Review: BOA GN Prelims Day 1 (Part 2)

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Bands of America Grand National Championships

November 8-11, 2006

RCA Dome

Indianapolis, IN

 

Lake Park High School

Roselle, IL

Repertoire: "A New World" featuring the music from Antonin Dvorak's "Symphony #9"

Comments: Six small circular forms had wind musicians on one knee (with heads down). Ooh! A pivotal drop of the rifle dismayed. I like how the saxophones played a key role in the melody. The frantic, in no time, is softened...and then a somewhat JAZZY trumpet solo is heard. Ooh! You know, a band that sings has to go all out when they do it..and this band did, this band did. And what's with the gorgeous voice of the DM on the 35? Was she great, or what? Some of the backfield marching was off base, especially in terms of UPPER BODY. (Trombones, you know who you are.) Wow, what a swell show! Lake Park STILL has it.

My Score: 83.90

My Day 1 Placement: 9th

My Overall Placement: 22nd

 

Mercer County High School

Harrodsburg, KY

Repertoire: "The Formula: Time, Space, and Energy"

Comments: The wind players, in line forms and clusters, extended their arms to their right. And off they went with accurate notes, but dizzying tongue. Get the "flah" out of the "dah," gang! Mellophone soloist, you cranked out those mid-range notes just fine, there. Your ballad, band, was killer...but I did not "feel" it, really. (It seemed to be there because it had to be there, not because it wanted to melt you or grab you or make you shed a tear. Whoa! The ending movement was lofty, intense. Oops! A flute player lost touch, but got back in it. (Recovery counts, recovery counts!) Alrighty...this show had its ups and downs, but mostly its ups. This was a fine show.

My Score: 67.00

My Day 1 Placement: 33rd

My Overall Placement: 67th

 

Castle High School

New Castle, IN

Repertoire: "Chain Reactions...the power of one" including "Mvt. I The Power of One," "Mvt. II Chain Reaction," "Mvt. III Dreams," "Mvt. IV Action-Reaction"

Comments: In a beaming diagonal form that got wider and wider towards the side B 30, a chain reaction is started with a baritone soloist who seems to "push" a ripple to where the form starts. Lots of chain reaction moves in this show...and all work. The electro drum beat fits so well. Do not lean into the step-off, saxes. Auxiliary, you are GREAT. WOW! Get a load of those rifle and sabre catches! IT is hard to deny that this band has a prowess for the musical. Ugh! I am sorry, remote flute soloist, that your amp equipment failed you. A sax quartet is BENDING. Yee haaaaa! There is some stationary stuff, here. Move it, move it, MOVE IT! Okay, this show finished with a nice, soft touch. Good going, guys!

My Score: 84.60

My Day 1 Placement: 8th

My Overall Placement: 18th

 

Northmont High School

Clayton, OH

Repertoire: "Ellis Island: The Gateway to America" featuring the music of Peter Boyer

Comments: Five cloth backdrops that have letters on the front spell, "ELLIS." Four scatter forms of black, white, and green control the field, while girls in drab brown fill in the spaces all over. Okay saxophones and trombones--way to connect. The first notes of this ensemble hit you with some oomph...but how strong was it? The ballad was gripping, especially with those endless flute sounds. Wow, it is not often you hear a flute trio like THAT on the field. Wild rifle catches are CONTROLLED. I loved the one-handed catches, too. Hmmm, one set of catches seemed to be in synch except for one...but that's okay, though. (No drops!) Well, well, well! This was a great show. These kids seemed to have a mature sound to them.

My Score: 78.20

My Day 1 Placement: 14th

My Overall Placement: 36th

 

West Johnston High School

Benson, NC

Repertoire: "Declaration" based on the music of Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin

Comments: A near ankh design is on the field now, with perfect spacing, perfect posture, and perfect...you name it! Before they are announced into competition, our attention is diverted to a snare drummer playing a drum that appeared to be fresh out of 1776. Okay! These kids sound phenomenal. (You have "A" down...now where's "B"? Ah, I see. "B" is to come.) Oh my, rifles! Hoo boy! (I loved how they were all caught vertically.) Nice tondu! Ooh! Ooh ooh ooh! The mellos roared with great power, and geez...this whole group just NAILED it. The sassy Fosse outstretch of the arm by the guard was too good. The ballad--what can I write about it except that it was GORGEOUS? "Okay, here we go!" cries the band, in an uncharacteristic way, ha ha! Way to do it up!

My Score: 86.90

My Day 1 Placement: 6th

My Overall Placement: 14th

 

Tippencanoe High School

Tipp City, OH

Repertoire: "El Sabor de Carnaval" including "Children of Sanchez," "Mucho Mojo," "La Suerta Del los Tontos" and "One More Time Chuck Corea"

Comments: They started off scattered, all except the percussion and the guard. Snare drum fire gets this show cookin'. This group has a decent sound and a decent look. I saw one trumpet player who was not "with it" AT ALL. (Somebody call 9-1-1 on this guy, now!) Ha! The snareless drummers seem to try to woo the auxiliary (who are wearing purple and orange, and are waving red flags). Eh, one too many clipped notes? Don't just "go through the motions," people...own it! Hmmm, one mello neglected to roll the horn up to the box (like the rest) during the trumpet fanfare. Okay, trumpet quartet...way to add some spice! Great bell tones, low brass. Hoo-aah! Strong smack down, folks!

My Score: 64.50

My Day 1 Placement: 37th

My Overall Placement: 72nd

 

Springboro High School

Springboro, OH

Repertoire: "Center Stage" including "Pagliacci," "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Dance in the Gym" from West Side Story, "Music of the Night" and "Beethoven's Ninth Symphony"

Comments: Hey, that pyramid prop that had steps leading up to a platform was a sight. (I liked the cool-colored tarp, too, placed like a diamond on the field.) Great control there, trumpets! A baritone soloist ascends the platform, executes excellently, and then is replaced by a color guard queen...and speaking of "queen," ha ha! Yeah, we are onto "Queen," now, with "Bohemian Rhapsody," and I am digging it. Flutes, I love how you get involved with what the guard is doing, your flutes ALMOST looking like swords. Trumpets had a few issues with chopped notes and air flow that did not cease. Keep pushing it, gang, keep pushing it! Okay! These kids made waves.

My Score: 69.50

My Day 1 Placement: 26th

My Overall Placement: 60th

 

Marrieta High School

Marrieta, OH

Repertoire: "Kokopelli" including the music from "Urban Dances" by Eric Morales, "The Sphinx" by Gary Gilroy, "Love Dance" by Rene Dupere and "Danse Kokopelli" by Michael Kaman

Comments: A skeleton of a teepee housed a flute player on the front side B 40. Ah yeah...that flute solo was quite lifting. Tubas, this is great...though there are only two of you, I can HEAR you! Hello, saxes: what happened to spacing? Actually, the saxes are not the ONLY ones. It is the little things that count, people. Baritones, right before the next splendid flute solo there is flubber there. Ooh, I like how you all hit the 45-yard line when you were supposed to. I could tell that the kids put the time and effort into this show, but...there was too much dirt. Yeah, thank you for keeping up your strengths, especially at the very, very end.

My Score: 61.20

My Day 1 Placement: 42nd

My Overall Placement: 82nd

 

Normal West High School

Normal, IL

Repertoire: "Fantasy on a Japanese Folk Song" by Samuel Hazo, "Three Japanese Dances--Mvt. III" and "Dances with Swords" by Bernard Rogers

Comments: A pristine, white oriental bridge held two flute players in grey and black. The designs of a japanese woman and man from "way back when" were spiffy. Trumpets, up and down on your sides do your horns go, and yes...not bad. Do not lean into your step-off, flutes (after that small woodwind ensemble part). Hey! Where'd you go??? I heard some cheering and clapping after what seemed to like a flute "burp." Suave catch, sabres, and now some action on the bridge. Aren't Taiko drums great? A storming drum feature has the winds "storming" with long bamboo poles, and I must admit that, besides the swimming pole motions, the work was quite solid. These champs had the ATMOSPHERE, no doubt, rendering a thought-filled show.

My Score: 68.20

My Day 1 Placement: 29th

My Overall Placement: 63rd

 

Carmel High School

Carmel, IN

Repertoire: "Revolution"

Comments: Light blue globes occupied the side A rear, and then as your eyes travel right, larger rolling type globes of blue and green could be seen. The guard looks relaxed on their backs, and then when they get up, boy do they get up. CRASH! Off goes a cymbal and caught goes the rifles. A foreboding synth sound goes on long after the winds' sound dies off. Saxophones, when your saxophones are down, what is the correct angle? (I don't know if it's just me, but it looks a little sloppy.) This is a fascinating show. Holy...a sabre twas tossed way, way, way high! And after some acrobatics, it was GRASPED. I love how, like mice, the guard get in those blue and green contraptions and roll! This show was a total joy! So THAT'S why they are the defending BOA Grand National Champions! My goodness.

My Score: 91.00

My Day 1 Placement: 1st

My Overall Placement: 5th

 

Kings High School

Kings Mills, OH

Repertoire: "Pastime," "The Prologue from The Natural," "Three Bags and a Plate" and "Early Light"

Comments: Ha ha! That's awesome. Some of the kids "warm up" by playing catch with a baseball. After thier musical warm-up, a baritone player yells with all his might, "PLAY BALL!" Ooh! One trumpet player brings his horn up late. Not a bad rifle catch, rifles. The fugue section worked, and the rotations of lines connected. The Drum Major played a few notes on the concert horn, which is rare-but-nice-to-see. All right, guard, holding one of your own up with the knees of two of you. Ha! Audience participation amuses, as the synth organ sound plays the lead-up to "CHARGE!" These kids maxed out to the end of their fun show. Play ball, indeed!

My Score: 71.30

My Day 1 Placement: 24th

My Overall Placement: 57th

 

Greeneview High School

Jamestown, OH

Repertoire: "6 a.m.," "Rhapsody in Blue" and "All That Jazz" from "Chicago" and "Cool" from "West Side Story"

Comments: The saxophones flipped their horns with the tick-tocking wood block. Uh-oh, I heard some scattershot sounds. All right, when certain sections, like the trumpets or mellos, had unique solis, things "worked." Uh! A rifle was dropped at an unkind time. Line, line, line up those notes...please? Get in step! Wow. Please spare me the TIMIDNESS. Get aggressive, now. (Yeah, just like that big hit of yours!) Excellent recovery, flute player (who got herself back into step). This show rolled right along. Obviously, there are a lot of things this band could do better. Of the things I saw them do great, individual marching stood out the most. (I distinctly remember a flautist on her toes on the backwards march...nice.) Good work, gang!

My Score: 57.50

My Day 1 Placement: 45th

My Overall Placement: 89th

 

Marian Catholic High School

Chicago Heights, IL

Repertoire: "VARIATIONS! a concert for young people"

Comments: With black tops with gold strips in a sash-like way, and either black pants or white pants, the uniformed members formed an elaborate symmetrical form. The auxiliary took to the spaces in flowing lavendar dresses. A narrator in a tuxedo does some explaining, and walks around the field with pompous skill and pride. "How about this Irish jig?" he asks, as the rest of the band plays off these words. Uuugh...a block rotation got munched. Marian's woodwinds are amongst the best in the business, for sure...and make that BRASS, too. Whoa! Solid, solid release! Pink rifles in the backfield seem to go airborne to the lush music, but one gets dropped hard. Wow, there's the old Marian, with their sinister sounds and drill that makes you head spin.

My Score: 87.30

My Day 1 Placement: 4th

My Overall Placement: 12th

 

Metamora Township High School

Matamora, IL

Repertoire: "The Dark Side of the Rainbow: The Music of Pink Floyd" by Craig Fitzpatrick

Comments: I was whisked away to Oz with backdrops that featured the Wicked Witch's hat and the Emerald City. "The urban legend continues," says the DM, who is holding a soprano saxophone. Ha ha! The Wizard of Oz, and...Pink Floyd? Maybe. Sporadic sounds came from the amped woodwind trio. Steady as she goes, trumpets! The sop sax and mello do their stuff right. Kick the flat feet out of there, band. (Keep your minds open to spacing, too.) The oddball "Wizard of Oz" music worked, and the kids worked it hard. Get happy with those sounds, band. There's that curved "X" form, again. (Would it hurt to straighten the curves, just for kicks?) "We don't need no education," chants the band. Nice. Nice unique show.

My Score: 60.40

My Day 1 Placement: 43rd

My Overall Placement: 83rd

 

Carroll High School

Dayton, OH

Repertoire: "End of the Line," an original composition by Andrew Markworth

Comments: These kids had classy red, white, and blue unis...and the aussies with the looong feathers were classic. Hmmm...oh good, those huge clarinet gaps in form were filled. (I was a little worried, there.) All right, I was into the stop, stop, stop and more woodwind move (with music). Wow, these kids made the most of their starts and stops, and they were masters at "peeling off." Good stuff. A concert horn solo rules, and yet the rest of the band is a tad bit too motionless for my taste. Way to rip that note sky high, horn! Auxiliary, I think you should know you had great ribbon rolls. Tilted snares, way to top 'em. Ooh! The sabre is nearly dropped in the diamond form, but not. Great staging jobs in the fat arrow form. Excellent work overall, everyone!

My Score: 69.30

My Day 1 Placement: 27th

My Overall Placement: 61st

 

Ben Davis High School

Indianapolis, IN

Repertoire: "Celestial Journey"

Comments: This band broke out two huge tarps that formed a picture of part of the earth. The sound of crickets and other critters chirping were emitted from the front percussion ensemble. A recorded narrator invites us on "a journey." The music from these kings of sting is grand. The auxiliary do some dangerous work with the tuba section, but do not quite "line up." (I want to see sameness in every aspect.) A mellophone soloist goes wobbly...but is not too bad. The flute section aims their flutes at the rest of the winds in a clump, seemingly getting them to extend showmanship, with arm waves and horn "rattling." True to their nickname, they produced a giant sound.

My Score: 85.50

My Day 1 Placement: 7th

My Overall Placement: 17th

 

Rampart High School

Colorado Springs, CO

Repertoire: "Autumn@tic" featuring "October" by Eric Whitacre and "Ride" by Samuel Hazo

Comments: Like the number 5 face of dice, wind players were scattered around the field in these tidy forms. Great, great drop to one knee, guard, just as the music hit downwards. The baritone and saxophone duet was a neat take on things. A huge breath by guard gals catching their tools, one-by-one, and then a booming note accompanies the final catch with BITE. Ooh, strengthen those line rotates, you guys! A shako falls off the head of one member and becomes a safety hazard, it seems...but thank goodness for a caring judge, ha! Strong winds, strong percussion, and stronger auxiliary, here. This show went down full blast.

My Score: 82.40

My Day 1 Placement: 12th

My Overall Placement: 30th

 

Jenison High School

Jenison, MI

Repertoire: "Enigma Variations" by Edward Elgar

Comments: Strips of tarp on the far left side of side A had wind players kneeling on both knees on them (and to the left of them), and some wind players holding up orange boards. Soon, these orange boards were lifted and seemed to frame those who were dancing behind them. Amazingly, these props stood diagonally upright, which had me guessing on the mechanics of this 'till the very end. This group was non-stop in speed and pas-sion. A flute soloist goes strong, standing amongst a dreamy prop (which can only be described as puffs of cream or snow or clouds (light purple, light blue, and white). When the drifting ballad ended, I am taken to new heights with bursts of sound and fine cut-offs. Do not let the volume die! Okay, FANTASTIC. This band worked like a charm. These kids had some luring music and kickin' drill...just what they needed.

My Score: 79.10

My Day 1 Placement: 13th

My Overall Placement: 35th

 

Lebanon High School

Lebanon, OH

Repertoire: "RED: The Dark Side of the Hood"

Comments: Some of the members stood like surprised statues...and a girl dressed like Little Red Riding Hood snuch around. A guard guy dressed in black (with a hint of grey) seemed to be a troublemaker, as he stole a yellow basket. Way to stick that first big catch, guard. A form ripples about, except for a kid who does a sax solo...and he is joined by a flute soloist who contributes well. The lurching music at the end of the spooky movement moves with the "pushed" notes. Diamond form collapse to vertical line--success! Ha ha ha! The troublemaker dude get his you-knpw-what kicked by many "Hoods" in the end. Cute show.

My Score: 66.90

My Day 1 Placement: 34th

My Overall Placement: 68th

 

Miamisburg High School

Miamisburg, OH

Repertoire: "To Tame the Perilous Skies" by David Holsinger

Comments: A long, black platform up front has six clarinets and six saxophones, with ramps to the left and the right. The markings on the platform are like those found on an aircraft carrier. A solid sound of many as one consumed me. When this show went speed demon on me, los of nice things "stuck out," including a proficient guard, persistent feet, and passionate notes. Mellophones, way to work the "Holsinger mellophone specialty." I hear lots of inconsistencies in air flow and notes near the end, but these kids are real troopers. This show had a lot of gusto. They seemed to have just what they needed to gain the edge, even though a few notes and moves got splattered. Awesome, awesome work with this slough of a show.

My Score: 70.00

My Day 1 Placement: 25th

My Overall Placement: 58th

 

Connally High School

Austin, TX

Repertoire: "Ourspace.com: A Symphonic Blog." Music including "New Born" by Juse, "Dance Suite" by Bela Bartok, "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M. and "Javelin" by Michael Torke

Comments: What sounds like constant instant message sending comes with keyboard typing and "Enter" button pushing sound effects. Minimalist sounds from the pit got my mind in a rut. "BOA Grand Nationals, here we are," says a female narrator "blogger." Trombone feature, almost-perfect rifle catch, and extra low tuba note--outstanding. Expert musicianship persists. Ooh, that was a harsh rifle drop, but...was it INTENTIONAL? Ha ha...maybe. (A narrative discusses failure, and he goes on to practice, practice, practice rifle catches.) Heh heh! The band "crazy dance" gets the job done. This wall of sound comes at you like a ton of bricks.

My Score: 82.80

My Day 1 Placement: 11th

My Overall Placement: 28th

 

Center Grove High School

Greenwood, IN

Repertoire: "Angels in America" by Thomas Newman, "Bells for Stokowsky" by Michael Daugherty and "Niagra Falls" by Michael Daugherty

Comments: Swirl forms covered much of the field and then the light swaying...I got seasick watching these guys! A saxophone quartet, and the snap of moves to a bell held this band up high. Mellos, careful not to leeean...okay? Aces, every one of them--and I am writing of the guard, now. Way to keep that sabre in motion, guard soloist near the flute soloist...yeah. A member of the band sings with dream-like beau-ty. (She is WONDERFUL!) Ha ha! I love it! The guard helps mute some of the 'bones. Things get wild and crazy with a funky drum beat and a funky woodwind ensemble (with...tubas? Yeah.) The last form is a compass rose form that puts the spotlight on a guard girl who raises her arms with passion and might.

My Score: 87.40

My Day 1 Placement: 3rd

My Overall Placement: 11th

 

Indian Hill High School

Cincinnati, OH

Repertoire: "4 Dance Episodes 4 Band" featuring the music of Michael Torke, Michael Kamen and Gary Gilroy including "Introduction and Dance," "Fast Dance," "Slow Dance" and "Last Dance"

Comments: An "S" form that curved sharply had the guard in it with flags held open. The trumpet section sounded very nervous, no? Okay, now THAT'S what I'm looking for...some gutsy sounds. These kids were on the mark with their feet, it seemed. (Impressive.) Wow, this show got better and better. Drums, good thorough beats. The two color guard girls playing on the cellos were ON. Now, on the backwards march here: do we ALL have toes upwards? (I did not see it.) Trombones, adhere, adhere, adhere with that space between you. The last bit of drill had some fight. Okay, way to go, kiddos!

My Score: 67.90

My Day 1 Placement: 31st

My Overall Placement: 65th

 

Moore High School

Moore, OK

Repertoire: "Dot to Dot"

Comments: Circular fabrics were placed all around. The wind players were set up in vertical lines of two, three, or four. The guard have these neat hoop skirts that flare out to the max. The synths repeat a string of notes perfect. Transition from Part 1 to Part 2 is seamless, as some of the fabrics of cream are flipped to show off blue, now. Ooh, bass clarinets almost bump into each other. At times, the intervals are uneven...and at times, the musical skills uneven, too. (I heard a trumpet sticking out, sound not on cue, and messy drumming.) Ah, those were some strong flute skills at the end! Okay, now get the gears in gear for that fabric set. This show was on tap. Just dinks here and there held them down. I liked the INTENT. You guys worked quite hard. My congratulations, all.

My Score: 73.00

My Day 1 Placement: 23rd

My Overall Placement: 52nd

 

Beechwood High School

Ft. Mitchell, KY

Repertoire: "Concerto for the 21st Century" featuring the music of Brian Morgan including "I. Allegro Mysterioso," "II. Sparks," "III. Sotto Voce" and "IV. Finale"

Comments: A triangular tarp with the design of keyboard keys (on the bottom) played stage to synthesizer with a piano sound, the synthesizer having a clever outline of metal to give it the piano "look." A stirring synth sound, followed by a climax that does not inflame...but rather, sweetly knocks with a piano concoction. Ha! I love the electro concoction, too, as a guy with sunglasses does his thing with what looks like a woodwind instrument "hooked up." Now we have a different person with a different sound on this very same electronic thing. Though these kids are few, they pump up their volume big time (when they absolutely need to). This is "the little band that could"...and DID! This was a pleasant audio/visual product.

My Score: 73.30

My Day 1 Placement: 22nd

My Overall Placement: 51st

 

Alan Irons

Fountain Valley High School Marching Band 1993-1996

Pacific Crest of Diamond Bar 1997

Nashua Spartans 1998-1999

UCSB Class of 2002