2019 BOA San Antonio

[Mash]

Where does Vista Ridge get those soloists? Honestly they have had the best solo features for the last two years.

From a very strong middle school program that works with the High School band directors.  All the LISD schools work like this.

[justabandkid94]

Is the university interscholastic country club accepting new members this year?

[Samuel Culper]

From a very strong middle school program that works with the High School band directors. All the LISD schools work like this.

Two of them, in fact.

[LostChoirGuy]

I love Imogen Heap's Hide and Seek. Good selection for a ballad. Granbury is a great up and coming band that I expect big things from soon. Those seesaws were so fun!

[gr8n8]

Go Granbury! That’s was fun!

[gr8n8]

I tried to record Granbury, but hit messed it up! Ugh!

[kevboi]

How about Wylie though!! I thought they were rock solid!

[rpowell28]

wakeland?

[LostChoirGuy]

TWCP has like a 2 minute section where the band doesn't play at all...

 

Honestly this doesnt seem like the same group as last year.

[MBB]

Took too long to get off the field at UIL Region ~ Given a 2 at Region. Their appeal was denied.

 

They got off the field in time, it was their performance that went over by a couple of seconds. 

[PLC137]

From a very strong middle school program that works with the High School band directors.  All the LISD schools work like this.

 

Yep.  It's like a farm program.  To my amazement, they strongly encourage kids starting in 6th grade to take private lessons.  They line up the instructors and steer kids to them, carving out time during normal rehearsal or before/after school.  Rates are fixed by the district based - typically about $20-$25 per half hour (not bad consider I pay $38 for half hour of piano lessons).  The curriculum is coordinated with the directors.  

 

As far as I know, they don't do any actual marching performance in middle school.  There's a middle school night, but it is stand and play.  Around April or May they start inviting the middle school kids to practice with the high school kids in after school "camps."  All that helps build excitement.  I remember because my Class'19 graduate came home from a camp really energized about joining the band.

 

Maybe other districts do the same.

[LostChoirGuy]

Is Katy full of engineers or something? Between Seven Lakes and James E Taylor, they have the coolest designed props!

[gmtb617]

Gah!! I was anticipating watching JET, then I completely forgot until the show just finished. Hope they were as clean as ever!

[BandFan59]

I find this a really stupid comment. FYI, if you were following the UIL Music program web site a couple of years ago, it was decided that the time limit had to be enforced because many of the  Bands that had large items to get off the field were consistently going over time because the Directors felt that UIL would never enforce this rule. As you might be aware, last year the Biggest Band in the State of TX was rightly penalized because they did not plan how to get all the performers and props off the field after 8 minutes. Interestingly enough, the folks at Allen did not complain about this.  Being late off the field is a direct fault of the Directors of the Bands in Question, who cannot plan their show well enough.  Further it seems that many folks in the Thread love to critique UIL for just about  everything. I saw someone say that it was the old men at UIL who are the problem. Wrong answer. BOA schools are less than 15%of the UIL and have been consistently that number of schools over the years.  I live in a School district that choose Orchestra funding over the cost of entering our Marching Bands in BOA events.  Those of us in the music field felt this was a better use of our funds. Many other school districts also have choosen not to do BOA.  I have no problem with Bands that do BOA, I Just wish that some of their fans knew more about why the rest of us have decided not to go that route instead of trying to make us like you folks in rules and ways of doing things.   Also in regard to old men, today 6 of the 32 HS Bands at NAMMB Contest(Military Marching) are lead by Female Senior Directors. What is the percentage of senior directors of the BOA Bands that have Female Senior Directors. I think BOA does many good things, why not talk about that and stop bitching about the rest of us.  Also the NAMMB contest is being streamed free of charge.

I agree that the rules in UIL are there for a reason and there shouldn't be an excuse if the rules were broken, however I think you're being a little bit rude about how you're saying it.

[PLC137]

Is Katy full of engineers or something? Between Seven Lakes and James E Taylor, they have the coolest designed props!

 

I bet they do.  But maybe not, since I've never known engineers to allow anything to ship on schedule (speaking from career in engineering)!

[BandDad4]

Yep.  It's like a farm program.  To my amazement, they strongly encourage kids starting in 6th grade to take private lessons.  They line up the instructors and steer kids to them, carving out time during normal rehearsal or before/after school.  Rates are fixed by the district based - typically about $20-$25 per half hour (not bad consider I pay $38 for half hour of piano lessons).  The curriculum is coordinated with the directors.  

 

As far as I know, they don't do any actual marching performance in middle school.  There's a middle school night, but it is stand and play.  Around April or May they start inviting the middle school kids to practice with the high school kids in after school "camps."  All that helps build excitement.  I remember because my Class'19 graduate came home from a camp really energized about joining the band.

 

Maybe other districts do the same.

 

Keller ISD does the same thing. I would have to say for Flower Mound and Marcus the cost per student that is required to be spent is far and above surrounding highschools. Even the Lewisville HS band fee is quite a bit less. Part of Marcus and Flower Mound success is rich folks spending lots of money. 

[WILKINSON]

Way to go Prosper! They are good. Definitely a bubble band.

[A Testing Trumpet]

Prosper had a good show. They played it well and there were some powerful moments. I thought there may have been a bit too much visual dirt to make finals, but we'll see. 

[paulhhs]

Am I correct in understanding that Flo marching has the sound disabled for replays? So when I go to watch bands that I didn't see in person, I can only watch them but not hear them?

 

Is that correct?

[justabandkid94]

Am I correct in understanding that Flo marching has the sound disabled for replays? So when I go to watch bands that I didn't see in person, I can only watch them but not hear them?

 

Is that correct?

Yes

[A Testing Trumpet]

I've been a fan of North Shore since 2016 when they made UIL State finals. Another great showing here. Thoughts on them are similar to Prosper; a bit too much dirt in it to make finals in my opinion, but they sell it well so we'll see. Closer was great too. 

[Hard Core Band Fan]

I find this a really stupid comment. FYI, if you were following the UIL Music program web site a couple of years ago, it was decided that the time limit had to be enforced because many of the  Bands that had large items to get off the field were consistently going over time because the Directors felt that UIL would never enforce this rule. As you might be aware, last year the Biggest Band in the State of TX was rightly penalized because they did not plan how to get all the performers and props off the field after 8 minutes. Interestingly enough, the folks at Allen did not complain about this.  Being late off the field is a direct fault of the Directors of the Bands in Question, who cannot plan their show well enough.  Further it seems that many folks in the Thread love to critique UIL for just about  everything. I saw someone say that it was the old men at UIL who are the problem. Wrong answer. BOA schools are less than 15%of the UIL and have been consistently that number of schools over the years.  I live in a School district that choose Orchestra funding over the cost of entering our Marching Bands in BOA events.  Those of us in the music field felt this was a better use of our funds. Many other school districts also have choosen not to do BOA.  I have no problem with Bands that do BOA, I Just wish that some of their fans knew more about why the rest of us have decided not to go that route instead of trying to make us like you folks in rules and ways of doing things.   Also in regard to old men, today 6 of the 32 HS Bands at NAMMB Contest(Military Marching) are lead by Female Senior Directors. What is the percentage of senior directors of the BOA Bands that have Female Senior Directors. I think BOA does many good things, why not talk about that and stop bitching about the rest of us.  Also the NAMMB contest is being streamed free of charge.

 

I find this and many of your other comments stupid as well. Please stop bitching about everything you don't agree with and can't accept. No one asked you to come here. It was a better place before you did. 

[A Testing Trumpet]

L.D. Bell's red uniforms really pop. 

[VMHSBandDad]

Greetings everyone! I’ve been lurking in the sidelines following everyone’s comments and the topic of band fees is a subject that is near and dear to me, having spent 12 years as the President of the Vista Murrieta boosters. To put things in perspective, in Calif it’s illegal to charge any band fees or fees for travel, plus there is almost no funding from the schools or districts. Plus, all staff except the Director, is paid by the boosters. So when you see a Vista Murrieta or Ayala (for the most part the only two bands in the state that travel) 100% of their operating costs (travel, music, instruments, uniforms, staff, etc) are covered by donations and fundraising. Just a trip to GN or San Antonio is a $275,000 expense, plus normal operating costs.

 

For us, trips like this are all about providing our kids with positive life experiences, and we couldn’t be more impressed with the wonderful hospitality of everyone in San Antonio! Thank you!!!

[paulhhs]

Since I can't hear them, can someone flesh out this list? I have these 9 as locks for finals in alpha order...

 

CTJ

FloMo

Hebron

Leander

Marcus

RR

Vandegrift

Vista Ridge

TWHS

 

I was thinking there was going to be 10 bands fighting for the last 5 slots.

 

Any other locks?