Prof. Chaos

Unless there's been a copernican revolution in the way they play their horns in the past year, I wouldn't slate them as a "locked up". 60% of the UIL score is music. In the past, they haven't played their instruments well enough to be competitive at UIL. (I saw them live in 2010 at BOA. Wonderful show. Entertaining. Interesting. However, it would have been destroyed at UIL for brass players not making characteristic sounds.)

I think his conjecture is that, all things being equal, the top bands at BOA SA are as good as those at GN. It requires some assumptions: -Everyone improved to the same degree as Cedar Park in the 2 weeks between shows, etc. -Judging panels see things the same way. The wrench gets thrown into the argument when you consider that most BOA SA participants' shows were designed to peak that weekend (and in the next 3 days at 5A State). CP was designed to peak 2 weeks later.

Possibly, but look at what might happen in the music caption. An Indiana band that might place 3-5 in music at GN in Indy could suddenly be looking at 6-9. BOA scores can change based upon the ability of the competitors. You have to have room to slot everyone. Put Avon in 5A state finals and they'd easily place in the bottom half musically.* Not to mention that of the Texas schools in GN finals, 2/3 were not in 5A SMC. Quite frankly, the Texas kids play their horns much, much better. (A lot of this is down to valuing different things among the two states' music educators.) *I've only seen the Avon Semi-Finals show on The Fan Network. Perhaps finals was much better and I just missed it.

Good examples. See a few underappreciated shows: Westfield '94 - On the Waterfront. Spring '95 - Stained Glass. Westfield '98 - Bernstein's Mass (note: post 8-hr. rule). Those two programs could have challenged for GN's every year in the mid-'90s (and it's a crime that Westfield didn't win in '95).

Spring 1994 was the Merlin Patterson arrangement of Stravinsky's Firebird that he wrote for Klein in 1993. (Jersey Village played it [well] this year.)

True, but once you add in time (possibly) missed for UIL region contests, Super Regionals, and State Marching Contest, that adds up to a lot of time. >1 week of instructional time.

Ouch! That is brutal! Any hope of redistricting soon? Do those areas apply to Honor Band (TMEA) as well?

Favorites from State Finals: Duncanville - Best show of the night. Spring - Most creative. Not my favorite music, but excellent thematic unity. Marcus - Fun show to watch. Not my favorite combination of music and visual but very fun show. I had to force myself to watch the band after watching the shadows the entire time during the prelims. What a clever idea! Hebron - Very well done. Favorites from Prelims that didn't make finals: Brazoswood - Great, great show. Reagan - Great brass playing. Didn't get the whole "Re..." thing but enjoyed the show anyway. (I really thought those two bands would make finals.)