mnkyman Posted April 15, 2006 Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 it seems that gran nats has turned into just another regional... what happened to back in the day were bands made a trip to the competition once every other year or every 3 , 4 years... and it was a more prestigous thing call me pesimistic, but iono..it just seems like the whole gran nats idea has changed (this has no way to relate to the # of texas bands going..just the fact of to many going to it like its just another local regional) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbui Posted April 15, 2006 Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 I disagree. Attending Grand Nationals is still prestigious. Not only are you there with your fellow Texas bands but you're there gutting it out with bands from all across the nation. I'm sure the atmosphere, the adrenaline rush and the excitement is nothing like a regular BOA Regional. Furthermore.... In the mid-late 1990's, people used to call Grand Nationals a 'glorified Midwestern Regional' because the competition comprised mostly of midwestern bands with a Texas/Southern band or two every couple of years. Times have changed. I am glad to see more and more bands from our state in attendance at BOA Grand Nationals. Not only does it stack us against bands from other parts of the country, but it has helped Texas bands improve a certain area that we have always lacked in, Visual. Check this out. 2002 Stephen F. Austin HS, TX Visual Performance: 9th Place Ronald Reagan HS, TX & Winston Churchill HS, TX Visual Performance: 10th Place The Woodlands HS, TX Visual Performance: 12th Stephen F. Austin HS, TX Visual General Effect: 5th Place Winston Churchill HS, TX: Visual General Effect: 8th Place The Woodlands HS, TX Visual General Effect: 10th Place Ronald Reagan HS, TX Visual General Effect: 12th Place 2003 L.D. Bell HS, TX Visual Performace: 3rd Place Ronald Reagan HS, TX Visual Performance: 5th Place Westfield HS, TX: Visual Performance: 8th Place Ronald Reagan HS, TX Visual General Effect: 1st Place Westfield HS, TX Visual General Effect: 2nd Place L.D. Bell HS, TX Visual General Effect: 4th Place 2004 Stephen F. Austin HS, TX Outstanding Visual Performace Award - Semifinals Visual Performace - 2nd Place (Finals) Visual General Effect - 1st Place 2005 Ronald Reagan HS, TX Visual Performance - 4th Place Visual General Effect - 5th Place L.D. Bell HS, TX Visual Performance - 5th Place Visual General Effect - 1st Place By looking at that, you can tell Texas bands have improved tremendously when it comes to the visual aspect of shows. The more you attend, the more feedback you get and the more experience you gain. It's interesting to note that a Texas band has taken the Visual Performance-Ensemble & Visual General Effect subcaptions every year since 2003. ---- I'm certainly excited about 2006 Grand Nationals. Not only because of the record amount of Texas bands going but.... Kennesaw Mtn. (GA) will be there, Broken Arrow (OK) will be there, and even California bands will be represented. A couple of friends and I will be in Indianapolis cheering ALL bands and waving our Texas flag proudly during a Texas band performance. 2006 is shaping up to be an incredible one. To put it this way----Grand Nationals is better than ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnkyman Posted April 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 im guessing u didnt read my post at all..besides the first line... this isnt about texas bands...but just bands in general ..im excited to at the # of tx bands going this year..i just dislike the fact that such a wider # of bands go way to often and you speak of a gain , visual, but u never talk about a loss.. the marching band spectrum has changed tremendously just over the last couple of years.. i say that just about every band has imporved visualy, but every band has also declined in music.. go back and listen to a show from the 90's and then listen to one from now days..(dont watch the show)...then go watch a show from the 90's and watch a show from now days(not listeneing to the music) you will be suprised to see that musicality was at a higher level back then, but visual was at a much lower level , when compared to the shows of today. just my 2 cents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidpowell Posted April 15, 2006 Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 Well, as difficulty goes up, quality tends to go down. And you can't have an extremely easy show and just perform it well to play the BOA game, there has to be some challenge there. I agree with Mike, its a GOOD thing that so many bands go. I would much rather get my butt handed to me at a competition with 90 other groups than do awesome at a competition with 30. Seriously, next year at nats is going to frickin' rock, everyone is gonna' be there. If i wasn't going with my band, I'd be all like IHOP. But ya' know. Can't always get what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlinK Day 41 Posted April 15, 2006 Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 Well it seems like BOA is rewarding cleanliness over show difficulty lately, look at PCEP 99's drill, yes it was dirty compared to recent grand champions, but the show was extremely hard to pull off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbui Posted April 15, 2006 Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 QUOTE (mnkyman @ Apr 15 2006, 05:39 PM)im guessing u didnt read my post at all..besides the first line... I read your entire post. I just included some additionals thoughts on why I think attending Grand Nationals on a consistent basis is GOOD for a program. QUOTE (mnkyman @ Apr 15 2006, 05:39 PM)im excited to at the # of tx bands going this year..i just dislike the fact that such a wider # of bands go way to often I can't think of a single con about attending Grand Nationals often. Calling it a 'glorified Regional' is your opinion but I don't feel that way at all. Band directors take their bands to GN because of the experience. I read this on a director's newsletter a while back regarding Grand Nationals and I could not agree more, "Attending Grand Nationals would benefit because other programs that have attended in the past felt that it was a sort of cultural watershed for their students, breaking through to the next level of commitment from the kids and helping them to understand responsibility and the importance of doing their part for the betterment of an organization." QUOTE (mnkyman @ Apr 15 2006, 05:39 PM)and you speak of a gain , visual, but u never talk about a loss.. The point of my post had nothing to do with winning or losing Grand Nationals. It was about improving your band as a whole. QUOTE (mnkyman @ Apr 15 2006, 05:39 PM)say that just about every band has imporved visualy, but every band has also declined in music.. go back and listen to a show from the 90's and then listen to one from now days..(dont watch the show)...then go watch a show from the 90's and watch a show from now days(not listeneing to the music) you will be suprised to see that musicality was at a higher level back then, but visual was at a much lower level , when compared to the shows of today. While I agree that the marching arts has changed the past 5-10 years, I still feel that bands are still being musical. This past year, two bands produced some of the most musically challenging music books that I have heard in years---Ronald Reagan & L.D. Bell. When you have the University of Houston's Tom Bennett saying (in regards to Reagan '05), "This is the hardest music I have ever heard."....you know it's not going to be easy. People in the activity for some reason like to discredit the use of original compositions and modern music. Bands are still musical. And bands are still being techinical. There's just more "color" being added to the music these days. I find myself enjoying the modern and innovative shows. I never really cared for the pre-1998 stuff. I'm all about hearing and seeing new things in the activity. Same applies for drum corps. I'm really proud that a Texas band has taken the 'Outstanding Music Performance' Award at Grand Nationals four of the past five years (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005). Music is our bread and butter. And I attribute the success to the fine educators that teach in our state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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