5 months till the 2018-2019 marching season starts - what are your thoughts

[Jelonfish]

They had their whole show by their first contest last year too

Oh really ? Wow I actually didn’t know that . Well we will see how they do and hopefully they will kill in and show the crowd in San Antonio they are here to compete with the big boys

[inmysights31]

Hello Everyone! Long time no see!

 

Regarding show announcements, my band put out an announcement /recruitment video 2 months ago presenting our 2018 program. To be honest, I am not exactly sure what I am allowed to say, but I feel confident that the program will take a ghostly turn next year...

[Crown2018]

 

Oh really ? Wow I actually didn’t know that . Well we will see how they do and hopefully they will kill in and show the crowd in San Antonio they are here to compete with the big boys

Yes they will San Antonio is gonna be a blood bath

[Dog885]

Anybody else waiting very impatiently for MFA to release the list of participants for all of the competitions?

[Guest]

Yes

[ksacm06]

When do they usually release that?

[principalagent]

When do they usually release that?

by now, generally

[JeremiahW]

When do they usually release that?

 

About three weeks ago.

[LeanderMomma]

About three weeks ago.

 

wonder what the hold up is...all these new BOA locations?  And the change in how they are going to do San Antonio perhaps?  I don't know...I'm just speculating.  

[PSHSMom]

Just speculating as well, but along with the BOA events, there are also many other marching invitationals going on in the DFW area. 
I think bands have to think about the distance to each one they choose as well as the cost to the band.   

 

Isn't there some big US Marching Band thing in the DFW too?    I know that BOA probably doesn't care about all the other invitational's, but maybe some bands are still trying to figure out the logistics of going to Waco or staying closer to home and going to one of the other invitational's ?     I know some bands have already come out and said they are going to Waco, but maybe the number of bands that have committed to BOA isn't enough for BOA to commit to the schedule yet.   Just some thoughts.. 

[DRbandDAD]

Keep an eye out for Del Rio High School Marching Band...

[Guest]

Del Rio has been amazing the past 2 seasons.

[Dog885]

I'm just gonna say that we're doing some big changes here at Anderson, so also keep an eye out for us.

[abtwitch]

Just heard Westwood at their incoming freshman event yesterday, so much energy, even already. I forgot the name of their arranger, but they have crafted something I think everyone here will appreciate very much. 

[Dog885]

Just heard Westwood at their incoming freshman event yesterday, so much energy, even already. I forgot the name of their arranger, but they have crafted something I think everyone here will appreciate very much. 

My friend goes there and has been telling me about their show, and as of now it's the show I'm most exited to see.

[Oboe12]

I'm a BOA guy - I've got little experience with UIL. So I'm going to base my predictions & general thoughts mostly on how I predict BOA events & specifically SA will go. 

 

McAllen:

Champion: Claudia Taylor Johnson

Likely finalists: Brazoswood, Westfield

 

Midland: 

Champion: Coppell

Likely finalists: Birdville, Del Rio

 

Austin:

Champion: Claudia Taylor Johnson

Likely finalists: Leander, Vandegrift, Cedar Park, Cedar Ridge, James Bowie, Vista Ridge, Hendrickson, Round Rock, Winston Churchill

 

Dallas/Fort Worth: 

Champion: Flower Mound/Hebron

Likely finalists: Keller, Cedar Park, Marcus, LD Bell, Union, Wakeland, Duncanville, Coppell

 

Houston:

Champion: Claudia Taylor Johnson/The Woodlands

Likely finalists: Ronald Reagan, Vandegrift, Pearland, James Bowie, Winston Churchill, Seven Lakes, Cy-Fair, Clearbook

 

 

Waco:

Champion: Cedar Park

Likely finalists: Marcus, Round Rock, North Shore, Hendrickson, Dripping Springs, James Martin, Westwood, Rouse, Keller Central

 

 

 

 

It's a state year. Recent SA champions during UIL 6A (then 5A) state years were:

 

2016: Flower Mound

2014: Claudia Taylor Johnson

2012: Marcus

2010: Marcus

 

Marcus and Flower Mound also won UIL in those years, and CTJ got the bronze in 2014. So UIL and SA results won't be *that* different. 

 

Champion: Hebron

Here's who I see in SA finals: 

The Woodlands

Marcus

Flower Mound

Ronald Reagan

Cedar Park

Claudia Taylor Johnson

Leander

Keller

Vandegrift

Round Rock

 

Bubble:

LD Bell*

Hendrickson

Cedar Ridge*

Vista Ridge*

James Bowie

Pearland

 

*Most likely choices, I think.

 

This is a lot and a very long first forum post so I'll stop, but I'm so excited for this band season, particularly to see how amazing bands in Texas can be this year. 

[Jackson1]

Great post. My only disagreement would be Hebron winning SA on a state year. Historically since 2012 they tend to place 4-7 at SA and 2nd at state on state years. Not bad but always out of the medals on even years.

 

Bands like Johnson and the Woodlands put out a BOA show every year. Bands like Hebron put out 2 types of show. State year shows and non state year shows. I don’t understand, not being a music educator, why two types of shows. If 2017 was a state year they would have placed second at SA and maybe 1st at state. Why not put on that type of show every year?

 

Idk just saying historically I’d be surprised to see Hebron win on a state year. Would love for it to happen but don’t see it happening

[RooBandAlum12]

I'm excited to see Leander band rock the house as they always do.  

 

Choral Works is still hands down the BEST show I've ever seen.

 

 

 

I'm also ready to see what bands in my area are going to do. The band to look out for is Harker Heights, they are flat out amazing and may be a sleeper to sneak into state. Belton High is another one. Since the return of Ed Stein as director of bands, he's brought a new school feel with an old school sound ( does that make sense??)

[LeanderMomma]

I'm excited to see Leander band rock the house as they always do.

 

Choral Works is still hands down the BEST show I've ever seen.

 

 

 

I'm also ready to see what bands in my area are going to do. The band to look out for is Harker Heights, they are flat out amazing and may be a sleeper to sneak into state. Belton High is another one. Since the return of Ed Stein as director of bands, he's brought a new school feel with an old school sound ( does that make sense??)

Choral Works was one of my favorites as well! That was a fun show.

 

I always enjoy Belton as well. Looking forward to seeing what they bring to BOA Austin if they’re coming to that one!

[abtwitch]

I'm excited to see Leander band rock the house as they always do.  

 

Choral Works is still hands down the BEST show I've ever seen.

 

 

 

I'm also ready to see what bands in my area are going to do. The band to look out for is Harker Heights, they are flat out amazing and may be a sleeper to sneak into state. Belton High is another one. Since the return of Ed Stein as director of bands, he's brought a new school feel with an old school sound ( does that make sense??)

 

I don't know much about Harker Heights, but it would take an insane amount of improvement for them to make state with 8 (CTJ, Reagan, Churchill, Round Rock, Cedar Ridge, Westwood, Hendrickson, and Bowie) state contenders/finalist locks and then an already insane amount of bubble bands (McNeil, Anderson, New Braunfels, Hays, Austin, Madison,  Belton, etc.). I do hope that Belton does well this year, I've been rooting for them myself. With this much competition, I'm gonna be surprised regardless of who makes finals. I personally think they should take more finalists (7 -> 10, 10 -> 12) and more state qualifiers (1 in 5 -> 1 in 4) to compensate for the exponential growth of marching band programs in the state.

 

Then you get into scheduling difficulties and blah blah blah...

[zoomer]

BOA Conroe is going to be very competitive this year

[MadisonBandMan1]

BOA Conroe is going to be very competitive this year

As it has been for a while.