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MikeKyu

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Everything posted by MikeKyu

  1. Leander has done an amazing amount of work in 3 weeks. Wow! LISD has an amazing chance of sweeping 5A this year
  2. What I have seen of the CTJ show, I'd have to agree with you MadisonBandMan1. I really like this year's CTJ show and am excited to see how it cleans up as the season progresses.
  3. Early report from a friend at the show. Cedar Park 1st overall Snare line: Cedar Park Quad Line: Cedar Park Front Ensemble: Cedar Park Highest overall: Cedar Park
  4. I live in Cedar Park. My son has graduated and I have no "horse in the race" as I write this. My wife and I have watched the top 4 heavy hitting Leander ISD bands in person already. The status quo, based on early season development is quite different this year than recent years. Not sure if we are seeing adjustments for UIL and BOA in the same year or if bands are struggling with missing a year developing younger students. It's going to be a fun season. Having TMC and Leander Festival of bands within 3 days of each other is going to be fantastic to see how the bands are developing. Leander: great show and I believe there's a ton to add. Right now it feels vacant. Still have my favorite trumpet section in Texas. The show theme is refreshing. Excited to see where this show can go. Vandergrift: holy moly they are marching a lot of students!! They are really playing together really well with the very defined Vandy sound. Kevin is proud! This show is starting off very well. Vista Ridge: I think they are taking development slowly. It's nice to see them in uniform. Not really jumping up and down about the show yet. They will improve drastically as the season progresses. At this point it's pretty bland. LISD directors will all step up and pitch in to get this show into Nats finals. The production seems tentative right now and it's tough to hear any section that's really laying it down. That will quickly change. Cedar Park: OH my! New uniforms. This is a very aggressive show. Marching more students than in recent history. They are being rewarded with a much bigger sound. They need to contain it and will as the season progresses. As always the percussion section is fantastic. Crazy work happening in the pit right now. The brass is up a few notches from the last 2 years. Show design is complex and being marched at a high level. They need more GE to really break through. Very early season power ranking: 1. Vandy 2. Cedar Park 3. Leander 4. Vista Ridge Remember: these are not even set in mud yet. The real work is beginning on the the show. This is just some extremely early season feedback.
  5. In person you get a feel for height and depth of the Frisbee. On screen it doesn't translate. I can't believe that Frisbees are the star of a top flight show but they really were.
  6. DCI Celebrations: Phantom Regiment was amazing at finals. I was on my feet (at home)! DCI feels better when Phantom is on point. Cavaliers took a HUGE step forward with their show. This is my favorite Cavaliers show in many years. I'm a big Bluecoats fan. This show....meh...I'm not a huge fan of the Beatles. This show felt forced. Austin: The Mandarins are going on quite an artistic journey the last 3 seasons. Their show was stunning in person but it didn't translate on screen. That's okay, judging doesn't happen on screen. The Troopers. They put on an amazing show. It's great to see America's band playing and marching strongly. The Crossmen. Clean sound. Good visuals. Crisp performance. Genesis.... MASSIVE step forward this year. The sound is unique and they are in a great place for recruiting talent on field and coaching talent.
  7. Cedar Park High School I See Highly complex marching regimen. They are marching a lot more members this year than in recent memory. The arrangements are excellent and the set list is gigantic. The students and staff are really going to be tested.
  8. Are the going to do a choral music theme? If so, that's gonna be really neat.
  9. The staff that Cedar Park has brought in for this show is stunning. Big time chops. For a transition year with the retirement of Steve Wessels this show is extremely exciting. It is a large nod to what Mr. Wessels has done with an eye to new design language and arrangements for the future. They also worked in nods to the school song in the intro and outro which is a great concept in and of itself. This show is going to be extremely fun and for fans of Cedar Park somewhat familiar while very new. Each section, as has been published, will get at least one featured section.
  10. Etude studies are repeated fro a reason. The selections are all top notch and wonderfully difficult. It should be excellent to watch.
  11. Let's not get crazy now....
  12. conceptually J.B. Alexander has been one of my favorites over the last 3 years. I am excited to see what they bring this year.
  13. TMC, band for band is a fantastic performance. It' almost as high quality as the Leander Festival of Bands. I Love the TMC! This is one of the must see early contests of the season.
  14. I had several friends who participated with them. They had a great time and still talk about it to this day.
  15. Hi Mitch. I like the Sennheiser HD280. They are comfortable and have a nice sound and are mostly detailed. I used to use them a lot in my recording studio. You mentioned your partner is a drummer. Will these be used strictly for listening enjoyment or will they be used for recording or live sessions?
  16. And congratulations to Mr. Wessels. What a legacy he has created.
  17. My son, a senior next year was bummed out as well. I was lucky enough to March at Grand Nats 2 times in high school. I was really hoping for the same for him. And yes, Chris is a great guy.
  18. Mr. Steve Wessels has announced his retirement. He has accomplished amazing things while at Cedar Park. He built a perennial powerhouse and has been the only director of bands that the school has known. He is one of the most open and kindest men that I have known. He never once pushed the band for his resume, only for betterment of the kids. What an honor to have a school be under his tutelage. His impact on the school and students will be felt forever. His successor was promoted from within. Mr. Christopher Yee will now take the reigns. It is a great choice by the school as he has been groomed over the last three years to take this position. Dedicated to the kids before the product. Fantastically nice and open. I am excited for him. I am excited to see the direction that Cedar Park takes under his leadership. Let's go Cedar Park!
  19. I can see them allowing for opt ups in band. They already allow if for region/area/state band auditions. My son's school, Cedar Park, is 5A but for region band auditions they opt up to 6A.
  20. Cedar Park has started with the Cedar Park Middle School. It is only a matter of time until all of the middle schools follow suit.
  21. Interesting results from the Westwood contest. Way to go!
  22. This is a great opportunity. I wish my son could make this one. heck, I'd probably like it more than he would.
  23. Yep. CP is taking charting a course along a new direction. Next season will be interesting to see the beginning of the new collaboration team. Watching them develop trust and relationships with a high performing band should be incredibly interesting.
  24. Quite honestly it is where Leander should be. Moving down or up holds no bearing on the ability of the organization. Heck, if they are lucky they can break CPHS's stranglehold on 5A.
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