Cedar Park 4A Once More

[Rocktapus512]

How do you think Cedar Park will shake things up in class 4A? The next two years are going to be interesting in 4A(especially Area D). Connally and Vista Ridge will be in 4A I believe.

 

Is Cedar Park going to be the next 4A dynasty?

[aaron067]

  Rocktapus512 said:

How do you think Cedar Park will shake things up in class 4A? The next two years are going to be interesting in 4A(especially Area D). Connally and Vista Ridge will be in 4A I believe.

 

Is Cedar Park going to be the next 4A dynasty?

 

They may at first, but considering some of their internal struggles this year I wouldn't be surprised to see Vandegrift surpass them within the next 2-4 years. I also feel like Dripping Springs has established itself as a consistently improving program over the past few years. I'd look for those to be the top 3 programs in area D, with Friendswood and Poteet rounding out the top 5 at the state level. Forney is a bit of a loose cannon if you ask me, but Waxahachie is slowly developing an Honor Band/All State-caliber performance level year round. I wouldn't count out any of the recently successful Frisco schools either. Wakeland will most likely struggle with being split for a couple of years (even if only slightly), and several others are practically brand new. Centennial, on the other hand, has finally reached a point where they are no longer being split and can build into a mature program. Keep an eye on what they're capable of in the future.

 

Vista Ridge has its own set of issues. There's some amazing teaching going on at Henry MS, but I think a lot of the kids are burned out after their 3 years (especially the top band kids). You know there's a problem when the middle school is starting around 160-200 beginners every year, the top band is earning honors like State Honor Band and Midwest, and then the high school struggles to reach 150 kids.

 

Just my 2 cents worth...

[longhornsax]

  aaron067 said:

Vista Ridge has its own set of issues. There's some amazing teaching going on at Henry MS, but I think a lot of the kids are burned out after their 3 years (especially the top band kids). You know there's a problem when the middle school is starting around 160-200 beginners every year, the top band is earning honors like State Honor Band and Midwest, and then the high school struggles to reach 150 kids.

 

Just my 2 cents worth...

 

I'll agree with that comment to an extent. However I rarely find strength of middle school feeders to be a indicator of success at the high school level. I will however agree that there does seem to be something lost in translation between the middle school and high school over there.

 

Getting back to Cedar Park, I don't see them getting knocked off any time soon. I do think Vandegrift will give them a run in a few years, something i TOTALLY look forward to seeing, but I think CP is just getting to the top of their game now. I have not heard of these "internal struggles," but do not think that they could possibly be anything a great staff (even with out Spicer) couldn't handle.

 

Looking outward to area D in couple of years, this is gonna be a stacked competition. With the drop of CP, Conally and Vista, along with the rise of Vandegrift and an always strong Hendrickson, I'll make a daring prediction here and say that I wouldn't be surprised to see Dripping Springs not even make state in a couple of years. Yes, a defending state champ not making state...this area will be that scary. Not downing on Dripping Springs or anything, just saying there will be a lot of strong competition.

 

Alright, my rambling is done.

 

[cp12]

As someone that is currently attending CP there are definitely internal struggles that everyone is dealing with right now. Overall as a program we put up this mighty bravado, but to be honest there are some things that just aren't going as smoothly as years past.

 

Many people aren't optimistic about how the band is going to do in the next few years. A lot of students saying that we've reached our peak, and it's all going downhill from here.

 

Personally I have no idea what's going to happen. The next couple seasons could go spectacular, or we could run ourselves into the ground.

 

I guess I'll have to wait and see for myself.

 

The 2011 marching season is going to be intense due to the competition with Vandegrift. I know that they're going to be coming for us full force. They'll have all four years, and their seniors will have all marched a year with CP; as well with Spicer, and Pape being two of their directors that we've had here. I'm not exactly sure what's going to happen, but that's awhile from now so.. Only time can tell.

Edited May 24, 2010 by cp12

[whitewing09]

I don't really think that one could say that Cedar Park has peaked. Their track record is pretty arbitrary.

 

04: State Silver/ 4th in BOA SA

05: UIL Rating 2/ Not BOA SA Finalist

06: Not UIL State Finalist (1st in Area)/Middle/Lower half of BOA SA finals

07: Lower half of BOA SA

08: 4th Finals State/ Top Half BOA SA

09: Top Half BOA SA

 

I think that 09 had a sloppier show than usual, at least the musically. I don't think they will head down hill. I really hope they don't. I think it would be sweet to see them PWN 4A

[Basefiveftw]

  longhornsax said:

Looking outward to area D in couple of years, this is gonna be a stacked competition. With the drop of CP, Conally and Vista, along with the rise of Vandegrift and an always strong Hendrickson, I'll make a daring prediction here and say that I wouldn't be surprised to see Dripping Springs not even make state in a couple of years. Yes, a defending state champ not making state...this area will be that scary. Not downing on Dripping Springs or anything, just saying there will be a lot of strong competition.

 

Alright, my rambling is done.

 

I know that I'm biased, but having been a part of the DS band in its "rise to prowess," I know one thing... both the students and directors have absolutely no interest in plateauing (spellcheck says it's a real word!). It will be interesting to see if they can rise to the challenge of competing with these truly top-notch bands. All of the younger students have basically had the program handed to them on a silver platter... They don't know what it's like to always be that "pretty good band" that's never the best, like us older ones do. It's entirely possible that they've hit their peak, although I certainly hope not.

 

As an aside, I'm really interested to see how Vandergrift does. We were really hoping they would make it to state with us last year, simply because it would have been so awesome. It will be nice to see how we stack up against Conally and VR again, as we've had a whole state cycle without them! D: CP moving down is also huge... They have consistently gotten first at Westlake (area D's main non-UIL competition) and have always been a band we've aspired to hang with.

 

I say "we" even though I've graduated.... Maybe it's time to move on. >.>

[K3v1n]

I really hope that Cedar Parks movement doesn't screw up State Finals next year. That would just be a shame for us bands hoping to make state. Considering CP made 3rd at BOA Super Regional last year, in the 5A class, I really hope it doesn't just become a score monopoly for them next year.

[mellopwn1]

http://www.musicforall.org/resources/results/item/21

Cedar Park made 5th last year. A VERY strong 5th, mind you, but 5t.

 

  K3v1n said:

I really hope that Cedar Parks movement doesn't screw up State Finals next year. That would just be a shame for us bands hoping to make state. Considering CP made 3rd at BOA Super Regional last year, in the 5A class, I really hope it doesn't just become a score monopoly for them next year.

[Thekingcmk]

I thinks its a good thing to see them back at 4a, just means more good bands to see at state. For those who believe they will screw up the 4A class with judging I dont think so. Will they be one of the top bands, yeah but its going to come down to the judges, Boa bands dont do all that great at uil events. ecept for LD bell and a few others but thats just cuz they are great either way. If cedar park puts out a show where the dance and stand and play more then they march and play expect them not to do that great. But if they do like they did there last year in 4A they can be one of the top.

 

Either way they are a great band and im glad to see more in the 4A class.

[Xenon]

Cedar Park a BOA band??

 

Cedar Park has been a center point of what has classically been called a UIL band.

[takigan]

I didn't get that impression when I was in HS. Cedar Park was what we called a "show band", since most people at my HS didn't know what BOA or DCI was, though we felt that the kinds of shows they did were flashier and more in-depth than what we or most of the other schools in our football district were doing.

 

But in any case, I feel like the largest disparity between UIL and BOA is "Marching vs. Visual" and "Music Execution vs. *heavily weighted* Musical Effect". With the kind shows Cedar Park does I've felt that they've figured out how to walk the fine line that allowed them to be a hybrid of what was en vogue with BOA in the 90s: "19th&20th century German and American orchestral music with drill done by a professional DCI drill writer", and what UIL expects and has always expected: "Constant movement that is well executed in addition to difficult rep that is also well executed".

 

Most of what Cedar Park has been doing this past decade bears a formula that covers all of those bases; Difficult Classical lit with Michael Gaines drill that rarely stops moving....only with more body choreography, experimental drill ideas, richer guard design and electronic musical layers with lots of amplification (which is what's en vogue with BOA now but at the same time isn't penalized in UIL the same way lack of movement might be).

 

In summation:

 

BOA penalizes lackluster guard design. UIL is indifferent as long as it doesn't inhibit the guard's uniformity of movement. (CP has great guard design with great uniformity)

 

UIL penalizes lack of marching in excessive amounts. BOA is indifferent as long as there's uniformity in movement and it brings something artistic to the table. (Cedar Park keeps things moving, does it well and keeps things spicy at the same time)

 

BOA likes electronics whenever they enhance the effect of the music. UIL would rather not have them but doesn't penalize for them until the electronics start to replace the musicians on the field during extended parts of the show. This is part of what held Reagan and Westfield back in the UIL scene in the early '00s even though they enjoyed strong success with the formula in BOA. (Cedar Park uses lots of electronics, but they mainly serve as a background texture during the entire show and the musical ideas of the show are rarely ever conducted exclusively by them).

[Kamo]

I foresee Cedar Park and Vandegrift battling over 1st and 2nd at state for years to come. Sort of like the Bell and Marcus of 4A. Of course that's a bold prediction. A lot can happen in other programs between now and next year.

[longhorn2190]

  Kamo said:

I foresee Cedar Park and Vandegrift battling over 1st and 2nd at state for years to come. Sort of like the Bell and Marcus of 4A. Of course that's a bold prediction. A lot can happen in other programs between now and next year.

of course you can't knock out Dripping Springs from the top 3

[TxRaider13]

  longhorn2190 said:

of course you can't knock out Dripping Springs from the top 3

 

 

Or Friendswood and Mesquite Poteet, and Forney and Hachie are on the rise

[alinktothepresent]

  TxRaider13 said:

Or Friendswood and Mesquite Poteet, and Forney and Hachie are on the rise

 

Definitely. I think we'll see Waxahachie rounding out the top five at state next year -- 3rd through 5th. Somewhere in that area.

Edited November 2, 2010 by alinktothepresent

[TxRaider13]

  alinktothepresent said:

Definitely. I think we'll see Waxahachie rounding out the top five at state next year -- 3rd through 5th. Somewhere in that area.

 

Thats what makes this fun, guessing who is going to be where, and then out of the blue, a dark horse comes and slides in....Ahhh 4A is so much fun, because you just don't know...IDK how many people put forney in the top 10 last year..Aside from those of us that see them at Region/Area, and Friday nights when your brother sister square off

[rebelstrike]

  alinktothepresent said:

Definitely. I think we'll see Waxahachie rounding out the top five at state next year -- 3rd through 5th. Somewhere in that area.

 

 

HEY! Hendrickson is 5th...always!

[NickRC]

  aaron067 said:

Wakeland will most likely struggle with being split for a couple of years (even if only slightly), .

 

Two Questions. Why is Wakeland splitting up?

 

"Centennial"

Second is Which Centennial are we talking about?

[bingogooberman]

Frisco Centennial, and Wakeland splits because Frisco ISD likes all their high schools to be 4A, and the area is growing so fast that the district opens new high schools all the time (2 new schools have opened in the last two years).

[alinktothepresent]

So, is Cedar Park the only school in Leander ISD to be 4A? I ask because I'm interested in which schools will be in the 4A track for TMEA All-State Area D.

[whitewing09]

  alinktothepresent said:

So, is Cedar Park the only school in Leander ISD to be 4A? I ask because I'm interested in which schools will be in the 4A track for TMEA All-State Area D.

 

Don't forget Vandegrift

[longhornsax]

  whitewing09 said:

Don't forget Vandegrift

 

And Vista Ridge...and Rouse...pretty much everyone except Leander

[Xenon]

  longhornsax said:

And Vista Ridge...and Rouse...pretty much everyone except Leander

And don't forget Pflugerville ISD with Hendrickson and Connally.

[Rocktapus512]

Area D is going to be outrageous in 2011. D is usually one of the top tier areas in the state but this next year is going to be a real killer diller. I want to see 7 go to state just so I can see this line up representing Area D:

 

Cedar Park

Vista Ridge

Connally

Hendrickson

Dripping Springs

Hays

Vandegrift

 

Area D domination at state next year

Edited November 19, 2010 by Rocktapus512

[TxRaider13]

  Rocktapus512 said:

Area D is going to be outrageous in 2011. D is usually one of the top tier areas in the state but this next year is going to be a real killer diller. I want to see 7 go to state just so I can see this line up representing Area D:

 

Cedar Park

Vista Ridge

Connally

Hendrickson

Dripping Springs

Hays

Vandegrift

 

Area D domination at state next year

 

Hmmm. I don't know if you mean in general or in finals, but if you mean finals I could name some schools that could keep a few of these schools out of finals. Hint, the schools are from the Houston area, DFW, Valley, and Area A. I'm sure you can figure out which ones I speak of