UIL 6A State Marching Contest 2024 (Nov 11-12)

[bchorn]

2 hours ago, braddddd said:

I went to Round Rock high school and was in band all 4 years. The expectation for our band was to make finals at all comps (BOA Austin, TMC, Westlake Marching fest., BOA San Antonio, State, BOA Grand nats). We always went it to a comp aiming for first, however we all knew that at comps like state, Nats, and San Antonio we weren't going to win. Our real goal was to get as high in finals as possible. getting 7th, 8th, 9th at state was our "1st place". Beating bands like CR, Pearland, CP, Coppell, Leander was extremely important to us. So while yes we knew deep down that we weren't going to win state, that doesn't mean that it wasn't worth going. Because just making finals is already a "1st place win" for all finalist. 

thank you...and I should add that Round Rock has a long tradition of excellence...advancing to state twelve times since 1979.  So if a school like Round Rock isn't aiming to win state every year...then I don't think it's realistic to expect every other band in the state to have that goal as well. 

Realistically, I think there are only a handful of bands in the state that aim to win it all in 6A. Everyone else is aiming to advance to state and to place as high as they possibly can.

[bchorn]

As soon as I logged off from the last post, I came across this KXAN article about central texas marching bands.

And in this article, the Marble Falls band director says their goal this year was simply to make Area finals...which they did...and then qualified for state!

Quote

The Marble Falls Mustang Band’s director, Tony Leflet, said in a release that the band’s goal was simply to reach the area marching band finals. “Our students not only achieved this goal — they surpassed it. We approached this journey with a mindset of continuous improvement, taking steps to get better each day, always being happy with our progress but never satisfied with the results.”

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/central-texas-high-schools-make-history-in-state-marching-band-competition/

[braddddd]

I think we were still aiming to win every comp we went to, but we knew deep down we weren't good enough to beat  broken arrow, vandy, Hebron, etc. However, despite not winning I'm very grateful for being finalists at state, San Antonio, and nats. I think hundreds of bands can only dream of accomplishing that and all bands who make finals are in the top .01% in the country!   

[MilBandDude]

On 11/13/2024 at 9:01 PM, MadHornist said:

To be honest, it’s unrealistic for most of the bands competing in the 6A SMBC to have any aspirations of being crowned state champion or to even make it into the top ten.  Most bands lack the size or financial resources that it takes to be an elite band. For them, just making it to state marching competition is their reward.

I don’t mean to take anything away from the top bands because they have definitely earned their placement.  However, it would be nice if the 6A marching band competition was split into two divisions like football. After four years of attending the competition, it’s become obvious that after the top twenty or so, the lower ranked bands don’t get the same attention by the judges in prelims because the judges priority is to select the top bands for finals.

Would a BOA metric like 10th through 12th grade school population be a good way to divide the field, or should the divisions be decided by band size?  

Comments? 
 

I agree that band size significantly affects success at State or BOA. It is just a benefit in every way possible. If you look at the bands that made finals, I believe they are all over 300, with the exception of Marcus and maybe one other, but I could be mistaken. Even a few of those very large bands have JV Marching Bands outside the Varsity Band.

Division rankings within the UIL Rankings based on band sizes might be an option. Or perhaps  bands should have their own UIL A rankings separate from athletics regarding state competitions. I know it's not easy for the UIL to adjust its school ranking easily. The issue is that the UIL has problems keeping traditional rivalries and especially travel when doing the UIL Rankings, specifically with football. You can take the big schools and move them to a 7A, but you need to ensure the limited number of 7A Teams can travel a reasonable distance on Friday nights to play games. They need to rank bands by band size, not school size, and have them compete within those rankings. It will never be perfect, but at least a 200 member band does not have to compete against a band with 400 members.

[dullbanddad]

23 hours ago, MilBandDude said:

I agree that band size significantly affects success at State or BOA. It is just a benefit in every way possible. If you look at the bands that made finals, I believe they are all over 300, with the exception of Marcus and maybe one other, but I could be mistaken. Even a few of those bands have JV Marching Bands.

Division rankings within the UIL Rankings based on band sizes might be an option. Or perhaps  bands should have their own UIL A rankings separate from athletics regarding state competitions. I know it's not easy for the UIL to adjust its school ranking easily. The issue is that the UIL has problems keeping traditional rivalries and especially travel when doing the UIL Rankings, specifically with football. You can take the big schools and move them to a 7A, but you need to ensure the limited number of 7A Teams can travel a reasonable distance on Friday nights to play games. They need to rank bands by band size, not school size, and have them compete within those rankings. It will never be perfect, but at least a 200 member band does not have to compete against a band with 400 members.

Vista was one of the smallest at 241.  I believe Cedar Ridge at 179 was the smallest.  For reference Vandegrift had 349 almost double the size of Cedar Ridge.

[LeanderMomma]

On 11/14/2024 at 6:42 PM, Bigbustergod said:

Was this a drought year in terms of iconic shows and moments??

 

I kinda felt like this from last year but I especially feel it this year. After watching the 2024 season unfold compared to last year it just feels like in terms of the product being put out are not as special and exciting as they once were. Comparing this years shows to 2022 or 2021 leaves something to be desired in my opinion. All power to Hebron winning the work they put out is amazing, but in my opinion this years Hebron just doesn’t have the same excitement or impact like a 2021,2022, or 2019. Right now it feels some of the top bands are just trying to find out what gets them the best scores and stick with it. Which I mean that’s the way you wanna run your program 100% but I can’t lie I miss the sheer creativity and boundary pushing shows that some of these schools had. Like vandegrift, the criticism they receive for not being as exciting to watch as a Hebron or woodlands is warranted and understandable but even they used to make amazing and unforgettable moments on the field like 2022 was way better than 2023 and 24 in my opinion for vandy. I might just be blinded by nostalgia but I sure hope next year is a return to form of bands being themselves and embracing there creativity cause that’s when In my opinion an amazing season like a 2022,2021, 2019, and even 2023.

I actually hear what you are saying and even agree with you somewhat. I honestly believe that the issue is the fact that UIL state now happens every year for every classification. Gone are the shows that were more artistic and BOA oriented for bands who were not concerned with UIL SMBC that year. These shows were longer and had more interesting elements than the ones geared to UIL years where bands must stick within that 8 minute show timeframe and focus primarily on music performance. I hate what this “UIL every year” situation has done for marching band. Sure it’s cool to say your band goes to state finals every year, but at what cost?  The cost of art and creativity, I’m afraid.  😔

[rouseglazer1]

1 hour ago, LeanderMomma said:

I actually hear what you are saying and even agree with you somewhat. I honestly believe that the issue is the fact that UIL state now happens every year for every classification. Gone are the shows that were more artistic and BOA oriented for bands who were not concerned with UIL SMBC that year. These shows were longer and had more interesting elements than the ones geared to UIL years where bands must stick within that 8 minute show timeframe and focus primarily on music performance. I hate what this “UIL every year” situation has done for marching band. Sure it’s cool to say your band goes to state finals every year, but at what cost?  The cost of art and creativity, I’m afraid.  😔

i agree so hard with this. 2022 was the last time i really truly enjoyed the music of like basically every band, nowadays it's just too complex and dci like for my layman taste

[Baritone Legend]

10 hours ago, LeanderMomma said:

I actually hear what you are saying and even agree with you somewhat. I honestly believe that the issue is the fact that UIL state now happens every year for every classification. Gone are the shows that were more artistic and BOA oriented for bands who were not concerned with UIL SMBC that year. These shows were longer and had more interesting elements than the ones geared to UIL years where bands must stick within that 8 minute show timeframe and focus primarily on music performance. I hate what this “UIL every year” situation has done for marching band. Sure it’s cool to say your band goes to state finals every year, but at what cost?  The cost of art and creativity, I’m afraid.  😔

This is so true and yet so sad. I do miss when shows were not as similar to how DCI does theirs. I do know however there are some bands that don't do what DCI does, and generally do really good at BOA, and their shows are BOA oriented. Rouse stuck out to me in this way, Their show this year didn't have the DCI feeling as much and was very musical, something I think they are very good at.

[Baritone Legend]

4 minutes ago, Baritone Legend said:

This is so true and yet so sad. I do miss when shows were not as similar to how DCI does theirs. I do know however there are some bands that don't do what DCI does, and generally do really good at BOA, and their shows are BOA oriented. Rouse stuck out to me in this way, Their show this year didn't have the DCI feeling as much and was very musical, something I think they are very good at.

I know they're not 6A, but I was not able to watch many 6A bands. But I don't remember much bands in 6A having the musicality, over the DCI feeling 

[bchorn]

On 11/18/2024 at 10:58 AM, dullbanddad said:

Vista was one of the smallest at 241.  I believe Cedar Ridge at 179 was the smallest.  For reference Vandegrift had 349 almost double the size of Cedar Ridge.

And despite all the varying band sizes you mentioned...all three schools have the same overall student population.  

[braddddd]

I do believe Vandy does gear their shows to UIL for the last couple years. And I think Hebron for the first time this year. However, I still think there were some incredibly fun shows this year. Yes maybe it wasn't penstriped or anything but woodlands had one of my favorites shows from them in a while and flomo also was brilliant. Vista Ridge was absolutely beautiful! So I understand how people feel Hebron and vandy's shows weren't super exciting, but there were also a lot of bottom half bands and bubble bands that were crazy creative and fun. 

[braddddd]

On top of that If you watch shows today compared to 10 years ago, In my opinion today is just way better. A 12th place finish at BOA SA in 2014 would be a 35th place show today. And i think the shows have gotten way more creative and visually stimulating. 

 

Just my opinion. I'm ok If you disagree. 

[FEDude]

10 hours ago, braddddd said:

On top of that If you watch shows today compared to 10 years ago, In my opinion today is just way better. A 12th place finish at BOA SA in 2014 would be a 35th place show today. And i think the shows have gotten way more creative and visually stimulating. 

 

Just my opinion. I'm ok If you disagree. 

Visually stimulating, I think I'd agree. In part it's because of groups like CTJ, TWHS, kinda Reagan, and (in my opinion most significantly) LD Bell pushing the envelope with visuals and guard work throughout the late 2000s and 2010s. I think Texas is still behind in that aspect compared to states like Indiana and California. 

You could also argue bands like PCEP, Carmel, Lawrence Central, Tarpon Springs, etc, have been innovating the visual space since the 90s, and Texas is just starting to catch up.

Creative? I don't know. I really appreciated the musical creativity that came with the prioritization of music over visuals. Maybe it's nostalgia, but my heart melted when I heard Reagan play Gymnopedes 1 layered with Lana Del Ray, CTJ play Fly to Paradise better than some drum corps did that next season, Hebron performing a stunning dress change while performing their Cinderella show. I think you get the point, I like the 2010s a lot and consider a lot of those shows to be very iconic. 

[dullbanddad]

On 11/22/2024 at 1:20 PM, braddddd said:

I do believe Vandy does gear their shows to UIL for the last couple years. And I think Hebron for the first time this year. However, I still think there were some incredibly fun shows this year. Yes maybe it wasn't penstriped or anything but woodlands had one of my favorites shows from them in a while and flomo also was brilliant. Vista Ridge was absolutely beautiful! So I understand how people feel Hebron and vandy's shows weren't super exciting, but there were also a lot of bottom half bands and bubble bands that were crazy creative and fun. 

The only show that gave me goosebumps this year was Vista Ridge.  How they didn't finish higher in music is a mystery to me.

[utee94]

I loved the second half of Vista Ridge's show, including and especially the ballad.  The first half-- well, I didn't love.  And I think that's what kept them out of the very top tier.  It was a music and show design thing for me, it definitely was NOT the kids, because they played and marched their hearts out.

At BOA San Antonio we sat with a bunch of Vista Ridge parents during Finals, for the last few shows including theirs, and one of the trumpet soloist/duet player's dads was right in front of us.  I'll just say it got a bit dusty in there, his eyes were watering during that portion, and consequently some dust must have gotten in my eyes too and they started watering as well.

My wife took contraband video of his son playing and sent it to him afterward, and sure enough it got dusty a second time up there in the Alamodome.

 

[dullbanddad]

20 minutes ago, utee94 said:

I loved the second half of Vista Ridge's show, including and especially the ballad.  The first half-- well, I didn't love.  And I think that's what kept them out of the very top tier.  It was a music and show design thing for me, it definitely was NOT the kids, because they played and marched their hearts out.

At BOA San Antonio we sat with a bunch of Vista Ridge parents during Finals, for the last few shows including theirs, and one of the trumpet soloist/duet player's dads was right in front of us.  I'll just say it got a bit dusty in there, his eyes were watering during that portion, and consequently some dust must have gotten in my eyes too and they started watering as well.

My wife took contraband video of his son playing and sent it to him afterward, and sure enough it got dusty a second time up there in the Alamodome.

 

Didn't like the jump scare?  I think knowing some of the back story about the show makes you even more dusty

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadako_and_the_Thousand_Paper_Cranes