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I will say that I don’t think cedar ridge passing vandy is impossible based on what I saw and heard today.

Round Rock definitely upped their visual game this year. The new uniforms work well and fit the theme.

Big day ahead! Very excited to see all of these students perform in person today, I hope every single one of them had a performance they're proud of, and the audience rewards them for it. It's a truly fulfilling experience getting to perform in front of a crowd that's there to appreciate the art. If you're a parent there to watch your kid today, I implore you to stick around and watch some more programs! You'll get to see some awesome performances, and be another set of hands that claps for a student whose parents couldn't make it out.

Cedar Park is ready. The GE ideas don't translate well on my video. Seeing this in person is impactful. https://youtu.be/fYm-vAOVWgY

Finals Schedule:7:15 PM - Burnet H.S., TX (exhibition)7:30 PM - Hendrickson H.S., TX7:45 PM - Leander H.S., TX8:00 PM - Westwood H.S., TX8:15 PM - James Bowie H.S., TX8:30 PM - Westlake H.S., TX8:45 PM - Lake Travis H.S., TX9:00 PM - Round Rock H.S., TX9:15 PM - Cedar Park H.S., TX9:30 PM - Rouse H.S., TX9:45 PM - Cedar Ridge H.S., TX10:00 PM - Vandegrift H.S., TX10:15 PM - Vista Ridge H.S., TX10:30 PM - Manor New Tech H.S., TX (exhibition)

i didn't catch them. no rewind option, but how exciiiiting! that early vid was impresssive. thrilled for twhs. nice little confidence boost. learn that closer and clean, clean, clean. late season contests are gonna be filled w/ tough rivals. and ummm how about BRIDGELAND in 2nd in 4A. woooohoooo! i thought they'd end up there, tho i hadn't seen all the bands.

Prelims ResultsClass AAAA The Woodlands H.S., TX Bridgeland H.S., TX Pearland H.S., TX Outstanding Music Performance: The Woodlands H.S., TXOutstanding Visual Performance: The Woodlands H.S., TXOutstanding General Effect: The Woodlands H.S., TXClass AAA Wylie East H.S., TX Clear Brook H.S., TX Friendswood H.S., TX Outstanding Music Performance: Wylie East H.S., TXOutstanding Visual Performance: Friendswood H.S., TXOutstanding General Effect: Clear Brook H.S., TXClass AA James Earl Rudder H.S., TX Outstanding Music Performance: James Earl Rudder H.S., TXOutstanding Visual Performance: James Earl Rudder H.S., TXOutstanding General Effect: James Earl Rudder H.S., TX No Class A bands presentFinalists (random order) Wylie East H.S., TX College Park H.S., TX The Woodlands H.S., TX Clear Brook H.S., TX Dawson H.S., TX Pearland H.S., TX Klein Oak H.S., TX Cy Fair H.S., TX Bridgeland H.S., TX Friendswood H.S., TX Oak Ridge H.S., TX Jordan H.S., TX

My personal top 12 after watching everyone from just below the press box today.VandegriftCedar ridge Cedar ParkVista RidgeWestlakeRouseHendrickson BowieRound RockLeanderWestwoodDripping Springs

What? What do you mean, "They may finally be back." The made State Finals last year...

It’s BLASPHEMY

Something about Leander isn’t quite clicking for me just yet. Maybe it’s the overall pacing? I still think they’ll be in finals somewhere in the 7-10 range. When I first saw an early season video I said that I thought it would be a late bloomer and I still think that will be the case.

That is probably my favorite Westlake show in a decade. The drill design is SO good and they had the second biggest impact of the day at least to my ears. Incredible clarinet soloist and I love the opening narration. I really hope they change the city to wherever the contest is. I think they could place top 5 tonight.

Hendrickson brought a lot of energy in their performance. They’re hungry to return to finals here!

WOW Hendrickson! Stepped it up from last year - that was a high energy show. I’m exhausted just watching it.

I just finished watching Cedar Park. This is the highest GE show they have done since 2016. They sound great and are ready for tomorrow. Video will be posted when I get home.

😇 I gotta be confident in my kids that they’ll not drop to 3rd place. It’s going to be a great day tomorrow… hot, but great!! I hope everyone has a great run and is happy with their performances. 🤩

I’m asking because it seems every event they get leaked early

I believe there are 408 band members this year. I may be off by a few, but I know it's more than 400.

Only a few surprises in the finalists….was very surprised to see Leander take 3rd in AAA.

Finals Schedule 7:30 College Park H.S., TX 7:45 Jordan H.S., TX 8:00 Friendswood H.S., TX 8:15 Oak Ridge H.S., TX 8:30 Klein Oak H.S., TX 8:45 Dawson H.S., TX 9:00 Clear Brook H.S., TX 9:15 Cy-Fair H.S., TX 9:30 Pearland H.S., TX 9:45 Bridgeland H.S., TX 10:00 The Woodlands H.S., TX 10:15 Wylie East H.S., TX

Darn! Only one off, very much deserved by lake Travis I flip flopped between them and dripping springs a lot. Very interested to see where CP lands within the 4A placements after finals. I definitely thought this was the most coherent RR show in the last 4/5 years, good to see them having some success again.

Thanks all for the kind words! I uploaded the prelims run on YouTube for anyone interested! We’re very proud of our kids and can’t wait to perform again tonight!

Wow! Jordan!

Manor New Tech wins 1A Music Ann Richards wins 1A Visual Manor New Tech wins 1A GE

Vandegrift sweeps 4A Cedar Park sweeps 3A Burnet sweeps 2A

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZjVttHkxWtyv15UscIqo4sEQ7AMoBxW2/view Here's a link the finals schedule, congrats to all who preformed and good luck to all in finals!

Even after watching prelims, this competition still feels impossible to predict. Cedar Ridge, Vandegrift, Cedar Park, Rouse, and Vista Ridge we’re the strongest to me (not in any particular order). I would be surprised to see any of them outside the top half of finals. As for other finalists, I’m thinking a combination of Westlake, Round Rock, Westwood, Leander, Bowie, Hendrickson , Lake Travis, and Dripping Springs (again, no particular order).

Not great for the kids in 93 degree heat...

I thought the awards ceremony was supposed to start at 4:15 why are they delaying it in this heat?

Round Rock. A show about a round rock. No, I actually think they sound good and look good considering how much drill they are marching. The opening set feels epic, especially with that backfield playing. The show ended in a bit of an awkward spot, but that’s to be expected this early. I don’t hate the uniforms.

Not sure how I'm feeling about Round Rock swapping out their iconic uniforms for what I'm seeing on the sideline right now.

My first time watching the Woodlands this season and I thought it was a great show! They've really leaned into the Broadway-esque shows the past several years and are performing them very well. The drill, while not very difficult, is quite clean at this stage of the season. Great soloists as usual and a fantastic ballad. Excited to see this progress over the season!

Overall really really enjoying Westlake. The clarinet soloist is sooooooo good! I also really like the narration they added at the beginning, and I am usually not a fan of narration. The drill design is really nice, and the music is perfectly tailored to the show. The field feels a bit empty, but I don’t expect any band to have all their props and such at this point in the season (it also doesn’t help that all their front flats blew over 😅).

Cedar Park and Rouse at this point are the standard. Sound from cedar park was outstanding and Rouse sounds and looks fantastic this year! Waiting for the last block to see where these 2 will end up.

Loooove Rouse’s flute choir leading up to the first hit. There’s so much musicality in the full ensemble moments, I could listen to them play forever. Everything just flows so beautifully. I’m also so impressed with the individual visual performance! To me, the show isn’t nearly as conceptually creative as Papyrus was, but I don’t want to understate just how amazing this performance was.

Uhm...I only started watching when Vista Ridge came on. I feel like the music from Rouse was so much more powerful than Vista Ridge. Perhaps because the music is so much more familiar. Really lovely Rouse

I am old. I believe every band should wear white shoes and have a leg stripe.

Vista Ridge was great! Starting with just horns is so difficult and they handle that challenge flawlessly. So many great soloists adding different textures and layers. The drill and staging is really interesting as well.

Cedar Park setting the standard this morning! They look to be building off the success of last season, but this time with a stronger conceptual theme. There is sooo much great choreo reinforcing the theme. The ballad was definitely a stand-out moment. There’s a bit of a mysterious vibe through the show that I really enjoy.

Well Harker Heights, nice job. That show was a huge step forward for the organization. Nice work!

i feel like if i watched Cedar Park live i'd end up like Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2 when she has that dream of the atomic bomb going off and her skin is blown off and her skeleton is clinging to the fence. hahaha. but less of a negative experience, obviously.

Agreed!!! Cannot wait to see this one live as well

oh i think the GE translates just fine. hahahaha. that's probably the best Cedar Park show i've ever watched. hoooly wall of sound. could it be more dynamic? yeah, probably, but the sheer excitement of getting your face melted off is worth something for sure. plus the beautiful mirror effects.

i feel like twhs gets more exciting w/ each movement like last year, besides the 2nd one, that's there for variety i guess. sound was muffled, lots of close up shots. def doesn't seem quite as polished, but they just learned the ballad, Skyfall, the arrangement of which is awesome btw. wonderful soloist.

Vandy is fantastic, as always. That opener reinforces to me, however, how much I dislike voice-overs. At least it's relatively brief.

I WAS SHOOK, the props are FINALLY WORKING

WOW

Friendswood did great last season, don't count them out of a top 8 I see can also see the Fort Bend Schools (SAF + Clements) being up there in the top 7. Does anyone have any news on how the Katy ISD Schools are doing? (Jordan, 7L, JET)