FloMoParent

I have a family friend in the Franklin band. I haven't heard much about their show, but wish them the best at Indy and GN

It is a shame that the event was cancelled, but in the end I think it was the best. Rain and marching bands don't mix

I know that FloMo scrapped their show ending from SA last year and put in a new one for GN. I don't think a show is ever complete until the last competition. The designers and directors are always tweaking, twisting, changing, and challenging the performers (and prop builders) until the very end.

Yeah those early Saturday performance times are tough for bands not in the greater SA area. I remember in 2013 FloMo had the 8:00 am time. This was the Saturday after the Mound Showdown (FMHS vs Marcus football game). Flower Mound won the game in the third OT. The game didn't end until after midnight and that pushed all the departure times back. After the game the students and support parents had to quickly go get their luggage, return to the school, eat, load the buses, then drive the six plus hours (by bus) to SA. That was not a fun trip.

Performance times have been announced: Friday: http://www.musicforall.org/images/PDFs/2015/Fall/SATX_Final_Packet/FRIDAY_SATX_Prelims_AS_OF_10_14.pdf Saturday: http://www.musicforall.org/images/PDFs/2015/Fall/SATX_Final_Packet/SATURDAY_SATX_Prelims_AS_OF_10_14.pdf Notables: Cedar Park H.S. Friday 12:15 pm Cedar Ridge H.S. Friday 10:45 am Claudia Taylor Johnson H.S. Saturday 4:00 pm Flower Mound H.S. Saturday 8:30 am Hebron H.S. Saturday 11:45 am James Bowie H.S. Saturday 7:15 am Keller H.S. Saturday 3:00 pm Leander H.S. Friday 2:24 pm Marcus H.S. Saturday 10:45 am Ronald Reagan H.S. Friday 5:00 pm Round Rock H.S. Friday 1:00 pm The Woodlands H.S. Saturday 9:30 am Vandegrift H.S. Friday 9:15 am Wakeland H.S. Saturday 9:15 am Archbishop Alter H.S. OH Friday 6:00 pm

That is why I think Hebron's show is going to be a beast. They still need to complete their ending. To me, the last part after the Sax Solo felt off, like it was there just to give it something. They will probably have 40 pages added/changed by SA. I believe the Flower Mound and Marcus shows are mostly complete (as are most of the bands not going to Indy). I am sure they will add a few things plus make more changes to complete their show for SA, they do have four weeks, given these directors and show designers, they won't just stand pat with very good shows.

To help understand Flower Mound's show, google images search surrealism art and you will see many of the things you saw in the show (eggs, clouds, umbrellas, ear, "this is not a saxophone", red dress, clocks, eyes, and...) thus the title: Surreal.

Such a gorgeous day for a marching contest

One moment for me was at the Flower Mound end of camp performance. My daughter graduated last year so we don't have anyone in band now, but we couldn't stay away, like many other parents who had their kids graduate in attendance. I was wondering what FMHS would do after Grand Nats last year. I was wondering if there would be a new direction, if there would be a sense of accomplishment at what was done. I was blown away. The band took what was learned in Indy and are building on it. There was power, there was finesse, there was passion, there was precision, there was speed, and there was variation.

I've seen Marcus four times now. Twice on a Friday night and twice at Birdville. They are just so precise. Everything is spot on. I think the problem is that we expect that from Marcus now. They are the machine -- an amazingly talented machine. Bands will need to bring their A game to top Marcus. I have not seen Round Rock nor Hebron this year. Based on past years, they will bring it. As a FloMo parent, I am a bit biased. Flower Mound's show this year is another step up in the program. The number of elements in the show are impressive. And the sound, wow, the sound. When I heard them at the end of camp show I was blown away. Now, a month in, it is getting better and better. Sound from all parts of the filed coming at you. Then there is the art

I know it is the homer in me, but when I see people talking about LISD, I go first to Lewisville ISD (not Leander ISD). Lewisville ISD: Hebron, Marcus, Flower Mound, (Lewisville HS program is improving too)

I don't like the 800+ member band. I think they are doing the students a disservice. It is obvious that the school has money and parents who are passionate about their program, but with that many people, they really don't have an opportunity to learn and perform like most of the other 5A schools in the area.

A peeve of mine is the organized parent/fan chants prior to performance. This is my opinion but those chants sound like "Look at me! Pay attention to the fans in the stands!" Are we not there to support and encourage the performers on the field? I saw a few directors cringe during some of the chants. When at a performance, cheer your head off when they take the field and whenever you are moved during the show as that sends energy to the band, it lets them know that you appreciate what they are doing and brings everyone in the stands along. A chant creates division and promotes an us vs them atmosphere.

They did not make finals this year but note Flower Mound is also in the Lewisville ISD. A lot of very talented students in LISD

Some people were/are speculating that Marcus was "saving" something for Grand Nats. I am not a Marcus parent so I do not speak from any position of knowing what they are doing. Anyhow, we all wish them the best at Grand Nats.

Last year FloMo Drumline was .5 away from capturing the LoneStar Classic Marching Championship. Looking forward to this great competition.

Thanks for posting the prelim scores. Looking at them makes me understand the placement. FloMo's Visual Performance was good (9th in prelim and higher than six of the finalists) but the Music Performance took it down (35th in Prelim). That is how it crumbles. I am not blaming the time, but I wonder if the early prelim time had any impact. On Friday night Flower Mound and Marcus played the annual "Mound Showdown" (Flower Mound won in triple overtime). Both bands did not leave until after the football game. Marcus was the first band after lunch (1:30?) and FloMo was the second band to play on Saturday (8:00). Both bands performed their whole show at the football game and I heard they were both great (I am sorry I missed it as I was driving to SA).

For Flower Mound 2011 - Belle Epoque was the real beginning of the move to being a serious BOA competitor. That was the last year of Mr. Meyers (wonderful director, but it seemed as if marching was not his primary focus). The show was much note complex than previous years and resulted in a ninth place finish in the 2011 San Antonio BOA Super Regional, the school's first appearance in the BOA Super Regional Final. The 2012 show, "The Greatest Show" was the next step, the current director, Mr. Biskup was now at the helm, and the band was making great strides. The show was a great success and many people were shocked that "The Greatest Show" did not advance to state. The show did make finals in 2012 San Antonio BOA Super Regional placing 11th, but with a much higher final score than the previous year. 2013 brought "FloModern" a show that highlighted the improvement in all spectrums of the band, even placing 6th at 2013 BOA Conroe Regional (standings: 1. The Woodlands*, 2. CTJ,* 3. Cedar Ridge*, 4. Hebron*, 5. Cedar Park*, 6. FMHS, 7. Ronald Reagan*, 8. James E. Taylor 9. Woodlands, College Park, 10. Winston Churchill*. *-2013 Super Regional finalist). The 2013 San Antonio Super Regional featured many top end bands and FMHS fell just a bit short of making the finals (18th in prelim). We (the parents and students) were crushed. We thought we had a finals worthy show, several seasoned BOA vets commented "see you tonight" in regards to playing in the finals. In short the dedication by the staff, students, and parents to transform Flower Mound High School into not just Flower Mound-Marcus's neighbor and "little brother" but actual competition is moving forward. In the Lewisville ISD we compete also with Hebron, Lewisville (another up and comer who may make a BOA appearance in the next couple years) and in our Area, we compete with LD Bell, Richland, the Plano schools, and many other high performing bands.

no, Plano East's score was 8, 3, 2, 4, 4,10 (Mu1, Mu2, Mu3, Mar1, Mar2, G)