FloMoParent

My wife was in charge of feeding the band a couple years ago. I'll ask her and put info on here. Simple is better. I do know that she worked with many places to get deals on food. Feeding 400+ people is not an easy task. To improve serving, limit options. Maybe one or two options (with a separate serving line for food allergies or special diets) For shows I know that Pizza worked best. Yeah, I know, but the per slice price and the flexibility of serving makes it very hard to beat. For several years we kept getting the first or second performance slot for finals so eating became a "whenever we could grab something and run" type affair. When dealing with sandwich places, once they understood to make the sandwiches dry with no veggies and to have that on the side it worked much better. They usually prep that many sandwiches a bit beforehand so they would get soggy with veggies on them. The band could grab the veggies as they were getting their food, if they wanted. Lastly, if it can be spilled it will be. Have them out of their marching uniform during food times. Stains are horrible.

I know I am a homer, but I really liked how Flower Mound used vocals last year. The floating head box opened and they were just singing notes. No word phrases that had any linguistic understanding but a near perfect companion to the music being performed on the field. It was like the choir were playing instruments themselves.

I took my list from the Area C page pdf.

Have you ever been presented with what you originally thought was a difficult challenge but for some reason it just clicked with you and you mastered it rather quickly? I am sure a lot of that goes into each and every season for all the bands.

To even imply that a band is cheating, without proof, is a very sad thing. I am fairly certain that FMHS and MHS are following nearly the identical schedule (I have friends with kids in each band, they have the same routine). Band directors have a challenge with performers and that is to keep pushing the students without burning them out or letting them back off too much. Like a sports team sometimes they take the playbook, digest it, then perform it all at a high level very quickly. Other times it takes longer to get concepts or themes across. When it clicks it is a beautiful thing.

This one will be difficult. Will there be four or five bands advancing? I'm thinking that just four will advance from Area to state. After Marcus, FloMo, and Hebron I think the fourth will be either Allen, or Berkner Here are ALL the bands in Area C: Rowlett Lufkin Lakeview Lewisville Guyer Hebron McKinney Flower Mound Garland Marcus John Horn Byron Nelson Berkner Mesquite North Garland Allen Rockwall Heath Sachse South Garland Lake Highlands Longview Richardson North Mesquite JJ Pearce Wylie Rockwall McKinney Boyd Robert E. Lee John Tyler

Finals results 1) 88.05 - Flower Mound 2) 84.20 - Marcus 3) 84.15 - Hebron 4) 82.50 - LD Bell 5) 82.45 - James Bowie 6) 81.35 - Keller 7) 80.80 - James Martin 8) 79.65 - Winston Churchill 9) 76.35 - Keller Central 10) 75.75 - Waxahachie Outstanding Music Performance - Flower Mound Outstanding Visual Performance - Flower Mound Outstanding General Effect - Flower Mound

This is the most difficult time of the evening for me. All the finalists have played and now we are waiting on the exhibitions to finish. I am usually so nervous and anxious waiting on results that I can't just sit back and enjoy the performances in front of me.

yes, you are correct. My excitement got the best of me. Trying to get other scores.

I know the bulk of attention is in Indy, but there was a little competition in San Antonio today... Results: Best front ensemble- Flower Mound Best tenors - Marcus Best bass line - Flower Mound Best snares - Flower Mound 3rd 81.75 - Coronado 2nd 89.875 - Marcus 1st 91.5 - Flower Mound Congrats FloMo and Marcus for the 1-2 sweep.

For parents of students going to GN. If you have the opportunity, GO! Be a chaperon, extra pit crew, water volunteer, food, whatever. The BOA Grand Nats experience is something that you will remember for a long, long time. I went last year (last minute decision) and it was one of the best trips I have ever made. I wasn't a volunteer helping the band (my wife was) and both of our kids were playing (one Senior, one freshman). I spent all day in the Drum with fellow band parents, talking band, sharing experiences, and then yelling like crazy when our school and friend schools were on the field. We basically took over The Ram for all our meals (yeah, I know there are many great places to eat around the stadium, but the Ram treated us so well, we just made it our out of the stadium HQ). Go. Experience everything you can. Walk around, talk to your neighbors, and expect long food lines on Saturday.

I am going to try to attend Hebron's

For those in the DFW area, Hebron is having a Grand Nationals send off performance on Monday Nov 9. https://twitter.com/TheHebronBand/status/661314125792849922 I know there will be groups from FloMo and Marcus going over to wish them great success.

This is such a fun event. I hope to see many of you in the stands (and the weather is good)

Why are there so few drum lines participating in the marching side? It seems to be smaller each year. Good Luck FloMo, make it three in a row

Cedar Park Claudia Taylor Johnson Coppell Flower Mound Hebron James Bowie Marcus Owasso Ronald Reagan Round Rock The Woodlands Vandegrift Vista Ridge Westlake

watching the stream, it looks like they are encouraging a very quick exit from the field.

any news on the updated schedule?

I saw Marcus's complete show last night at the community performance (FloMo is tonight). I believe they will be competing for a medal.

I want to echo many of the points already listed. Our journey is with Flower Mound band. Fiver years ago, my daughter's freshman year, was the first year FMHS made a move into the BOA world. They had been marching UIL programs but the director's main focus was concert bands and developing musicians -- and had many highly talented musicians. After that year the director of marching band was promoted to be the lead band director. The rest of the directors and staff had a goal to being the best all around band that they could be. (I think they are doing an amazing job as they will have BOA Grand National Finalist and invited performers at Midwest Clinic in the season) What I have learned is that it is a process. Each year builds from the previous years. A band isn't going to make the jump from just doing UIL to a regular BOA finalist in just one season. As the program builds you will see more and more leaders from within the ranks, to ones who understand what is needed to be done and brings others to get it accomplished. It does take a little while before each performer realizes and understands that it is their individual responsibility to ensure the success of the whole. It is easy for some to think "I'm just a little part of the big thing." It is when all the "little things" work together as one big thing that is when they understand what it takes. It also takes a strong and active booster club. Music costs a lot of money. Uniforms are expensive. As are electronics, transportation, food, oh and yeah the big and/or special musical instruments. Booster clubs can take over many of the tasks from the directors or at least make it easier for the directors. One thing that our booster club does so very well (and is a feature to get more people in the BC) is communications. For our program, if you want to KNOW what is going on, be in the BC.

I have a family friend in the Franklin band. I haven't heard much about their show, but wish them the best at Indy and GN

It is a shame that the event was cancelled, but in the end I think it was the best. Rain and marching bands don't mix

I know that FloMo scrapped their show ending from SA last year and put in a new one for GN. I don't think a show is ever complete until the last competition. The designers and directors are always tweaking, twisting, changing, and challenging the performers (and prop builders) until the very end.

Yeah those early Saturday performance times are tough for bands not in the greater SA area. I remember in 2013 FloMo had the 8:00 am time. This was the Saturday after the Mound Showdown (FMHS vs Marcus football game). Flower Mound won the game in the third OT. The game didn't end until after midnight and that pushed all the departure times back. After the game the students and support parents had to quickly go get their luggage, return to the school, eat, load the buses, then drive the six plus hours (by bus) to SA. That was not a fun trip.

Performance times have been announced: Friday: http://www.musicforall.org/images/PDFs/2015/Fall/SATX_Final_Packet/FRIDAY_SATX_Prelims_AS_OF_10_14.pdf Saturday: http://www.musicforall.org/images/PDFs/2015/Fall/SATX_Final_Packet/SATURDAY_SATX_Prelims_AS_OF_10_14.pdf Notables: Cedar Park H.S. Friday 12:15 pm Cedar Ridge H.S. Friday 10:45 am Claudia Taylor Johnson H.S. Saturday 4:00 pm Flower Mound H.S. Saturday 8:30 am Hebron H.S. Saturday 11:45 am James Bowie H.S. Saturday 7:15 am Keller H.S. Saturday 3:00 pm Leander H.S. Friday 2:24 pm Marcus H.S. Saturday 10:45 am Ronald Reagan H.S. Friday 5:00 pm Round Rock H.S. Friday 1:00 pm The Woodlands H.S. Saturday 9:30 am Vandegrift H.S. Friday 9:15 am Wakeland H.S. Saturday 9:15 am Archbishop Alter H.S. OH Friday 6:00 pm