band=politics

[mnkyman]

band=politics

[Danpod]

Uhhhhhh....A little more explanation, por favor.

[BlinK Day 41]

If he means that Politics play a big role in band placement during competition, then i'd agree.

[mnkyman]

  BlinK Day 41 said:

If he means that Politics play a big role in band

everything related to band

 

including the post above

[Danpod]

To a certain extent, I think band does have it's own political stuff going on, but I think it all depends on which circuit one is participating in (BOA, UIL, USSBA)

 

For the longest time, UIL was known (And in some ways is still known) as a Good Ol' Boys Network.

[Aegis Fang]

last year, at area contest. Clemens had one of their best shows ever, and got screwed just like a bunch of other bands... something like...

 

9,8,9,4,6, and 22... why can't they drop the highest and lowest scores like they do in some olympic events? that would make it way better.

 

anyways, Clemens got screwed out of their first chance at making state... oh well...

[bluebellbrass07]

i voted yes. no comment other than that

[Danpod]

  Aegis Fang said:

last year, at area contest.  Clemens had one of their best shows ever, and got screwed just like a bunch of other bands...  something like...

 

9,8,9,4,6, and 22...  why can't they drop the highest and lowest scores like they do in some olympic events?  that would make it way better.

 

anyways, Clemens got screwed out of their first chance at making state... oh well...

Explain the political aspect of that. Maybe I'm not seeing it.

[TRtrumpet]

I voted yes.

[euro_euph06]

  Aegis Fang said:

last year, at area contest.  Clemens had one of their best shows ever, and got screwed just like a bunch of other bands...  something like...

 

9,8,9,4,6, and 22...  why can't they drop the highest and lowest scores like they do in some olympic events?  that would make it way better.

 

anyways, Clemens got screwed out of their first chance at making state... oh well...

That is a common misconception among almost everyone. Just because the band members think that their best show ever should win, doesn't mean it will happen. Believe me--I know what you mean. They are a thing called judges who decide who is the best. In this case, the circuit (UIL), is more of an excution (meaning how you perform instead of GE and such) circuit.

 

As for the political aspect, that is a beast of a question to ask without setting up boundaries in which we converse (i.e.--BOA or UIL, Concert band, All-State).

[Lustra.exe]

Within each band there are politics, yes. And in every organization that is set-up in a hierarchal manor, there are going to be politics. Band with chairs placements, section leaders, DM's and officers is going to be very political. But that's the real world. Politics.

[euro_euph06]

  Lustra.exe said:

Within each band there are politics, yes. And in every organization that is set-up in a hierarchal manor, there are going to be politics. Band with chairs placements, section leaders, DM's and officers is going to be very political. But that's the real world. Politics.

That may be your school that you are talking about. My placement in band had nothing political with it at all.

 

But like I said:

  euro_euph06 said:

As for the political aspect, that is a beast of a question to ask without setting up boundaries in which we converse (i.e.--BOA or UIL, Concert band, All-State).

[Aegis Fang]

  Danpod said:

Explain the political aspect of that. Maybe I'm not seeing it.

Well, at least two of the bands *unnamed* had really crappy performances in prelims... the same thing happened to Judson, they had even better scores than us, then got a 26 as well... when the gap is that big, someone doesn't like you. That = politics of band.

[TX Suh-nare]

As far as UIL and BO go, I don't think politics relly play that large of a factor, if even one at all.

 

As for DCI....defidently.

[bariphonium]

If you're asking about politics within a band, then it depends on the director. Yes, there's a heirarchy of leadership positions, but as to "She just got picked because she sucks up" then that's not always the case. At a particular school I was at, I remember a girl being very goody-goody with the directors, but being one of the first ones cut during drum major tryouts. For section leader/drum major/officer tryouts, if the directors pick it then it's all up to them. The situation could very well become politics, though, if the students had the lone voice in elections. Then it simply becomes a popularity contest; you can't know a possible candidate after only a few years.

 

If you're asking about politics within competative systems, then many people would agree, for BOA. UIL doesn't have politics so much as it prefers certain types of shows over others. Reagan will probably never do exceptionally well at UIL (and by that I mean break top 5 at State) because their show design is simply too creative and GE appealing, something UIL doesn't factor in. Duncanville, however, has done very well for at least a decade, probably more (and que the vets giving specific info...). Many would argue, though, that BOA plays a lot of politics, such as with Reagan. Surf the arcives of the BOA forums, and you'll find plenty of rants about Reagan's use of electronics and choreography as being cheap ways to get easy GE points. The debate still continues.

 

Politics within a band? Depends on the selection process for leadership position, and the directors themselves. Politics within band competitions? I'm not sure of that myself.

[mnkyman]

im talking more about internal band politcs

 

...some good

 

..some not

[TX Suh-nare]

Internal politics? Oh, ok then, that makes it easy (or easier)

 

It does really depend on the director. Some band directors probably do give people positions they don't deserve, but if a band director likes someone, it's usually because they earned the respect of them, via leadership quality or ability.

 

Also, maybe there's something a band diretor sees in an individual that you may not. I personally don't agree with couple of decisions one of my bd's has made about placement of some people in certain spots, but now I see that sometimes it's not only about who's the best, but who could improve the most in that spot, be it a seat in the drumline, section leader, or even drum major.

 

I'd hate to say it, but those guys are smarter than us, since, you know, THEY'RE running the band. Do they mke mistakes? Of course, but most have a decent reason for the choice they made.

[BlinK Day 41]

MCBA has politics up the wazoo

[titancoaster]

as to what euro_euph was saying, i think that sometimes there is sucking up that wins postitions, like one kid in my section always sucks up and so does his parents, but he never works. I work hard but he got higher parts at the beginning of the year. Now I am section leader and first part but he is neither of the things, so it may look like they do favorites at first but in the end it will work for the best

[mbui]

QUOTE (fourmalleteer @ Jun 15 2006, 08:23 AM)

Anyone remember Spring 2000? I wasn't in high school yet, but I've heard many stories. It was the Altered State show.

Politics against the show....could you clarify??

If I remember correctly, Spring was pretty successful that year.

[G'townPIT]

Another thing that happens often is when a band gets placed higher just because of its reputation. It's not fair to list specific examples, but sometimes you just know when you've been cheated.

[Aegis Fang]

  G said:

Another thing that happens often is when a band gets placed higher just because of its reputation. It's not fair to list specific examples, but sometimes you just know when you've been cheated.

that's what I was trying to explain earlier, Clemens has NEVER made state before, and we felt like we got cheated out of it... oh well... life goes on.

[whitewing09]

  bariphonium said:

If you're asking about politics within a band, then it depends on the director. Yes, there's a heirarchy of leadership positions, but as to "She just got picked because she sucks up" then that's not always the case. At a particular school I was at, I remember a girl being very goody-goody with the directors, but being one of the first ones cut during drum major tryouts. For section leader/drum major/officer tryouts, if the directors pick it then it's all up to them. The situation could very well become politics, though, if the students had the lone voice in elections. Then it simply becomes a popularity contest; you can't know a possible candidate after only a few years.

 

If you're asking about politics within competative systems, then many people would agree, for BOA. UIL doesn't have politics so much as it prefers certain types of shows over others. Reagan will probably never do exceptionally well at UIL (and by that I mean break top 5 at State) because their show design is simply too creative and GE appealing, something UIL doesn't factor in. Duncanville, however, has done very well for at least a decade, probably more (and que the vets giving specific info...). Many would argue, though, that BOA plays a lot of politics, such as with Reagan. Surf the arcives of the BOA forums, and you'll find plenty of rants about Reagan's use of electronics and choreography as being cheap ways to get easy GE points. The debate still continues.

 

Politics within a band? Depends on the selection process for leadership position, and the directors themselves. Politics within band competitions? I'm not sure of that myself.

Well not to sound stupid or something... but isnt like GE getting the best effect with whatever you can use???

 

 

what happen to the good ol days when bands just played to look good and entertain. now its like whose more professional and boring.

[mbui]

General Effect is the utlization of all elements---Music + Visual. Basically, the overall picture.

[whitewing09]

thanks =P