Wednesday, December 4, 2024
The citywide Battle of the Drumlines is back, and it’s much bigger this year. The public is invited to see MPS drumlines’ high-energy, synchronized performances at the 22nd annual event on Saturday, December 14, 2024.
The new city champion will be crowned at the home of the defending champion, Rufus King International High School, 1801 W. Olive St. Admission is $3 (cash only) at the door.
The competition begins at 12:00 p.m., but audience members are advised to arrive early — as early as 11:15 a.m. The expected larger turnout could mean delays in the ticket-sale and safety-screening lines.
In all, 17 drumlines are scheduled to perform, up significantly from the 10 drumlines that performed in 2023. It’s the most drumlines to participate in the annual event in more than a decade.
Six MPS schools added drumlines this school year, reflecting music education’s growth at MPS since 2020. One of those schools, Obama School of Career and Technical Education, has two drumlines, for a total of seven new MPS drumlines. 
The drumlines competing at the 2024 Battle of the Drumlines, in order of appearance, are:
Reagan College Preparatory High School (varsity)
Milwaukee Marshall High School
Rufus King International High School (varsity)
Washington High School of Information Technology
Rufus King International High School (junior varsity)
Riverside University High School
Bradley Technology and Trade School
James Madison Academic Campus
Obama School of Career and Technical Education (high-school-age students)
Reagan College Preparatory High School (junior varsity)
See exhibition performances by drumlines from these schools (in order of performance):
Thoreau School
Rufus King International Middle School
A.E. Burdick School
Obama SCTE (middle-school-age students)
Milwaukee Parkside School for the Arts
MacDowell Montessori School
South Division High School
The event will include a special performance by the Milwaukee Hittaz Drum Corps, the renowned community drumline featuring many MPS alumni.