hgpatx Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Finals Top 5 Pick: - Cedar Park - Leander - Vandegrift - Vista Ridge - Dripping Springs after, maybe Centennial or Wakeland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achase Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015  Barbers Hill got last place at the 2013 SMBC. Forgive the masses for not thinking that such a band will be able to break into a Finals circle made up almost entirely of bands who've been medalists at some point this past decade. I realize you are just trying to tell it like it is, and I agree with your opinion, but you have to realize this is someone who just wants some hope for his band. I really don't think this is the kind of attitude we should have when discussing bands. Tailgate88 and whitewing09 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achase Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Finals Top 5 Pick: - Cedar Park - Leander - Vandegrift - Vista Ridge - Dripping Springs after, maybe Centennial or Wakeland. I mostly agree. I would put Wakeland in there ahead of Vista Ridge and Dripping Springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G'townPIT Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I'll have whatever Judge 2 is having, please. Â http://utdirect.utexas.edu/uilsmbc/lbw2_sched_results.WBX?s_conference=5A&s_round=2&s_display_sw=R Euph-oria and Sorge 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
achase Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I'll have whatever Judge 2 is having, please.  http://utdirect.utexas.edu/uilsmbc/lbw2_sched_results.WBX?s_conference=5A&s_round=2&s_display_sw=R We all should be thankful that this one judge didn't cost any of the bands tonight who rightfully deserved to place. If he ranked Cedar Park one spot back, they would have ended up in 2nd place. I know there have been situations in the past where one judge affected placement. Personally, I would prefer a system either with more judges and/or dropping the lowest score. bandamonium 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandlover Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 For the bands that were in the finals, did any of them discuss their experience performing so late at night, i am curious how that went. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LHSax Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I still wonder how the finals draw ended up working out that way...The LISD bands seemed very intentionally placed. Maybe it was random...but I do think it worked out well because a very direct comparison of these top bands was allowed. Would've been a little more dramatic if the they were the last 4 bands as opposed to the first 4Â Â Great finals overall though. VERY strong collection of bands that will only get stronger in the next cycle. Someone remind me...which LISD schools are going 6A next year? (I know this has been rehashed multiple times) These upgraded band(s) will definitely give us a feel for how 5A/6A state measure up to each other. I really do think the top 5-6 bands would be competitive for 6A finals, and I think the medalists in 5A would have a shot at the same in 6A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mash Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 I still wonder how the finals draw ended up working out that way...The LISD bands seemed very intentionally placed. Maybe it was random...but I do think it worked out well because a very direct comparison of these top bands was allowed. Would've been a little more dramatic if the they were the last 4 bands as opposed to the first 4Â Â Great finals overall though. VERY strong collection of bands that will only get stronger in the next cycle. Someone remind me...which LISD schools are going 6A next year? (I know this has been rehashed multiple times) These upgraded band(s) will definitely give us a feel for how 5A/6A state measure up to each other. I really do think the top 5-6 bands would be competitive for 6A finals, and I think the medalists in 5A would have a shot at the same in 6A. Disclaimer: I'm a Vista Ridge parent. Â Â The finals were amazing, I was shocked that Leander ended up third and not second. Â Cedar Park definitely was my favorite show last night, they killed it in the finals. Â We were all confused by the playing order, I don't think it played into the final placement but it was certainly odd. Â Regarding the mic dropping out in the solo for Vista, does anyone know how the judges would take that into account? Â I imagine marked down because it turns into dead air time. Â I heard that Vista Ridge and Leander are moving to 6A next year, barely. Â Kinda frustrating as a district parent because they could have kept them all at 5A with some easy changes. Â And a new high school coming the year after next will probably drop Rouse and Leander back to 5A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mombs Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 If I have figured correctly, the idea of dropping the high and the low rank would have flipped 1st and 2nd and 8th and 9th placements, and caused a tie between Wakeland and Dripping Springs,based on last night's 5 judges.  If this system was ever to be adopted, should an additional judge or two be added? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~ME~ Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Cedar Park is just phenomenal. They may not be the most BOA friendly band in the world (though they were successful in BOA this year), but when it comes to marching and playing at a high execution level Cedar Park is one of the best bands in not just the state, but the nation. I mean their 2011 Mahler show is still one of the best high school marching band performances I've ever seen from a pure marching and playing standpoint, and this year's performance was on that same level. I truly believe they would've medaled at last year's 6A State contest with the performance they put on this year. Just outstanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
principalagent Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 If I have figured correctly, the idea of dropping the high and the low rank would have flipped 1st and 2nd and 8th and 9th placements, and caused a tie between Wakeland and Dripping Springs,based on last night's 5 judges. If this system was ever to be adopted, should an additional judge or two be added?Absolutely, and probably an additional four - two each caption. Just dropping two as it stands now would very often eliminate two music judges or all marching judges and would provide a perverse incentive to completely focus on just one caption just to win, knowing that a severe weakness in the other caption would simply be dropped. Adding just one to each caption and dropping high/low within the caption also seems a bit bare too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKendrick Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Egmont is pretty much Cedar Park summed up. Â Just raw, emotional, pure power. Â I love Hebron's sax soloist ballad, but last night Cedar Park may have taken over as my favorite ballad of the year. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LHSax Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Always wondered what a Cedar Park show would be like if they played some contemporary music. If I'm not mistaken, I don't believe they've played anything contemporary in at least the last decade? (maybe I missed something). Don't get me wrong, I love what they do with the classics, and they practically play these pieces straight from the original sheet music. But that raw power and technique applied to some of the music of contemporary composers? I have a feeling it would be stunning. I think the same could be said for Vandy as well? Although they have a little more modern take on some of these classics. Guess I just wanna see them get out of their comfort zone a little bit. I can dream! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTXBandFan Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Disclaimer: I'm a Vista Ridge parent. Â Â The finals were amazing, I was shocked that Leander ended up third and not second. Â Cedar Park definitely was my favorite show last night, they killed it in the finals. Â We were all confused by the playing order, I don't think it played into the final placement but it was certainly odd. Â Regarding the mic dropping out in the solo for Vista, does anyone know how the judges would take that into account? Â I imagine marked down because it turns into dead air time. Â I heard that Vista Ridge and Leander are moving to 6A next year, barely. Â Kinda frustrating as a district parent because they could have kept them all at 5A with some easy changes. Â And a new high school coming the year after next will probably drop Rouse and Leander back to 5A. Something similar happened to Flower Mound last year in finals. Â When they opened their box, they had terrible feedback, and had to kill the mics for the bassoons, and some of the soloist mics too. Â It affected the show big time, from the kids knowing what happened, and trying to recover, on down the line. Â I definitely think it was a huge player in their drop from top 3 to #9. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Culper Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Regarding LISD - Vista Ridge and Vandegrift will definitely move up to 6A. Leander is on the bubble and Cedar Park will definitely stay in 5A. Rouse will stay in 6A this cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mash Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Regarding LISD - Vista Ridge and Vandegrift will definitely move up to 6A. Leander is on the bubble and Cedar Park will definitely stay in 5A. Rouse will stay in 6A this cycle. Interesting, I heard Vandergrift was staying 5A. Â I guess that kills the 5A LISD sweeps. Â It will be interesting to see how we all do in 6A competition next year. Â I did enjoy seeing the 1A bands, they were so different that the 5A experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
principalagent Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 The buzz going around the stands last night at State was that everyone but Cedar Park will be 6A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Culper Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 If Leander does move up to 6A the UIL can go ahead and mail the 2017 5A Marching title to Cedar Park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
principalagent Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 Speaking of LISD (Yes, I know everyone is tired of hearing about the same four schools all season), their superintendent had an interview today about their success last night!  https://soundcloud.com/klbj-news-radio/lisd-sweeps-the-marching-band-competition?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=wtshare&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_content=https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fklbj-news-radio%2Flisd-sweeps-the-marching-band-competition  You can listen to it above. He also talks about the power of music education in school, more generally, along with lauding Cedar Park, Vandegrift, Leander and Vista Ridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenMacnary Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 My Vandy friends think they're going 6a next year. Â Obviously still a work in progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighSchoolBandNerd212 Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 There's been a bunch of talk about Cedar Park (which is well-deserved; don't get me wrong), but I'm curious as to what people thought of Vandegrift. Unfortunately, I did not see them in-person or on the webcast. Based off of the results, it seems that they had stepped their game up since BOA San Antonio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenMacnary Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I'm just one person, but from the start Vandy's show had my favorite moment of the year: the Mars hit with the guard in red and the flags flowing back through the Band. I saw them for the first time in BOA Austin, and that moment had chills running up my spine for a minute. Just so powerful and TRUE to the music. Â When I saw them in region, same thing...just a balanced musical show. Â I'm not sure they "stepped it up" from BOA San Antonio to State, I think their show was more suited to a UIL contest than BOA. Â They certainly don't have the eye candy of a complex show like Tarpon Springs or CTJ. Â But REALLY good music. Same thing with Cedar Park....REALLY good music, in tune, just lovely. Â For me, in the 6 years or so I've been watching Cedar Park, the one consistent thing I've noticed is how in tune their trumpets are. Â Clean, supported, never pushed, in tune. Bob Cannon is one of their private lesson teachers, 1st Chair in Austin Symphony, and it just always amazes how clean their sound is. Â But I'm a trumpet player, so of course I listen for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hgpatx Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I've always loved Cedar Park. A well deserved state title. Great music that ain't easy, and clean marching. Also their power too! I picked them to win state when I first watched them at BOA Austin. Their music is always something, and always well done. Area D represent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTromboner Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 This contest and judges were such bull. Look at Centennial's music scores in Prelims: 27, 14, 2 Â Tell me at least one of those judges isn't holding a grudge. Look at the prelims scores, they're all over the place for a lot if not most bands. Â Nice to know that State* judges like to hold grudges and take it out on kids who have been working hard all year. My band didn't make Finals but that's not what I'm even mad about, it's the fact that these judges were so inconsistent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natertater21000 Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 While I can't personally speak for possible grudges, inconsistency of judging in uil in my opinion stems from the fact that they choose currently employed Texas high school band directors as judges. This means that the odds of a judge not already having an opinion on a bands show or worse yet having already seen it are very low. I'm sure no one would openly admit to this, but certain directors have preferences in terms of shows and how they teach thier bands and many of them don't seem to be able to let that go very well when judging a contest. This is why I'm glad boa chooses long retired heavily experienced people or people who teach out of state far removed from the bands they are judging. Allows for a cleaner read in my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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