UIL 5A State Marching Contest 2025 (Nov. 10 & 11)

[TexasStrangers]

1 hour ago, clarinetistkai05 said:

A name I never thought I would hear recently…

A possible future TxBands Forum HOF candidate lol!

[Bandlover36743]

Does anyone else feel like having Judges from BOA San Antonio judge State Prelims wasn’t very fair? I don’t believe it was fair that judges who had just seen the best bands in the state on Saturday should judge a what can be considered lower caliber competition especially for morning bands. I noticed that Richard Saucedo, the brass judge, gave some low scores to brass for the first couple of bands to preform. What’s y’all’s opinion on this?

[OGFISD99]

4 minutes ago, Bandlover36743 said:

Does anyone else feel like having Judges from BOA San Antonio judge State Prelims wasn’t very fair? I don’t believe it was fair that judges who had just seen the best bands in the state on Saturday should judge a what can be considered lower caliber competition especially for morning bands. I noticed that Richard Saucedo, the brass judge, gave some low scores to brass for the first couple of bands to preform. What’s y’all’s opinion on this?

I don't think it's fair but this practice has been going on since I can remember..... the judging world is small so they do what they can to have judges available..... I do think that judges for UIL State should be from each class or mix of each class band directors from areas where those bands didn't make State..... 

[TexasStrangers]

12 minutes ago, Bandlover36743 said:

Does anyone else feel like having Judges from BOA San Antonio judge State Prelims wasn’t very fair? I don’t believe it was fair that judges who had just seen the best bands in the state on Saturday should judge a what can be considered lower caliber competition especially for morning bands. I noticed that Richard Saucedo, the brass judge, gave some low scores to brass for the first couple of bands to preform. What’s y’all’s opinion on this?

UIL does not bring in random people to judge state level contests. Most of the judges have been selected and their names published numerous months ahead of time so directors know who they are. 

Also at the state level contests all judges scores get watched over by a head judge over the entire competition before they are submitted. 

[Gpk1968]

22 minutes ago, OGFISD99 said:

do think that judges for UIL State should be from each class or mix of each class band directors from areas where those bands didn't make State.

I don’t know how band directors would feel about that…I am positive that would be a HECK NO.

I think the general consensus is that you do not judge your own division beyond the region level (because some region contests have multiple divisions present so it’s harder)

[Bandlife]

4 hours ago, Argyleauntie346 said:

I’d like to say something about these finals rankings today: I am disgusted with the conclusion the judges came to. It is disrespectful to neglect what bands like Lonestar offered musically and visually. Placing them at eighth is a sign of ignorance and injustice, displayed by the judging panel here today. Just because a band doesn’t have perfect balance on the field as they would in a concert room, or doesn’t put Beethoven or Mozart in their show, shouldn’t subtract from their music score as it most definitely did today. Cedar Park absolutely deserved this win today; however, winning content and design having no props and a show named “listen” with little to no general effect is… not just. Simply because the band has won every single other year shouldn’t mean that they get first in almost every single category this year. Understandably, picking famous names/composers to judge a state level marching competition will result in outcomes reflecting a concert band perspective. I’d like to urge for a reform in future UIL marching band judging panels! 

Is this a bad time to mention Lonestar actually tied with BC? And BC won a caption. 😬

[Tubalord11]

What did I just read going through the post-result comments 😭

[WanderingTraveler]

6 minutes ago, Tubalord11 said:

What did I just read going through the post-result comments 😭

Time to just smile and move on, lol🫩

[Tubalord11]

I’m surprised it wasn’t closed by staff, some crazy stuff being said but lowkey the rage bait is kinda funny. Still not over this comp, just such a good comp with so much history being made for many programs. 

[lost]

Cedar Park has set the bar for 5A bands for the last decade. Starting from 2015 to 2025 through numerous changes.

From Cedar Park’s 5th place at nationals in 2016 to Cedar Park’s two finals misses in 2018 and 2019. All the way to their covid bounce back in 2021. Wherever they were, every 5A band was always right behind them.

Without them we’re entering a new era we haven’t seen for ten years. Wonder what’s in store for 5A and 6A, but it’s worth saying Cedar Park isn’t going anywhere.

[TubaMama]

10 minutes ago, Tubalord11 said:

I’m surprised it wasn’t closed by staff, some crazy stuff being said but lowkey the rage bait is kinda funny. Still not over this comp, just such a good comp with so much history being made for many programs. 

I’ll bet it will be closed soon. Man what a great day filled with so much talent and extremely well executed shows. Congratulations to all the bands who dedicated so much time perfecting their shows. So thankful I was able to attend. Looking forward to 2026!

[jetliner]

8 hours ago, jetliner said:

Wow Leander, such clean drill!

Joke posting aside, I knew this would set me up for one good shot. I think I got it.

[OGFISD99]

CP has plenty of GE...... GE has not nothing to do with Props... GE is what the students do with bodies, hand, feet ,head, facial expressions..... your point isn't valid..... Argyle auntie if have been a judge then you'd know in uil props aren't part of the judging of the contest.... props can be used to enhance the shows theme but they've never been seen as judging criteria.... at least from what I remember..... Leander had those screens but I bet you one thing is the judges might have seen them as a distraction to their beautiful drill... if they would have used those screens as background I think they would have enhanced the show more instead of taken away..... 

[QuickSwig]

6 hours ago, MikeKyu said:

You're right. They should have been ninth

It’s pretty clear you’re just trying to stir things up atp. Saying Lone Star should’ve been ninth is just ragebait. Regardless of placement, their show was musically powerful, and it visually connected with the audience in a way that’s hard to ignore. You don’t have to like them, but dismissing their performance like that says more about your attitude than their quality. I can already tell the school you were rooting for did well and I'm not trying to invalidate their performance or their rank. I however believe that your low opinion of a good performance reflects poorly on your judging abilities. 

[C11]

Is it crazy to say that we may see Argyle dominate 5a like they did with 4a in the near future?

[Gpk1968]

7 hours ago, QuickSwig said:

It’s pretty clear you’re just trying to stir things up atp. Saying Lone Star should’ve been ninth is just ragebait. Regardless of placement, their show was musically powerful, and it visually connected with the audience in a way that’s hard to ignore. You don’t have to like them, but dismissing their performance like that says more about your attitude than their quality. I can already tell the school you were rooting for did well and I'm not trying to invalidate their performance or their rank. I however believe that your low opinion of a good performance reflects poorly on your judging abilities. 

I don’t think he meant it at all. He was just poking at the troll. I took it 100% as a joke. 

[GasBabyOfficial]

Bro, what is going on in these forums rn 💀💀💀

[anotherbandmom]

13 hours ago, MikeKyu said:

6A is going to be murderer's row for a few years

It already is 🫠

[Gpk1968]

Just now, rousemom52 said:

It already is 🫠

Took the words right out of my mouth!

[oddlynormal]

19 hours ago, Argyleauntie346 said:

I completely disagree.  

And that is fine.  However, I would love your take on why.

[DrummersEcho]

For the 5A Area B Bands who made state. all 4 OF THEM making STATE FINALS!!

Man. This was a crazy season. Major props to Lebanon Trail and Argyle High School for being absolute Powerhouses this year and pushing through their Area to both qualify for a State Spot.
Lone Star, a little on edge with placements, Lone star should have been 6th at Lowest, but maybe it was just a dirty, they still won at most of the contests. Dont know if its judging or just these other bands improved. Lebanon Trail's show design this year was just immaculate, the jump from 2023, 12th place state finals, 2024 5th place at area TO 4th place at state in 2025 is wild. I hope to see them dominate next year.
So glad to see the Domination from Frisco Texas, Frisco is in such a good place for 5A bands.
Results dont really matter, these kids all made finals and are representing their city and inspiring the other frisco bands who have not made state to better. Without such a competive area, no one would be getting better. 
Wakeland!! 🥉 Such a powerful show very happy they medaled this year, i knew it was good enough since the start. One day i can see them getting Silver.

[WanderingTraveler]

Quick recap on the 2025 5A season before this forum gets closed:

 

What a season! Congratulations to all the bands competing and those who made it to the SMBC. There were definitely some major shake ups not only from preseason thoughts, but even from even more recently! Regardless, crazy display of talent top to bottom. There were a few bands that have been active in this competition that were left out due to the strength of this competition, like Pieper and McKinney North to name a few. However, this state competition will look very different next year with a good chunk of bands moving 6A, and some 4As moving up. Congratulations to Cedar park on ending their 5A tenure with a exclamation mark before their move to 6A. The other medalists, Rouse and Wakeland, showing they can hang with the 6A bands at BOA SA with Rouse being 8th and Wakeland just on the outside looking in at 15th. Leander! I am glad you tried something new this year, despite the mixed feedback. Theres a few evolutions of the activity that would not happen if people didn’t take risks (take Bluecoats 2015 as an example). The area of doom and despair, Area B showed up once again, and showed up in a big way having every single band from that area in the Top 8. Despite the shake up from area, these bands from this area represented well, outstanding job! BC percussion, wow, thats it! Aledo, Im not sure if it will be trains or boats next season, but whatever it is, y'all will bring another thematically great show, as y'all did this year. Finally, Richland, McCallum, and Hays…most people, myself included were unaware of your game! Great showing from these bands, and you guys 100% deserved finals, and represented yalls bands well. I could ramble on but I’ll let the season breathe for now.

This has been my favorite contest for quite some time, but I think next year I might detour and take a trip to either 6A SMBC or BOA San Antonio next year, but excited for next season nonetheless the less.

[txbandgremlin]

15 hours ago, ThatOneRandomGuy said:

Definitely a Lonestar Parent…

Most likely and some can be just as terrible as the kids when they think something isn’t fair. 

[DrummersEcho]

12 minutes ago, txbandgremlin said:

Most likely and some can be just as terrible as the kids when they think something isn’t fair. 

As a student who goes to a school in FISD. I have 2 friends who go to lone star and apparently they said the directors and band parents are mad and saying that the judges were bad, alot of them believe that argyle and lebanon trail should not have been that high.

[FormerWildcat]

9 hours ago, C11 said:

Is it crazy to say that we may see Argyle dominate 5a like they did with 4a in the near future?

I mean if we eliminated the projected 6As they would have gotten first in prelims...