BOA Austin - September 24th

[principalagent]

7:15 West H.S., TX 
7:30 Smithson Valley H.S., TX 
7:45 North Crowley H.S., TX 
8:00 Medina Valley H.S., TX 
8:15 Randall H.S., TX 
8:30 Cuero H.S., TX 
8:45 Byron P. Steele II H.S., TX 
9:00 Burnet H.S., TX 

BREAK 

9:45 Stony Point H.S., TX 
10:00 Cedar Ridge H.S., TX 
10:15 Westwood H.S., TX 
10:30 Cedar Park H.S., TX 
10:45 Pflugerville H.S., TX 
11:00 W. Charles Akins H.S., TX 
11:15 Winston Churchill H.S., TX 
11:30 Westlake H.S., TX 

LUNCH 

12:30 Claudia Taylor Johnson H.S., TX 
12:45 Vista Ridge H.S., TX 
1:00 Dripping Springs H.S., TX 
1:15 Aledo H.S., TX 
1:30 Whitesboro H.S., TX 
1:45 Anderson H.S., TX 
2:00 Hendrickson H.S., TX 
2:15 The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, TX 

BREAK 

3:00 Rouse H.S., TX 
3:15 Vandegrift H.S., TX 
3:30 Round Rock H.S., TX 
3:45 East View H.S., TX 
4:00 Robert E. Lee H.S., TX 
4:15 McCallum H.S., TX 
4:30 John Paul Stevens H.S., TX 
4:45 Leander H.S., TX 

Music Panel - Matt Harloff, Matt McCready, David McGrath, Travis Moddison
Visual Panel - John Fisher, Kyle Miller, Tim Ochran
Chief Judge - Gary Markham

[bandguy12345]

Here are my totally pre-season based on the band's history predictions 

 

Ranks 1-3 (No order)

Leander

CTJ

Round Rock

 

Ranks 4-6 (No order)

Cedar Park

Cedar Ridge

Vandegrift

 

Ranks 7-13 (In somewhat of an order...kinda)

Hendrickson (A probable finalist)

Vista Ridge

Dripping Springs

Churchill

Anderson

Westlake 

Westwood

 

I'm not sure what everyone's shows are this year since not every band has a presence on txbands, but I do think that Anderson, Westlake, and maybe Westwood could snag a spot from either Dripping Springs, Churchill, or Vista Ridge. It wasn't too long ago that Westlake and Anderson made BOA San Antonio finals, as well as placing 6th and 5th at BOA Austin in 2013 (respectively), and with Anderson (11th, first out of finals), and Westlake (12th, second out of finals) last year, I think there is a possibility of an upset. (And I do think that Aledo or Pflugerville could potentially upset, just less likely in my opinion)

[bandguy12345]

Also, is it just me, or has Smithson Valley gotten the short end of the stick every year in terms of performance times? (First at Area D prelims in 2014, and second to perform this year)

[Nny14]

Looking at some videos I was very impressed with Vandegrift musical performance. Haven't seen it in action along with other groups performances so well see. It'll be interesting to see how Vandegrift and Round Rock match up to the three going to Nationals as they don't have to play the long game. These will probably change a bit the day going into the competition.

 

1-3:

Cedar Park

Claudia Taylor Johnson

Round Rock

4-5:

Leander

Vandegrift

6-8:

Cedar Ridge

Hendrickson

Vista Ridge

9-12:

Dripping Springs

Westwood

Westlake

Winston Churchill

 

Music:

Cedar Park

Round Rock

Vandegrift

 

Visual:

Claudia Taylor Johnson

Round Rock

 

GE:

Claudia Taylor Johnson

Leander

Round Rock

[natertater21000]

Overall I think Claudia Taylor is gonna take this one with leander and cedar park close behind. Not really sure who to put over whom there with how back and forth it was last year. As far as captions..

 

Music- cedar park/Claudia Taylor/Leander/vandegrift. So many here jeez

 

Visual- Round Rock/CTJ...maybe Leander? They've won visual in class 3a at every BOA they attended in 14 and 15 so maybe?

 

GE- Leander/CTJ/Cedar park( if they have another great design like last year)

 

Overall winner could easily win with no captions again imo

[A Testing Trumpet]

As of right now, this is what I think:

 

1. Claudia Taylor Johnson H.S., TX

2. Round Rock H.S., TX

3. Leander H.S., TX

4. Cedar Park H.S., TX

5. Vandegrift H.S., TX

6. Vista Ridge H.S., TX

7. Cedar Ridge H.S., TX

8. Winston Churchill H.S., TX

9. Dripping Springs H.S., TX

10. Hendrickson H.S., TX

[CTJBandPops]

I would agree with your take on the top 3 - I think any of these 3 can take the top spot but based on what I have seen of the early shows of the top 3 I would lean towards CTJ - the show has music and a marching dynamic that is beyond belief - the question is can they hit on all cylinders this early in the season. there are a number of schools that chose to do the long haul during a UIL state year - BOA SA, 6A UIL and Grand Nats in a 2 week span

 

looks like there will be some great representation of Texas in Indy this year

[principalagent]

I've seen full video from this week from four of the shows I think will end up in the top 5 at Austin, and a partial video from last week of the fifth.

 

Leander takes this one. What they're doing is just simply on another plane right now. The show is incredibly progressive, well thought out, impeccably designed, and performed at a very high level for early September, considering even the obviously heightened musical and visual difficulty over last year. They haven't been hurting for soloists lately, but this euphonium soloist might be head and shoulders above their past few. Thank the heavens they're taking this show to Grand Nationals - it's absolutely special.

 

I also have to shout out Cedar Park. They're exceptional and solid for a medal. Their last GN show was not typical for them and it showed all the way through the last performance. This show is even more atypical and they're handling it with aplomb. No doubt in my mind that they make finals in November, maybe placing in the single digits, and stay a heavy front runner for the music caption all season.

[LKendrick]

I can second Leander. If you are basing thoughts on the YouTube videos of their preview from way back in August, forget that. The show even now is already so much more fleshed out, cranked tempos, and already cleaning so well. I think they have a great shot at topping the field. What they're doing is so fresh and exciting. This will be really special come November.

 

And I also really enjoy Cedar Park. Maybe not as many technical moments as the last few years thus far, but what a fun music program that is already sounding fantastic. What I think this definitely has over their 2010 Nats show is a really solid and already relatively clean visual program and MUCH larger guard. Really fun show.

 

I haven't seen anything from Claudia Taylor Johnson, but I suspect the top at Austin will be REALLY exciting.

[natertater21000]

Would love to see a more recent performance from Leander, a pm with a link would be much appreciated!

[That one drum major]

I have to say that I think that Rouse will be making finals this year. I see Vista Ridge falling to 9th or 10th this year while Rouse might make it up to around 7th. I feel like Jeremy Spicer worked his magical LISD powers on Rouse, even if only for a semester. After that, they got Mr. Robb, a fantastic director formerly from Cedar Park so I see them making leaps and bounds this year in terms of competitive placements. 

 

Interested to see what you guys think of Rouse's chances this year with the staff changes.

[LKendrick]

  On 9/11/2016 at 8:26 PM, That one drum major said:

I have to say that I think that Rouse will be making finals this year. I see Vista Ridge falling to 9th or 10th this year while Rouse might make it up to around 7th. I feel like Jeremy Spicer worked his magical LISD powers on Rouse, even if only for a semester. After that, they got Mr. Robb, a fantastic director formerly from Cedar Park so I see them making leaps and bounds this year in terms of competitive placements.

 

Interested to see what you guys think of Rouse's chances this year with the staff changes.

I'm definitely excited to see them, just don't have anything to go off of right now. If they have a great new director, why not?

 

[thebashful15]

Any videos of Hendrickson online yet? I've been wanting to see their show! 

[natertater21000]

As far as rouse is concerned I'm very excited to see what they do. In my personal opinion a leap from where they are now to 7th at Austin is a bit of a stretch but definitely not impossible. I was about to say we could finally see all of lisd in a regional finals but Glenn just opened so I may have to wait a few more years on that.

[A Testing Trumpet]

I put Vista Ridge up higher on my list because they got one of My school's past band directors (Round Rock's) which would be Josh Scott.

 

I have to second Rouse this year as well. I saw them last year and they definitely had a ton of potential then, and with that new director, the sky's the limit.

 

After seeing Leander's most recent show I think they currently have a better chance then I had previously thought. My top 5 are now more like this:

 

1. Claudia Taylor Johnson H.S., TX

2. Leander H.S., TX

3. Cedar Park H.S., TX

4. Round Rock H.S., TX

5. Vandegrift H.S., TX

 

Depending on how CTJ is right now, we could see a real battle between Leander and CTJ. The winner might not even have any captions like last year's regional.

[LKendrick]

Vista Ridge is posting videos themselves on YouTube, by the way.

[A Testing Trumpet]

I've seen them on YouTube already, and they look good for early september

[natertater21000]

Well just found out that festival of bands for lisd happens after the Austin regional this year....as if this contest wasn't hard enough to predict already lol

[LKendrick]

Cedar Ridge, oh my Lord.  I have only heard the drumline and front ensemble music from the Dripping Springs show yesterday but I'll go down as saying that flute soloist is one of the most pure and beautiful things out there this year.  I've got huge expectations for your show if those aspects are that strong.  Outstanding stuff.  Can't wait to see how they do Saturday!  

 

You can find a video on their band Facebook page if you are interested.  

[Spencenlevi]

this is the most recent version of Leander! 

Also if anyone has a link to CTJ's performance please post. Thanks

[Samuel Culper]

Vista Ridge from Friday night:   

[Hard Core Band Fan]

  On 9/19/2016 at 3:44 AM, Spencenlevi said:

this is the most recent version of Leander! 

Also if anyone has a link to CTJ's performance please post. Thanks

 

Man, this show has it all! I like the quiet build-up at the beginning to the first impact, the great use of woodwinds, and the guard as well. It is exciting throughout and I think they will have great success with this show all season. I can't wait to hear/see it this Saturday!

[Hard Core Band Fan]

  On 9/19/2016 at 1:21 PM, Samuel Culper said:

Vista Ridge from Friday night:   

 

Nice job from what I could hear through the crowd noise. VR definitely has a different overall sound this year. I think a lot that can be attributed to Josh Scott now being there. Looking forward to hearing them on Saturday.

[Omega]

We may be discounting Cedar Park here. They only finished .05 behind Leander last year at BOA Austin and did end up beating them at State UIL (5A). If the design behind their show is executed correctly, they could turn out to be a bit of a dark horse here and possibly take Music and GE. I'm just saying.

[LHSax]

  On 9/20/2016 at 3:41 AM, Omega said:

We may be discounting Cedar Park here. They only finished .05 behind Leander last year at BOA Austin and did end up beating them at State UIL (5A). If the design behind their show is executed correctly, they could turn out to be a bit of a dark horse here and possibly take Music and GE. I'm just saying.

I don't think anyone's discounting Cedar Park. I love their musical selections this year, and especially love the opening. However, I think most are in agreement that Leander is on a whole other level this year. I don't know if I'm exaggerating, but I really think they're pushing the envelope this year, similar to what Bluecoats have done the last few years. Just coincidence that they're both blue?