In a hard-fought competition, the Reagan College Preparatory High School varsity drumline won the all-city crown at MPS’s 2025 Battle of the Drumlines.  

The crowd of more than 500 was treated to a display of musical talent amplified by stick tricks and fancy drill, or movement, at the three-hour competition on Saturday, December 13. 

The Battle of the Drumlines took place at Rufus King International High School, the competition winner in 2024. Because Reagan is this year’s winner, the competition moves to Reagan High School in December 2026. 

The Reagan varsity drumline, wearing its new blue uniforms and hats with white plumes, finished with a score of 121.40, out of a possible 130 points.  

Other teams advancing to the second and final round of the competition were: 

• Rufus King varsity drumline, second place, 120.20 points 
• Rufus King junior varsity drumline, third place, 111.50 points 
• Riverside University High School, fourth place, 107.05 points

Also competing Saturday were:

• Bradley Technology and Trade School 
• MacDowell Montessori School 
• James Madison High School 
• Marshall High School 
• Reagan junior varsity 
• South Division High School  
• Washington High School of Information Technology 

In the middle school competition, A.E. Burdick school took first place with 97.20 points, and Milwaukee Parkside School for the Arts was in second place with 96.70 points.  

South Division, MacDowell, Burdick, and Milwaukee Parkside all took part as exhibition drumlines in 2024 and joined the full scored competition this year for the first time.

“What is so exciting about this day is how joyful is from beginning to end, and the way the students come out to support each other,” - Sharie Garcia, District Music Curriculum Specialist

Notable firsts

In the exhibition round, two schools performed: Obama School of Career and Technical Education and Glen Hills Middle School, from the Glendale-River Hills School District. It marked the first time that a school from outside of MPS performed at the Battle of the Drumlines.  

Other firsts at this year’s Battle of the Drumlines: 

• An audience vote for favorite drumline, with cheers for each drumline measured by a decibel meter. Reagan and King tied for the win at 108 decibels, earning both schools a pizza party.  
• Online ticket sales for spectators. Tickets also are sold at the event. Riverside High School drumline performs.
• The Milwaukee Hittaz Drum Corps, the community drumline that includes MPS alumni as well as current students, entertained the crowd with a performance between rounds of competition. 

Cheering for rivals

Even though it’s a competitive event, students from rival schools cheer for other drumlines and dance to their beats, she explained. The event brings together people who simply love drumlines. 

Sharie Garcia observed that the number of students participating has grown over the years—thanks to the opportunity presented by the MPS referenda supporting music education — and the quality of the drumlines has improved, as well.  

“In the face of some unique challenges, students have grown in their confidence in their own musicianship,” she said. 

Also thanks to referendum funding, the district has been purchasing instruments, harnesses, and other essential gear for drumlines, choosing items that are sturdy and of good quality, designed to last 20 years and generations of students.  

The referenda have helped drumlines develop in another key way: The district has been able to hire traveling music teachers whose specialty is percussion. As a result, MPS drumlines are honing their skills. “We have more people with specific musical knowledge to help kids get the edge on how you do this,” Ms. Garcia said. 

Unique in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has no shortage of marching bands. But Ms. Garcia noted that MPS stands alone in its network of drumlines performing in the style of historically black colleges and universities. That is, drumlines with battery only—drums and cymbals— and no stationary “pit” instruments such as xylophones and keyboards.  

“This one is its own special thing,” Ms. Garcia said.  

Judges for the 2025 Battle of the Drumlines included percussion professors and other music professionals from Madison, Chicago, and Milwaukee. Saturday’s performances sparked a little envy; some judges said they wished they had something like MPS’s Battle of the Drumlines back home. 

“And we said, cool, but this one is ours,” Ms. Garcia said.