The Longmont Combined Schools Drumline won its 12th state championship in its division at last weekend’s competition at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

And though the competition season is over, there’s still a chance to see the show. The group will perform a free show for friends and family at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Longmont High School, 1040 Sunset St.

The Longmont drumline scored 89.2 at state to beat out four other schools in the Scholastic A division. The winter percussion group at Lafayette’s Centaurus High School came in second in the same division, with a score of 87.55.

“The last few years, it’s been a pretty tight battle between Longmont and Centaurus,” Longmont Director Dave Marvin said. “This year was no exception.”

Other area school percussion groups that performed at the state competition in various divisions included Broomfield High, Frederick High and Louisville’s Monarch High. Broomfield High took first in its division against one other school.

The Longmont drumline includes 27 students mainly from Longmont area high schools, including Longmont High School and Silver Creek High School. Frederick High School last season had enough interest to start its own drumline, a trend Marvin said he hopes continues at other district high schools.

This year’s Longmont show theme was “Chairish Life.” Students used various types of chairs as props, including a rocking chair, school chair, office chair and wheelchair, to tell the story of the circle of life. Props, including a blue baby blanket and red graduation cap and gown, added dashes of color. The students wore black, while the screens concealing the chairs and the floor mat were white.

“It’s a very emotional show and was incredibly well received,” Marvin said. “It’s a fun way of taking you through a circle of life without having any lyrics. The story was told through the props.”

With a show that’s about 6 minutes long, Marvin added, the group approached the show design like a music video.

“In a very short period of time, we can take you from point A to point B to point C and have the story tell itself to anyone watching,” he said.

Longmont High School senior Mary Jane Cronin, who plays snare drum and was part of the drumline all four years of high school, said she joined because she was excited about the theatrical component and opportunity to tell a story.

“There’s just a whole production,” Cronin said. “It’s really, really cool. I’ve loved it. I’ve gotten to improve a lot. It’s a great community. I’ve met a lot of great people.”

She credited that community, plus the high standards of the instructors, for the drumline’s success.

“We’re all like one big friend group,” she said. “Having that connection really elevates the music.”

Ryan Joseph, a Longmont High School senior who plays the bass drum, joined winter percussion for the first time this year. While memorizing all the music and movements, or drill, in such a short time can be stressful, he said, performing with the group was also “incredibly fun.”

“It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” Joseph said. “The people and the community it’s built around makes the experience so much more memorable. The group just has so much dedication to the art we produce. It makes us stand out and able to win as many championships as we have.”