itsstephenyo

Yea, it's understandable to be angry at not making finals. However, it could very well happen that the three music judges had you guys at 4th place and the visual judges had you at 9/10th place. That happened to Hebron last year at 4A Area C finals. I think we were 1/2 in visual, but our music scores didn't cut it. Thus, we didn't make it. You learn to accept it, and you move on. No big deal. By the way, does anybody have the full recaps? I wonder about the placements each judge gave the bands.

Indeed. It's all too perfect to be coincidence.

1000 GE points. LD Bell officially wins Grand Nationals.

Bassoons and oboes are also extremely tempermental. Any sudden change in the weather causes really wacky things to happen to them. I know my friend Scott, during the cold months, would sit there for about 30 minutes warming up his oboe with his hands and jacket before he played on it.

Haha I was standing with the band on the visitors stands when they announced finals awards. When they said "alphabetical order" and called Haltom first, I was thinking "Ohhhh, geeeez.... If they don't call Hebron now, it won't happen." Haha thankfully they called them and all was well. It was really cool videotaping the students' reactions. I wish I could stay for state next week since I'll be trekking down to BOA San Antonio, but alas, college overtakes marching band... maybe...

How about a piece called "Czardas"? The opening sounds really placid and then it's literal heck for about 2 1/2 minutes.

Geez, what's up with all the bumps of old topics? This is like the fourth or fifth one this week.

I didn't get to see many bands from up top, because I was following Hebron around like a band groupie, but I heard many bands' warmups. Every single band warming up sounding AMAZING. Truly a sign of how difficult this area is. Every band plays so well. I would've hated being a music judge tonight with so many excellent playing bands. Also, congrats to all the bands that advanced. Marcus looked and sounded great, as always. Haltom, too, had very deep sounds and incredible individual marching. I caught their shows from backfield, but still got a good vibe from them. Boy, I am exhausted but, whew! what a night!

I'll be at finals, but I'll try to get the results posted as soon as I get home.

Alas, it is a debate for the ages.

I still don't think it's fixed...

Haha, I think I know who you're talking about. Anyways, for the most part, Hebron's band parents are awesome. At the first contest of the year, a couple of alumni, including me, went ,and boy, they fed us like none other. Seriously, that was the best marching band lunch I've ever had, and I wasn't even in the band! It was great.

Not me. Concert season is far less interesting from a spectator point of view.

Another of my favorite, if not THE favorite, is Prelude, Cadence, et Finale by Desenclos. It's so beautiful all the way through the prelude and cadenza and then the finale just hits you hard in the face. It's incredibly difficult but, wow, is it some fun to play. Hit me up for some recordings of just about any of the more known sax literature. I've also got a recording of Perpetual Motion by Paganini transcribed to saxophone. Crazy thing about that piece is, it's continual 16th's for 4 minutes at 190, without any breath marks. You'll go crazy when you hear the recording.

More specific, please? Asking about "that one band" is not a very good question.

You. What do you think about the rain?

I've played the Glazonouv before, though I was just diddling around. It's a good piece, but it loses my interest about halfway through. I LOVE the opening section, though. So beautiful. You should look into the Dubois Concerto or Concertino da Camera by Ibert. Those are two of my favorite saxophone solos that I've played.

You go to band competitions. But you're not in band anymore.

Psh, Area F. Juuuust kidding! I have a paper due in a few hours. Should I do it?

Looking at the competing bands, this competition is going to be 10x harder than I thought it was going to be. A lot of the bubble bands have REALLY stepped it up this year and it makes for much more interesting finals. I currently see about 16/17 potential finalists. If only 40 bands are there, that's 12 finalists spots with about 16 bands that could make it. Excellent. I'll definitely be there for finals and some of prelims, if I choose to hang around after Hebron's prelims performance.

lol nub Really?

Ugh... Harvey Pittel. I like Toccata and Fugue, though. Flight of the Bumblebee is also VERY fun if you have a sax quintet. SAATB.

Your thoughts don't flow very well, but I'll respond to what is stated well. True, people do base their ideas of contenders off past competitions, but only because it's a smart thing to do. I'm sure Band X over here sitting in last place at the past competition isn't going to become miraculously better overnight and suddenly unseat a perennial state finalist. I also agree with the fact that any other high level band could come in and sweep the State competition. I'm well aware of that fact. I was simply stating that I believe Marcus and Bell will take 1st and 2nd this year, in any order, based on what I have seen. And yes, I know Bell isn't strictly a BOA band. If you look at my other post, I referred to them as UIL state champs in 2004 and 2000, as well as being runner up in 2002.

No, I don't but I remember somebody complaining when this site first opened that there was a picture of Owasso standing next to what he/she thought was Richland. It was actually Hebron. How did I actually remember that?

Yes, UIL is a different contest than BOA. This still doesn't stop Bell from doing very well at UIL contests. 2004 State Champs, 2002 2nd place, 2000 State Champs. To say that Bell is a BOA band is false.