abtwitch

I'll join in, I guess Best general effect: Ronald Reagan Best visual: Ronald Reagan Best music: Hebron Best visual concept: Vista Ridge Best show idea/concept: The Woodlands Best solo: CTJ Trombone/Sax Best feature: Keller trombones Best musical selection: Stoic by John Powell, Keller Most innovative show: The Woodlands Most original concept: Vista Murrieta Best crowd appeal: Claudia Taylor Johnson Most underrated: Keller Central Most improved: Westwood Best colorguard: Ronald Reagan Best pit: Burleson Centennial Best drumline: Burleson Centennial Best brass: Hebron Best woodwinds: Marcus Best prop: Leander reactor chambers Best uniforms: Westwood Best guard uniforms: Vandegrift Best overall pre-show: Ronald Reagan Best overall opener: Vandegrift Best overall ballad: Vandegrift Best overall closer: Keller

They're talking about O'Connor, not Brazoswood

They definitely came a long way in just a year, they were 2nd to last at area in 2018.

I guess I misinterpreted the purpose of this thread

I take it you haven't been to a marching contest before ?? In all seriousness, there are too many examples of this piece being performed on the field, but I'll drop a few of my favorite uses in DCI and marching band: Carolina Crown 2016 Star of Indiana 1993 Claudia Taylor Johnson 2017 Cedar Park 2008 If you want to hear more, just go to any band contest, you'll hear it at least twice

Hebron 2019 Duncanville prelims Avon 2017 BOA SA prelims Westwood 2017 BOA SA prelims (proud alum moment) The entirety of BOA Austin 2019 finals

I've added BOA Conroe to the list despite there being no confirmed bands as of yet. For those who don't know, here's the TL;DR: On College Park's band calendar, they have the following contests listed: This appears to be MFA's response to BOA Houston always getting far over capacity. They've had a few ideas (such as Friday performances, simultaneous venues, etc.), but they seem to have chose the consecutive weekends contest route. While MFA has not officially announced it, I have confirmation from a student at College Park that this will be it's own BOA contest the same day as BOA Austin. While there are no confirmed participants, here are a few bands that will more than likely not switch from Katy due to contest scheduling: The Woodlands, College Park, Westwood, Westlake, Clear Brook, Clear Creek, Dawson, Friendswood, Pearland, and Porter.

All good, there's A LOT of contests to keep track of

I'm curious as to why Bridgeland isn't in the top 30, they beat Oak Ridge by 2 points at Cypress Showcase.

As I said over there, I'm very much looking forward to this contest. Hard to find independent contests this stacked nowadays, especially in Texas where BOA is so dominant when it comes to the top programs.

It appears I also misread the website haha, looks like you just use smbc.uiltexas.org/archives.htm and ignore Georgetown in the finals list to get the correct top 5.

You might wanna check the 2011 state top 5, the page UIL has is wonky and not entirely accurate. Top 5 should be as follows: 1) Cedar Park 2) Dripping Springs 3) Wakeland 4) Vandegrift 5) Friendswood

I'd like to mention Pasadena Memorial one more time as I came across a video of their McNeese marching contest run and I was blown away. Very strong stuff from the winds (as well as the fantastic percussion as we're accustomed to expect) and the visual side of things was quite clean as well. They also beat Lafayette (LA) at that contest, which is nothing to sneeze at even if Lafayette isn't at the same level they were a few years ago. PM is going to very well this upcoming year and I'm very excited for it. Edit: you can find said video on a certain video streaming website by simply searching "pasadena memorial band"

With all this time on my hands now, I thought what better time than to talk about the 5A Houston bands! Area E: Kempner - this program will be fun to watch in 5A as they are coming off of making 6A Area E finals in 2018, adding some much needed depth to this area. In 2021 we might see this band taking the second (or even third depending how region treats them) state spot. Friendswood - Friendswood is the undisputed 5A powerhouse in the Houston area, just placing 6th at state this past year with the next highest placing Houston band in prelims being Tomball in 21st. Their dominance will not be going anywhere anytime soon. Paetow - the newest Katy school (second newest as of this upcoming fall) has impressed me with their sound despite their smaller size. If this program can figure out what is holding their numbers back, then they could certainly become a powerhouse before the more than likely move up to 6A. Churchill Fulshear - this new school outside of Katy had a fantastic second season in 2017 making state finals in 4A (where they were probably the most under scored out of any band in the entire season in my opinion). Like Kempner, this band will add in some much needed depth for this area and will be a state contender. Barbers Hill - this program has been a fairly strong group in the Houston area for quite some time, but they haven't made state since 2015. I could see them making a comeback these next few years. Foster - this band was not on my radar until last season when they scored very strongly at a local contest (I unfortunately do not remember which), but I immediately had them as my second lock for state. I hope to see Foster ride off the momentum and along with Fulshear demonstrate the growing fine arts programs in LCISD. Waller - this group is in a similar position as Barbers Hill, being a consistently strong program for quite some time, but not making state in a while. What separates them from most of the other groups on this list is their regular participation in BOA. Area I: Cleveland - this school has been growing exponentially and me putting them on this list is more of a recognition of the massive growth they have had largely as a result. I see this program continuing to grow throughout this decade and adding to the already long list of fantastic Houston-area bands. Crosby - these next four groups were some of the biggest names that started this conversation of quickly improving programs as early as 2017, starting with Crosby who made state for the first time back in 2017 after being a band that regularly received 2s as late as 2011. Galena Park - this school is in the same district as North Shore and is often overshadowed by them, but they seem to be making a name for themselves again. You can find a video of their 2009 show (the last time they have made state) and see that this program has quite the history and is finding it's roots once again. Magnolia - I've loved seeing this name pop up in BOA results and giving us some impressive shows the past few years. It's sometimes hard to believe this is the Magnolia that was making mostly 2s for the first part of the decade. Seeing them miss area finals by one spot was tough, but I think that will give them more than enough motivation to keep moving forward. Porter - and the last of the four, Porter is the only one to have made state in both 2017 and 2019. I think they were placed too low at state and am very impressed with this program, which started in 2011 with a 3 in marching.

I'll leave my 2 cents here of the top bands in Houston, try and throw in a few words on most of them (and I'm going off of 2020-2022 alignments for this list). Starting with 6A: Area E: Shadow Creek - I remember seeing them at BOA Austin early season and wasn't incredibly impressed, but watching a video of their area run I was blown away by how much they had grown throughout the season. I wouldn't count them out of area finals in 6A, just give those euphoniums marching horns and they'll be golden! Brazoswood - They've always been one of the strongest Houston-area bands and they proved themselves again this year. I see them being a strong contender for state as usual this fall, always love their show designs. Dickinson - This band is always interesting to watch, been a while since they've participated in BOA so I'm not too familiar with them as a program. They are regular area finalists though and they don't show many signs of dropping out anytime soon. Stephen F. Austin - This bands has been back on the upswing and they aren't being subtle about it. Their visual book this past fall was one of the most competitive in Texas and it was greatly reflected in results, and matched with that is a big band sound with a relatively small group. Qualifying for state is barely a question for them anymore. Clements - I wish they did more BOA, they're one of the more consistent bands in Houston throughout the entirety of last decade and I was personally a little bummed to see them out of finals at TMC. Once again, they'll be in the running for state. Clear Brook - Wow, what a season for them. I personally believe they put out their strongest production ever as a school this past fall even if I wasn't a fan of the design. They'll be out for blood this year after getting state alternate in 2018. Pasadena Memorial - Mainly putting them on this list because of their fantastic world class percussion program. They also have fairly strong shows in the fall and I have a feeling they'll crack area finals this year. Pearland - Again, what a season for this Area E band. Making finals at San Antonio was huge, but in a way expected by anybody familiar with their season trends as a program. I personally would like to see them pull a North Shore and sneak into state finals, which they proved this season they are definitely capable of. Dawson - Dawson truly had a stunning show this past season with their return to BOA. Their design was so much more mature than other recent years and I hope to see this trend continue. Area F: College Park - TWCP did not have their best season this year, but I don't think that is foreshadowing any major decline in the program. They'll be right back at the top this year and we'll probably see them at state as usual. Grand Oaks - Even though they might not be fully ready for the 6A competitive scene yet, I feel like mentioning them because of their rapid growth as a program since they opened a couple years ago. Oak Ridge - Now that we've seen the smaller sized program due to the school split, they've proven they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Just like TWCP, I don't think they're going to be out of the state game anytime soon, especially this year. The Woodlands - No real introduction is needed for TWHS, but here we go anyways: 2013 Grand National champion, regular national finalist, undisputed top band in the Houston area for almost a decade. Excited to see their show as always. North Shore - I mentioned them earlier with their surprise (and well deserved) state finals appearance in 2016. Their 2018 opening hit is one of my favorite moments in marching band ever and their ensemble sound is incredible (one of the best in the state if I had to say). They'll definitely be making state again and could potentially sneak into finals once again. Kingwood - Not necessarily in the running for state, but with the state military contest pilot one would be a fool to count them out as a potential first champion. This group has maintained the military tradition for many years and is one of the best examples of it in the state. Klein Collins - A Klein school on the upswing, I'm keeping an eye on them because of their enrollment in the McAllen regional this fall. We tend to see non-south Texas bands make the trek if they want to start the season on a strong note, so I'm excited to see what they have planned. Klein Oak - The other big name in Klein right now, they had a beautiful show this past fall that earned them an impressive top 30 placement at San Antonio. They seem to have been doing not as well in UIL as BOA the past few seasons, so I think they'll be very motivated to make state with the new sheets this year. Spring - After 2018 being the first time no band from Spring ISD made state in a long time, it will be interesting to see where this program goes with their well-maintained classical music identity. Westfield - Read above, but they seem to be going in a more culturally-influenced direction that I am a big fan of. Hope to see them continue this trend in coming years. Tomball - This band has been doing very well in 5A and will more than likely be an area finalist still in 6A. This district is growing so I only see them improving in the future. Tomball Memorial - If I'm not mistaken, they were state alternates in 2018, which is very impressive for a band as relatively new to 6A. Also read above about the district growing. Willis - Loving what this band is showing us, they want to get better and don't want to stop. A potential dark horse state qualifier, dare I say... Area I: Bridgeland - Wow, this program is really putting themselves out there in full confidence. They have a tendency to peak later season, and that's perfect for this upcoming season given their planned Grand Nationals trip. When I say they are a potential finalist there, I mean it. Cy-Fair - We all know this program very well, they've consistently produced some of my favorite marching shows the past few years and even though they were late bloomers this year, they showed that they aren't out of the picture quite yet. Cypress Falls - Despite some rougher seasons for them the past couple of years, I'm not ready to count them out. They can easily recover and wow us this next year even if it isn't to their mid-2010s standards. Cypress Woods - After losing a tie to judges choice to make area finals in 2018, CyWoods showed us what they're about this year with some incredible performances. If they can step up their show design a little more, I think they could get their way into finals at BOA. Jersey Village - Jersey Village is a controversial band when it comes to the 2018 season, but I think they are a very strong program and think they could rise to the occasion once again and make state this fall. Katy - See above, but another thing worth mentioning for them is their late-season peaking. Their BOA Houston results aren't always good for predicting where they'll end up by the end of the season. Cinco Ranch - This band is one of the most underrated bands in the area in my opinion. They really turned things on for their finals performance at the Cypress Showcase and if they can have that same energy all the time, they will become a force to be reckoned with. Seven Lakes - I was shocked when they didn't make finals this past season, but this band sounds absolutely phenomenal and seem to have fairly unique show concepts, especially that squid one in 2018. James E. Taylor - I put JET in the same boat as Brazoswood, a consistently strong Houston-area group who always seems to put on a fantastic performance. Once again, we will probably see them at the state contest. Obra D. Tompkins - Wow, was I surprised by their performance at Houston. Being so close out of finals at BOA Houston makes me hopeful for where this program is headed in the future. I don't see the school split hitting them too hard for a couple of years and I trust the directors are ready to adjust accordingly.

I attended Churchill Fulshear’s concert last night (as part of the ACU wind ensemble on tour in Houston) and their wind ensemble was absolutely incredible. I see this band continuing to make huge strides in 5A.

I've been hearing something about Disney, lot's of Disney merch has been worn by the directors and placed around the band hall apparently. But knowing them, it won't be that straight forward. And a Disney show would be VERY expensive for getting the rights, and on a nationals year you can't necessarily be dropping a ton of money on music licensing. I have my theories, but I'm gonna hold my tongue until the show is officially announced... Or the Disney stuff could be a diversion, I wouldn't put that past them as well haha.

As confirmed as you can get from a public band calendar

We can add another Texas band to the list and one I'm particularly excited for: Haltom! They went back in 2002 and placed 16th in semifinals, definitely will be gunning for finals as the past few seasons have shown their growth as a program.

I’m planning with a college friend to miss class on Friday to drive up and spend a couple of nights in Indy to watch semis and finals, this year is looking to be insanely competitive in the finals bubble and those are always the most exciting contests for me to watch

I'm a couple days late and that's my bad, things just kinda kept piling up and I lost track of the days of the week haha. This one may be more in depth than others because it happens to be the program I'm most familiar with. Anyways, here's the first band! The first band I will be discussing is the biggest old-timer (thus the quote) in the state, the Abilene High School Eagle Band! Founded on October 15th, 1926, the Abilene band was the very first high school marching band founded in the state of Texas (however, unfortunately not the first Abilene High School band, the high school band from the city of the same name in Kansas has parade pictures dating back to 1925). Despite their very long time as a program, Abilene has not had a ton of success on the state level. They have qualified only twice, in 1982 and 1983 and since then have not qualified again. Their last appearance in area finals was in 2014, the last 6A year before the realignment that isolated west Texas from competitors like the Keller schools. In 2016, they ended up 10th in prelims, but due to the smaller area only 7 advanced to finals. Since then, they have gone through many staff changes (that I think have finally stabilized), leading up to the year that will go down in Abilene HS band history. Following another director change, a young director straight out of college took helm of the marching band in 2018. This season was full of challenges, including an uncharacteristically wet fall (yes, the Texas washout even made its way out to the desolate desert that is west Texas). A total of 16 outdoor rehearsals were rained out, putting the already rushed show design on even more of a time-crunch. This led to the new director having to fragment many parts of the closer and minimal time to field it before area on the third weekend of October. At region, they narrowly advanced scoring a 1 1 2 from the judges, but it was a well-deserved 1 given their circumstances. At area, Abilene received last from every judge, far below where they have placed in a while. The perseverance displayed by the members and staff of this program is truly admirable, and that was put on full display in 2019. Abilene’s 2019 production immediately was off to a far stronger start. The design was far more sophisticated and modern than anything put on by the program in years, featuring faster drill moves, music with more creative-liberty in the arranging, and an increased level of choreography. The show was entitled “Once Upon a Dream” featuring music like “Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics, “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman, and “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel. They attended BOA Midland, their first BOA contest in the history of their school, where they placed a very respectable 15th place out of 24 bands. I was able to see the show in person at their region contest and I could tell that the kids enjoyed performing the show and felt a strong connection to it. To me it felt like them saying “last season does not define the Eagle Band, we still have dreams to move forward” and I fully expect that they will. In my way too early predictions, I see Abilene as a dark horse area finalist this year, especially at their rate of improvement. I also believe that the Eagle Band will make their long-awaited return to state this decade and could also see an appearance in BOA Midland finals. And for the next hint: "I've found such a quantity of cows... that it is impossible to number them, for while I was journeying through these plains... there was not a day that I lost sight of them"

Disclaimer, I did say "best overall program" very clearly in my post, so I don't know why that's being debated haha. It's just my opinion and you can disagree, in fact I welcome it. Discussion was the purpose of this post. There are several other programs that could also take that spot and I want to hear what others think.

I wanted to start this thread now that the decade has turned to discuss what we think the most influential bands/shows of the decade were. I'll go ahead and start off with the program that I think has cemented itself as maybe not the best marching band in the state, but probably the best overall program: Vandegrift. What Vandegrift achieved this decade is what very few programs ever have even come close to achieving, with class championships AND finals appearances at least once for every BOA Class (A-AAAA), several regional champion titles and caption awards, and finally a Grand National Champion title, and that's just in BOA. In UIL, they were crowned the 2013 4A (current 5A) State championships in just their 4th year in existence as a band program (only 2 years after their first state AND finals appearance in 2011, only their 2nd year). They have since consistently qualified, made finals, and usually medal in both 5A and 6A. Following their Grand National Championship, they received the prestigious Sudler Shield award from the John Phillip Sousa Foundation. In TMEA Honor Band, they have entered three times. In 2014, they got 3rd in 4A 5A; in 2016, they got 2nd in 5A; and in 2019, they got 1st in 6A. I was privileged enough to have attended their 2019 spring concert and it was clear to me why they won. I do not remember exactly what the awards were, but they were given two separate awards from the same organization at said spring concert. I would love to see this discussion continued!

Something I want to do this next season is bring more discussion to the fantastic programs in west Texas that get overshadowed by the rest of the state, so I'm gonna start this thread early and try and give a background on all 15 programs competing in the Area this year. All 15 of them have gotten 1s consistently for quite some time now, so I don't see that changing so we can assume 3 state spots for this year. Region 1: None (Amarillo Tascosa moved down to 5A) Region 6: Abilene (Abilene ISD) Midland (Midland ISD) Midland Lee (Midland ISD) Odessa (Ector County ISD) Odessa Permian (Ector County ISD) San Angelo Central (San Angelo ISD) Region 7: None (Largest schools in this region are 4A) Region 16: Wollforth Frenship (Frenship ISD) Region 22: El Paso Americas (Socorro ISD) El Paso Coronado (El Paso ISD) El Paso Eastlake (Socorro ISD, moved up from 5A) El Paso Eastwood (Ysleta ISD, moved up from 5A) El Paso Franklin (El Paso ISD) El Paso Montwood (Socorro ISD) El Paso Pebble Hills (Socorro ISD) El Paso Socorro (Socorro ISD) I'll be writing a couple write-ups every month so that there will be a new one every alternating Monday starting January 6th so the last one will be released July 20th, just in time for marching season to really start kicking off with summer band. The order in which I do these will not be in any particular order, it's just whichever I feel like discussing. I hope that many of you reading this will learn a lot about the wild west, but also that I may learn a lot as well through my research. Last thing, I will be giving a hint for the next band at the end of all my posts, so I will end this with the hint for next week's post in the form of some famous quote or saying (Edit: Feel free to take a guess at the hint, I won't promise any serious rewards for guessing correctly haha): "You're an old-timer if you can remember when setting the world on fire was a figure of speech" - Franklin P. Jones With the first hint delivered, I'll see you in just over a week for my first essay/article/write-up thing!

I've already started it again! Slight formatting difference from last year in that BOA has it's own tab separate from everything else. Texas bands are italicized in out of state contest and I'm not posting rumored bands, only those that are confirmed via band calendar/participation lists. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mN8yfFiD8fSrFD12q_dJhSnoQTl9xuKM3ikBF4JQg-I/edit?usp=sharing If you post your band's schedule below, it would be much appreciated!