2020 Season: Bands to look out for

[Jeffrey L. Gorman]

HP doesn't do BoA. What competitions do they attend?

Highland Park won the Midlothian Marching Contest and the Mansfield Preview Marching Contest. They also finished first in the AREA C Prelims and won the Area C 5A Marching Championships. Do not expect them to move up to 6A. Highland Park always tends to come in under the 5A enrollment limit. They have a very well funded Band Program. 

[principalagent]

Highland Park came in too high this year. They’ll very very likely be in 6A.

[Samuel Culper]

Highland Park came in too high this year. They’ll very very likely be in 6A.

Wow, they would be tiny for a 6A band. Good, but tiny.

[Jeffrey L. Gorman]

Wow, they would be tiny for a 6A band. Good, but tiny.

They have been in 6A before, making the finals of the 2014 Area C 6A Marching Contest. I do agree they are very small for competition in 6A. They were the 2nd Smallest Band in the 5A State Championships.

[lost]

Highland Park is a very small, yet very well playing band. It takes a lot to challenge Cedar Park for the 5A title, they did a very good job of that. The future holds a lot in store for them, let’s see how they play alongside 6A. I hope they keep a similarly designed show than the one this year, this years show was fun and entertaining and yet it kept with a UIL style. Their music book was challenging yet fun and was carried by the excellent performance the band gave with it. Same with the visuals and minimalistic props. Maybe I was just a big fan of the show design overall, but a show design like that can go along way in UIL and the overall good enjoyable experience the students have performing it. It’s a great balance I think they’ve hit with this show. Let’s see if they can carry it to next year.

 

The fact they stood their ground against bands much larger than them in 5A goes to show, they’re not letting size stop them. Whatever numbers they have they’ll give a good show with them that’s for sure. I wouldn’t put them out of area finals if they do make the jump to 6A. It was a big breakout for them this year for them and while some bands do sadly struggle with keeping the momentum of a breakout year going i really hope Highland Park doesn’t.

Their small size and determination makes them a unique and fun group to watch they add more depth to the DFW area than it already has. Let’s hope the best for Highland Park next year, a new year and they must keep the momentum going. I think they can pull it off but we’ll have to wait and see.

 

Outstanding show last year. Here it is if any of you missed it. The sound they pack despite being so small, it’s something you have to appreciate in a program like this:

Highland Parks 2019 Production: PLAY!

 

[BandFriendzz]

Band that I think will be bands to look out for in the future is pearland / haltom/ coppell and highland park. They improve so much each year and I can really see them break out into something huge

[Guest]

You know I got to give some credit to Spring HS. They were the best they have been in years this season, and while they likely arent BOA Houston finalist quality as of rn, this years showing was a sign of good things in their future.

[Tx Hill Country Bands]

Band that I think will be bands to look out for in the future is pearland / haltom/ coppell and highland park. They improve so much each year and I can really see them break out into something huge

Agreed. I’d add Dawson to that list.

[Guest]

Agreed. I’d add Dawson to that list.

Agreed. One thing Dawson needs is more consistent show designs, which can be very hard. Some years (2011, 2013, 2016, 2019), they have had some very very good shows that sell very well, and on other years, they have shows that fall a little flat. They are always stellar performers nevertheless. Cant wait to see what comes of them!

[MikeKyu]

This may sound absurd, but Cedar Park is doing a full on BOA show this year. Last year was an aberration (massive issues) and this season was a full state focused show. With finally no movement in leadership the T Wolves should be back in the BOA discussion.

[SpartanBandAlum]

Porter’s looking to have our first year in a while without major staff changes or the pressure of State in a while. Hopefully we’ll be someone to look out for!

[LeanderMomma]

This may sound absurd, but Cedar Park is doing a full on BOA show this year. Last year was an aberration (massive issues) and this season was a full state focused show. With finally no movement in leadership the T Wolves should be back in the BOA discussion.

They already know their 2020 show?

[LeanderMomma]

Well they are going to Grand Nats so Cedar Park is probably planning it well in advance and I’m sure it will be far more of a BOA type show.

[Dog885]

Glenn in Leander is looking pretty good as of right now, as well as Connally in Pflugerville. Also, holy cow McCallum came in strong this year.

[Guest]

 

Glenn in Leander is looking pretty good as of right now, as well as Connally in Pflugerville. Also, holy cow McCallum came in strong this year.

Connally came back very strong this year!

[Aquaflamma85]

Every band in LISD South 

 

Vandy and Leander are in a similar situation, both just came off a very successful season and had some of the best and most energetic performances at Grand Nats. I'm sure both want to have a production that matches or exceeds the level they achieved this season and I fully expect both to come out swinging form the beginning

Vista Ridge is definitely going to want a show that keeps the eagle in Texas. Their past 2 shows have been performed incredibly well and for sure they will continue to step up and achieve an even higher degree of success.

Cedar Park just won state for a 3rd time in a row and last time they went to GNats they placed the highest out of all the Texas bands. Next season should be even better especially because they won't have to keep UIL in mind. I have a feeling that a full BOA show will likely give Cedar Park the results they want to have.

Rouse continues their trajectory towards the top. Last years show was a fan favorite and this year they achieved 4th at state. This band will continue to push their boundaries and could very well find themselves in SA finals if all goes well.

Glenn just came off their first state appearance in their short school history and got their highest placement at BOA SA so far. They continue to improve and although SA finals might be just out of reach it will be interesting to see how much they grow by the end of next season and how they set up the future. They could be knocking in finals in a couple of years at the rate they're improving at. 

Next season is going to be a fun one to watch!

[CTJBandPops]

I think the 3 NEISD Bands that routinely do BOA competitions will be looking for a big year in 2020

 

Reagan - big year with their first BOA SA Gold and rumored to possibly make a run at Grand Nats next year

CTJ - always a fun program that does their style of show even during a state year - after 8 top 5 and 2 golds at BOA SA - I see them coming back strong in 2020 and it will be interesting to see what they come up with - something different I am sure.

Churchill - Bronze medal in McAllen tied for 2nd and only a point away from gold - did not compete in Austin or SA as they normally do - I believe their director is in her first year there - will be interesting to see them come back - they had a long history of always making finals in BOA regionals 

 

the other 4 schools in the district do not do much more than BOA-SA because it is local.

[DeepEllum]

And I think the Lewisville ISD Big Three are poised for a fantastic year too.

 

Marcus is finally coming back to their Drinkwater-Era levels of success, with solid show designs and arguably the best core sound of any group out there. They’ve been building better each year these last two years and naturally, next year is poised to be a break out year for them. They could be an early front runner for the state title with how clean they have been and if they do a more difficult show next year.

 

Hebron is off their second medal at Grand Nats and they’re cementing themselves as the musical powerhouses of BOA. Each year they’ve gotten a more difficult musical book and they’ve finally developed a visual marching program that is as clean and difficult as their music is. The only thing holding them back is visual design and a slightly stronger visual design next year could be the final missing ingredient for Hebron’s first major win.

 

Flower Mound is going to be HUNGRY after placing below expectations last year. The staff at Flower Mound is world renowned and will definitely bring the mojo with their show design next year. They will be playing and marching with vengeance and looking to return to the success they have had the past two state trips, as well as hoping for their 4th super regional win. All signs point to FloMo rebounding for their strongest year ever.

 

Imagine a LISD mega band...FloMo’s show design with Hebron’s musical and marching difficulties and Marcus’s cleanliness...that’d be the first 100 point show!!

[An Inspirational Pinecone]

 

Is there a band that is not looking for a big year in 2020?

I don't think there are any bands any year that don't look for a big year next year.

[Leftmarcher28]

How do you guys feel about the 5A bands in the Houston area ?

[zoomer]

 

How do you guys feel about the 5A bands in the Houston area ?

Willis is steadily improving and I was surprised by what Foster did this year.

[Guest]

 

Willis is steadily improving and I was surprised by what Foster did this year.

Watch 2016 Galena Park and then 2019 Galena Park.

[SpartanBandAlum]

Watch 2016 Galena Park and then 2019 Galena Park.

This. They’ve improved dramatically in the past couple years

[MikeKyu]

Well they are going to Grand Nats so Cedar Park is probably planning it well in advance and I’m sure it will be far more of a BOA type show.

Yes, it is in planning and development. Kids and boosters do not know at this time. But, this is going to be a full blown BOA show and my guess is it will be of similar style to their last Grand Nats show.

[natertater21000]

Yes, it is in planning and development. Kids and boosters do not know at this time. But, this is going to be a full blown BOA show and my guess is it will be of similar style to their last Grand Nats show.

I'm super excited to see what they come up with. Can't say who it is yet, but CP will have a new drill writer and new uniforms next year. Despite BOA SA results cp has had a very smooth transition of staff over the last couple years. 2020 will be the first year of a new cp. Fitting that the change will happen at the start of the next decade.