride, spirit, enthusiasm, friendliness, camaraderie and unity.

The Class A top score of 85.675 belonged to Southmoreland, followed by Deer Lakes, 84.175; Leechburg Area, 81.6; and Yough, 79.0.

Leechburg Area’s score broke a school record.

Other participating schools included Hampton, Gateway, Mt. Lebanon, Baldwin, Trinity, Penn Hills and Elizabeth Forward.