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Cedar Park MIRROR*RORRIM "The reflection we see every day has nothing to do with how others see us" Music from: Billie Eilish Grandbrothers Oliver Davis Christopher Tin Secret Garden Aurora and Philip Glass "MIrrors show us what we look like....not who we are" After a few years of minimal props Cedar Park will be bringing back multiple props to the show. They are planning on lining part of the field with mirrors and using them not only for visuals but also for using them to reflect sound onto the soundstage. This will be another high energy high tempo show for the school. They are also keeping the same large member count on-field as they used last season. It should be another fun season as Mr. Yee and his staff continue to evolve the band into his vision. They are still working with Mr. Jeremy Spicer but have also re-added the arranging talents of Mr. Evan Van Doren. This should be an exciting show with high demand not only in marching but also in arrangement. It will have a unique solo that is very rarely heard on the marching field.

My summer vacation this year is DCI. Got tickets for Denton, San Antonio, Annapolis, Glassboro, Allentown, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis.

so tonight was my last band banquet as a parent. it is a bittersweet moment for my wife and I. we have been involved in our program for the past 11 years. my son decided to graduate a year early so he stole our last year. I am so grateful for what the program has done for my kids, so many life lessons that they learned and how it made them better human beings. My wife and I where given a the classic uniform in a shadow box and a shako with the plume tonight ( I have a bit of a CTJ museum in my study) it will complete my collection of drum heads, photos and medals. We will still be involved in growing our foundation to support the CTJ cluster going forward, and we will still volunteer our time to support the program and travel to follow the band. just not the same without a kid in the program. I am grateful for all the great friends and amazing parents, directors and students we have worked with this past decade.

Timber Creek H.S., TX Ellipse Music By: - Jo Blackenburg- Paul Lovatt Cooper- Cody Fry- Thomas Bergersen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=580-a4yQujo This is just 100% awesome!

The Lovejoy band is proud to present: The Tree Of Life It will be a beautiful nature show, with all original music(arranged by the Jeremy Spicer)! The drill and choreographer writer are all famous people who have worked with dci/boa bands(vandy,CP, Crown,SCV) and many other people! This is a step in a new direction for the program, and will sound amazing! The drill is also going to be turned up a notch in terms of demand, but the music is a small step back in difficulty. But there are tons of beautiful solos, and rich ensemble moments with big chords, and plenty of section show offs! This show is looking to be amazing!

I’ve decided I’m all BLOO this season. I don’t even know what they’re doing but I’m here for it! 🤪💙💙

Burleson Highschool, Burleson TX Show Title: "The Red Umbrella" Musical Selections: -Symphony No.7 - Ludwig Van Beethoven -Codex - Radiohead -Symphony No.2 - Gustav Mahler

Westlake High School's 2022 show Noir! Very jazz centric, containing Theme from "Taxi Driver", Channel One Suite by Buddy Rich, Hunting Wabbits by George Goodwin, These Boots Are Made For Walkin', Kiss From a Rose, to wALk Or ruN in wEst harlem by Andy Akiho, and Children's Hour of Dream by Charles Mingus. Shaping up to be a very ambitious show!

That looks like my BOA schedule last year. Austin, St. Louis, San Antonio and Indianapolis for GN. 🤪 #bandisfun

Here is my early prediction 1st - Rouse 2nd - Leander 3rd - Cedar Park 4th - M.G. Johnson 5th - Hendrickson 6th - Colleyville Heritage 7th - Aledo 8th - McCallum 9th - Argyle 10th - Burleson Centennial 11th - Jack C. Hays 12th - Lovejoy/Richland ----- 13th - Richland/Lovejoy 14th - Georgetown 15th - Foster 16th - McKinney North 17th - LASA 18th - The Colony *New order has Johnson in 4th moving Hendy and CH down a spot. Thanks to LeanderMomma 😂

I feel for ya. Our head director here at Leander, Robert Selaiden, is leaving his position to compose music. He's taken the program to its heights, and it really sucks to see him go. Though I'm sure the new directors at both of our schools will be able to keep our success going, and lead us into the future

This aged well

Cy-fair HS, Cypress TX "Vanish" Most other information has not gone public yet so that's all that can be shared for now

To be fair...there are a LOT of band directors, many of whom teach in the Houston area, who misinterpret Eddie Green's philosophies. Many of these bands do not allow their brass musicians to play with any color in the sound and insist on a maximum dynamic of mezzo forte. There is a reason some Houston area bands have a reputation for being boring...because some of them ARE boring. TWHS is not one of these bands, but they do exist. To deny that truth is to just plain not use your ears. Eddie believed the approach should be that we hear all of the instruments and that the full range of color for these instruments should be explored. When trumpets, trombones, and horns play above a forte, there is edge in the sound, plain and simple. You won't find many bands in the Houston area, at least, that allow their students to approach this quality. However, drive 2.5 hours to Austin or 4 hours to DFW, and you will find many groups that explore the full range of dynamic and color. Listen to that UH recording of Mars and tell me Eddie didn't believe in brass dynamic color. That bass trombone player plays with some STANK.

if i had bothered to name literally the next song that popped into my head it probably would have been that one. or something by the Beach Boys. hahaha. i must have liked the bombast of the OC one. i wasn't paying any attention to copyright issues obviously. they'll do their own thing with it. an interesting theme is just a cherry on top anyway. it's more about how the design and performance are executed. when Thomas Pynchon was writing Gravity's Rainbow he said something like, "if it comes out anything like it looks in my head, it'll be the event of the century." the real challenge is getting it to come out like how it looks in your head. BD also already did part of an idea in 2019, so i'm good lol. i got my fix. it's just marching band.

2019 - 9th 2018 - 7th 2017 - 7th 2016 - 6th 2015 - 4th

i was over at the toxic cesspool that is Drum Corps Planet for the 1st time in like 20 years. ain't never goin back, y'all! it seems like the Cadets independently landed on one of the like 20 show ideas i manically sent to TWHS' staff as i was ripping band DVDs at 2am about 2 years ago. the whole idea of moving across the country with music for each region. my least favorite of the ideas lmao. seemed like a hokey low-hanging fruit at the time. but Cadets' musical selections are waaaay better. for that idea i was just pulling stupid songs out of my a** late at night. "When u reach California, u can, like, do the theme to The OC" lmao. im sure it'll be better than i think. Leander kinda did it this past year but like the hippy version.

I blame Covid brain. I didn't even see the "A" after the 3.

With my favorite 3A LISD bands attending this one, I’m absolutely considering driving down to Texas (from NW Arkansas) a week before San Antonio so I can watch this Waco contest! Plus I have never seen BOA Waco live before!

Ladies and gentlemen, we have our 3 medalist for this event(the 3LISD schools:) Jk who knows what will happen! Here’s my early prediction 1st Leander 2nd CP 3rd Rouse 4th MG Johnson 5th Waxahachie 6th Henny 7th Mcallum 8th Aledo 9th CH 10th Lovejoy 11th BC 12th Argyle/LASA/ Hays/Georgetown

Congratulations to Rhythmic Force on making finals in their first year competing in the World Class Independent level. Also Congratulations to Clear Brook HS from Friendswood on their 2nd place finish in Open Class Scholastic Percussion. There were 4 Texas HS in finals. And how about Avon HS and their WGI World Championships sweep. They won Guard, Percussion, and Winds. I was in Dayton for the percussion events and got to watch them at prelims and finals. Their show was awesome.

I know it's not really relevant this year, but here's the always fantastic Henry Middle School Honor Band. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxAYUakBA3g It's like exploring a cave in a JRPG!

Oh look, I actually found some performances! This North Texas pre-UIL collection has a couple of pieces from both Flower Mound and Coppell. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=69WvXKfLt-I Outstanding music making from both. The quality of the sound from these top Texas groups is always so impressive. So warm and calm and controlled. Mostly great intonation, too, with some minor slip ups. Incredible full brass moments from FloMo in Symphony No. 3. Technique does get a little bogged down at times. Try to keep all those tricky moving passages in the woodwinds lighter and clearer. The first part of Coppell's Hindemith floored me. It really reminded me of my favorite Tokyo Kosei recording of that piece. The music is heavy with counterpoint, but they manage to keep our ears focused on the most important melodic lines. That said, I think the 2nd and 3rd movements are rushed to the point that the 2nd movement lacks a bit of musicality to my ears (really, imagine sitting in a dark lounge in the 1920s with smoke swirling around your head -- that's the vibe, slower and more easy-going) and the insane technique in the 3rd gets a little dirty at times. It's just so fast. Of course, at this level, I'm being very nitpicky. If you dropped either group into probably any other state, they'd steamroll over the competition.

This is great news for all of the Leander ISD schools. Seeing Selaiden leave Leander is a little bit of a surprise. Both organizations will be just fine. The support they will receive from the district will allow them to continue their excellent performance for years to to come. Look at how Cedar Park transitioned and came roaring back (at the BOA level, their UIL level remained). It should be an exciting few weeks in LISD.

So excited for this summer. SCV show is “Finding Nirvana”…..chaos to enlightenment but maybe some grunge band in between🤷‍♀️ what other show themes have been revealed? https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdq4xoABbKQ/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

I have great confidence that Keller will return in 2023. Especially after they make top half at SA this fall. I anticipate that TC and/or KC will be making the trip soon as well. Would be cool to have all 3 go in the same year. Though, I think someone posted over on hornrank that TC's head director is leaving so idk how things will go over there. They had such a great season in 2021 and I'm still waiting for the day that 2 KISD bands end up in finals at SA.

He sounded so confident, too! Hahaha. Speaking of Westfield, alas, I gave up on them a long time ago. Still decent enough, but obviously not the program I knew. I focus my attention on other Houston groups now. Come on, Seven Lakes and Cypress Woods! Hahaha. Actually, I think the top spot at the North Houston BOA regional may be open this year with the changes happening at TWHS. Maybe the other Houston regional, too, but Reagan has weathered their director change pretty well and is still clearly a national finalist quality band.

I had a sneaking suspicion that we were building up to this, but I was not expecting us to be the first Houston band aside from the Woodlands to make the trip this decade. SSH! is going to be special. Very proud alumni moment 😎

OMG LETS GO!!!!! They are going to do amazing, and if they build of last year, I could see them in finals for sure!

Seven Lakes announced on Monday night that they were going to Grand Nats this year.

These stood out to me in 4A: Alvarado The Footlifter by Henry Filmore Irish Tune from County Derry by Percy Grainger (4) Khan by Julie Giroux (4) Anna Entry March of the Boyars Johan Halvorsen O Magnum Mysterium by Morton Lauridsen (4) Vesuvius by Frank Ticheli (5) Argyle Onward-Upward March by Karl King Mock Morris by Percy Grainger (4) Southern Harmony by Donald Grantham (5) Canton Florentiner March Julius Fučík Irish Tune from County by Percy Grainger (4) Suite of Old American Dances by Robert Russell Bennett (5) Canyon Children's March by Percy Grainger First Suite in Eb by Gustav Holst (5) Until the Scars by John Mackey (5) China Spring Glory of the Yankee Navy by John Phillip Sousa The Engulfed Cathedral by Claude Debussy (5) Ride by Samuel Hazo (5) Krum III. March - "Folk Songs from Somerset" by Ralph Vaughn Williams Lux Aurumque by Eric Whitacre (4) Reluctant Joys by Brant Karick (5) Little Cypress Mauriceville Amparito Roca by Jaime Teixidor Dusk by Steven Bryant (4) Until the Scars by John Mackey (5) Melissa Commando March by Samuel Barber Rhosymedre by Ralph Vaughn Williams (4) With Heart and Voice by David Gillingham (4) North Lamar Honey Boys on Parade by Edward Cupero The Falls by Rosano Galante (5) Rocky Point Holiday by Ron Nelson (5) Canyon, China Spring, and North Lamar with two grade 5s and Argyle with Southern Harmony in terms of programming definitely seem like the most difficult, but lots of great music in there.

Super cool video and I can not wait to see this show on the field! It gives me Lumberton 2021 vibes as that was about the seasons and beauty and all of that cool stuff. Good Luck to you and the rest of the band!

I’m not crying, you’re crying! 😭😭

The Tree of Life is a great Terrence Malick film, if it's inspired at all by that! Really beautiful cinematography and deeply philosophical.

Super excited for my senior year, It should be amazing!

also sorry for derailing the convo. hahahaha. the whole "Greeny" (Greenie?) band stereotype was just the first thing that popped into my mind to describe that scenario.

i think some of the bands are a bit overly controlled, but i'm not sure it's unique to Houston or Eddie Green. H-town groups still seem to do decently well in the concert band area. as recently as 2017 over half of the top 7 Honor Band groups were Houston bands. maybe that's more a nod to their technical accuracy than their ability to excite. maybe it's more of a general UofH thing. i can verify that around the turn of the millennium Mr. Green was working with groups as far north as Dallas, although maybe not as many. i think Duncanville may have been one of them. at least that's one of the bands he'd negatively compare us to. 😂

Here's an excellent performance of In Storm and Sunshine from Vista Ridge's Wind Ensemble! https://youtu.be/jHM_GEGoKG0

Vista Ridge HS: "Divisi" Claudia Taylor Johnson HS: "Out There" Coppell HS: "Archetype"

Rouse High School band: Luminosity Featuring music: Clair De Lune by Debussy, the night widow by Thomas Newman Mercury from Holsts the planets and Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven This show looks amazing and I’m super excited for it!!!!

John B. Alexander OPE “Tipping the Scales” Music by: Ron Nelson Gustav Holst Bruce Hornsby Tupac Shakur Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Lin- Manuel Miranda Todd Stalter

Just thought everyone here would like this and find it interesting Genesis recently announced that they will be doing a smaller tour around Texas from June 23rd-July 13th before starting the official DCI tour in Denver. The main reason behind this is to "give back to the communities that have given so much to us" and I am all for it. Stops include Sharyland, San Benito, Corpus Christi, Houston, Brenham, Smithville, Oklahoma City, OK; and Garden City, KS. I personally am very excited to travel to many areas that don't get drum corps anywhere close to them to work with and perform for all the kids that have to drive hours just to see the nearest drum corps show. More information at genesisdbc.org

I really wish I knew

Congrats! My son marched quads with them last year and is with them again this year. Its a great organization and he loves it. Check out the BK Family page on FB.

The Woodlands is doing 2CoolTW: An Homage to the Velvet Knights. juuust kidding. i have no idea what the heck they're doing. kids already know their shows? and have graphics and videos?! what?!

I'll be going to San Antonio and Indy for sure. My daughter got a contract in the Guard with the Blue Knights so I'm officially a Blue Knights fan now! 🤩

omg that kid is my hero omg one year there was this kid who would balance his whole trombone on his hand and suprisingly never dropped it. and then also my sister played the trombone and she went over for hey band and while she was gone her section filled her horn with water and when she got back she had to bring her horn up fast so she didnt notice the extra weight and when she tried to play water shot through her bell all over the people in front of her

lol...very true...but I would have to say that the tubas, are, BY FAR, the most laziest section in the bunch...perhaps thats a reason why there is no tuba post yet. Anyway, I guess its good to meet some other lazy trombonists. - mm