Marching band's major league performed for fans and students at the Music For All Summer Symposium on Friday night at Scheumann Stadium.
Drum Corps International brought seven corps from the World Class division to Muncie.
The event was initially scheduled to start at 7 p.m. but was pushed back due to high temperatures.
The corps played shows roughly 15 minutes long and were judged based on musical performance, choreography and cleanliness of group formations on the field.
Carolina Crown finished first followed by the Madison Scouts, the Cavaliers, Spirit of Atlanta, Blue Stars, Glassmen and the Troopers.
The performances ended with an encore collaboration of Carolina Crown and the symposium marching band following the awards ceremony. Student Alex Behn played trumpet and said the performance was incredible.
"Performing in front of a huge crowd with an enormous band behind you, it felt like you were in a drum and bugle corps - it felt awesome," he said. "With good work, you can become as good as Carolina Crown or anybody and working with them shows you leadership."
Tenor saxophone player Claire Rapand said despite it being the third time she's performed with Carolina Crown through the symposium, it was still a great experience.
She also said the whole experience was worth every cent she paid.
"It's a really good program," she said. "It's probably the best band camp I've been to."
Despite the record heat, students said they had a great time meeting new people. Flute players Maddie Lee and Chelsea Mehegan said leaving at the end of the week was going to be hard.
"You don't want to say goodbye but at the same time it's really tiring like you've been run over by a truck. But it's really fun," Lee said. "[I'm] kind of sad to say goodbye."
The symposium ended with a final performance by the students Saturday in Worthen Arena.
Camp director Norm Ruebling said the event, which brought more than 1,000 students from across the country, was the best he's ever attended.
"You try to explain it to people who are not around Music For All and you can't explain it, and it is definitely something you have to experience yourself because there's just so much going on and it never ends," he said. "It's a really cool experience; really cool for the kids."
Before it came to Ball State in 2011, the symposium was held at Illinois State. But Ruebling said the new location is like a little oasis in Muncie.
"The people here are phenomenal," he said. "This campus and the staff of this campus, they have just opened up this campus to us and it's a beautiful setting."
Carolina Crown came out on top and was a crowd favorite. The members of the corps were happy to have won but said they were really just about entertaining the fans.
C.J. Luke, a contra player for Carolina Crown, said he just enjoys being a member and performing.
"As long as the crowd loved what we did, that's all that matters to me," he said.
Luke especially enjoyed performing with the symposium marching band because he said he enjoys teaching and helping students in music.
"It's not just about teaching them and letting them go, it's about doing it with them and I think tonight was a great experience," he said. "It's an experience that on both sides I will remember for a lifetime."
Other members of the corps had similar feelings about the collaboration, including baritone player Brandon Klein.
"For me, I look forward to meeting them, working with them, talking to them, just getting them excited about music in general and band and drum corps," Klein said. "I'm a huge proponent for people just being involved in the activity."
Klein has marched for Carolina Crown for six years and said the win was nice, but it didn't really matter to him.
"I've marched so many years, just getting to perform and perform for people and the pursuit of perfection and excellence in our show, that is really what motivates me every day," he said.
Having professional musicians on such a large scale gave students a sense of inspiration and Klein said he hopes the passion they put into their performance will encourage students in the future.
"I encourage people just to be involved," he said.
"You never know what's going to happen."
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