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They lost some this season and had their best season in their history by far.

 

They kept their full complement of Jr's and Sr's this year, and it really showed (great season!). They won't have as many coming up obviously. I hope they are able to keep this level (and get even better) going forward!

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They kept their full complement of Jr's and Sr's this year, and it really showed (great season!). They won't have as many coming up obviously. I hope they are able to keep this level (and get even better) going forward!

Those that are staying have the experience and taste of success. This will surely filter down to the incoming. Success breeds success. It's like a virus. It'll rub off on everyone.

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While I definitely agree that the split didn’t seem to affect Oak Ridge negatively this year at all (quite the opposite)and success does breed success, I also share concerns with TWHSParent as to whether their good fortune this year will continue. Though my concern isn’t at all with them having fewer band members, they’ll have plenty; It’s the amount of financial and community support as a result of the split.

 

Being from the area, I’ve seen a correlation of the improvement of Oak Ridge’s band and school as a whole the past few years with the amount of more affluent neighborhoods being built as a result of Exxon Mobile headquarters being built in Spring, TX. Maybe it’s a coincidence, idk but I think it plays a role somehow. Unfortunately with the split with Grand Oaks, basically ALL of the newer and wealthier neighborhoods feed into Grand Oaks leaving Oak Ridge with the older and less affluent neighborhoods. I recall that that was a major concern when deciding on who will be zoned to what school since it was seen as being so disproportionate.

While money alone doesn’t make a good program, it definitely helps, and hopefully it won’t stop Oak Ridge’s recent rise.

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Top 10 in 2018, in random order (Excluding Seven Lakes):

 

TWCP

Oak Ridge — Landmark year? Absolutely!

Brazoswood — AKA Thanos Band

Pearland — Pink props best props

North Shore

The Woodlands

JET — Un-der-rate-ed!

SFA — Nice to see them back!

Cy-Fair

Clements

 

—I’m ignorant on Dawson; based on reputation they might replace one of these.

 

—If TWHS produces such a fine visual package next year like they did this year...let’s just say the TxDynasty at GN 2019 will be even more exciting.

 

—2018 was a landmark year for us, and I think the vibes from this season cemented a new culture toward marching band in our program. Because of this, I think we’ll be around for a while! I can’t wait to observe this program’s growth as a proud future alumnus.

I know you're removing yourself to remove bias, but I hope you know that y'all are near the top from this season.

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The woodlands is 1st of course, but who’s the 2nd best? Cy-fair? Oak Ridge? Pearland? College Park?

 

In 2018? Oak Ridge. My opinion based upon my purely subjective reading of UIL and BOA results plus what I saw in person:

 

1. The Woodlands

2. Oak Ridge

3. Seven Lakes

4. Cy-Fair

5. North Shore

6. College Park

7. Pearland

8. Dawson

9. Brazoswood

10. Stephen F Austin

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In 2018? Oak Ridge. My opinion based upon my purely subjective reading of UIL and BOA results plus what I saw in person:

 

1. The Woodlands

2. Oak Ridge

3. Seven Lakes

4. Cy-Fair

5. North Shore

6. College Park

7. Pearland

8. Dawson

9. Brazoswood

10. Stephen F Austin

I agree. Hopimg SFA can move their way back up this list in the coming years.

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Houston bands that I thought performed at an exceptional level in 2018. This all based on how I felt watching them, and has absolutely nothing to do with scores.

SFA

Clements

Westfield

Spring

The Woodlands

College Park

Oak Ridge

Brazoswood

Seven Lakes

Cy Fair

William B.Travis

Clear Brook (such a gorgeous show)

Pearland

North Shore

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Id love to!

Heres what I got:

Friendswood: I have to admit after their placement at Conroe I have to admit I had sort of written them off as legit competitive band, but seeing them at San Antonio was a very pleasant surprise! While their show wasnt a stellar design, it was super entertaining and was executed at a veru high level. Definetely gonna be competing for a 5a state finalist spot next year.

Galena Park: Truly a program on their wah to doing alot. Had a few down years, but doubled in size this year and performs with much more confidence. I believe this band will be in contention for a state spot next year.

Porter: Talk about a rising program! These guys barely made 1s a few years back and are now a solid state band! Expecting great stuff.

Waller: Havent seen since 2016 but was blown away by the 2016 show.

Tomball: Very very very powerful for their size. Always a great performing band, and should make state again in 2019. Id like a bit more volume from them, but nevertheless a very great band.

Grand Oaks: Lookout for this band in the future. Nothing but great things to come.

Splendora: A very slowly rising program. Easily had under 50 kids in 2015, and made 3, and are now pushing 100 kids and are making 1s. Their improvements, while slow, are noticeable, and we could see this band at 4a state soon.

Shadow Creek: See Grand Oaks

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  • 1 year later...

From the 2019 season, I’d say some of the top bands in Houston that I can list off the top of my head would have to be something like:

(Not in order)

The Woodlands

Seven Lakes

Oak Ridge

Bridgeland

Cy Fair

 

I don’t really know much about 5A, but some of the bands that stick out to me when I think of 5A would probably be:

(Not in order)

Friendswood

Tomball

Galena Park

 

For the upcoming 2020 season, I am expecting to see a lot of bands on the rise, and one band in particular that I am most exited about would have to be Bridgeland. Over the couple past years from their existence in 2017, they have grown rapidly. Another thing to note is that they are also attending grand nationals this year. With that being said, I believe that they will try and go over the top in order to prove a point at grand nationals. Honestly. I am very excited to see how high of a level they will be able to achieve.

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I agree with everything said above. Tompkins was a huge surprise and standout for me this year. I've also loved Clear Brook and JET the last several years. Westfield gets my honorable mention for having another strong year. I could see them making Houston finals again within the next few years at this rate.

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I'll leave my 2 cents here of the top bands in Houston, try and throw in a few words on most of them (and I'm going off of 2020-2022 alignments for this list). Starting with 6A:

 

Area E:

 

Shadow Creek - I remember seeing them at BOA Austin early season and wasn't incredibly impressed, but watching a video of their area run I was blown away by how much they had grown throughout the season. I wouldn't count them out of area finals in 6A, just give those euphoniums marching horns and they'll be golden!

 

Brazoswood - They've always been one of the strongest Houston-area bands and they proved themselves again this year. I see them being a strong contender for state as usual this fall, always love their show designs.

 

Dickinson - This band is always interesting to watch, been a while since they've participated in BOA so I'm not too familiar with them as a program. They are regular area finalists though and they don't show many signs of dropping out anytime soon.

 

Stephen F. Austin - This bands has been back on the upswing and they aren't being subtle about it. Their visual book this past fall was one of the most competitive in Texas and it was greatly reflected in results, and matched with that is a big band sound with a relatively small group. Qualifying for state is barely a question for them anymore.

 

Clements - I wish they did more BOA, they're one of the more consistent bands in Houston throughout the entirety of last decade and I was personally a little bummed to see them out of finals at TMC. Once again, they'll be in the running for state.

 

Clear Brook - Wow, what a season for them. I personally believe they put out their strongest production ever as a school this past fall even if I wasn't a fan of the design. They'll be out for blood this year after getting state alternate in 2018.

 

Pasadena Memorial - Mainly putting them on this list because of their fantastic world class percussion program. They also have fairly strong shows in the fall and I have a feeling they'll crack area finals this year.

 

Pearland - Again, what a season for this Area E band. Making finals at San Antonio was huge, but in a way expected by anybody familiar with their season trends as a program. I personally would like to see them pull a North Shore and sneak into state finals, which they proved this season they are definitely capable of.

 

Dawson - Dawson truly had a stunning show this past season with their return to BOA. Their design was so much more mature than other recent years and I hope to see this trend continue.

 

Area F:

 

College Park - TWCP did not have their best season this year, but I don't think that is foreshadowing any major decline in the program. They'll be right back at the top this year and we'll probably see them at state as usual.

 

Grand Oaks - Even though they might not be fully ready for the 6A competitive scene yet, I feel like mentioning them because of their rapid growth as a program since they opened a couple years ago.

 

Oak Ridge - Now that we've seen the smaller sized program due to the school split, they've proven they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Just like TWCP, I don't think they're going to be out of the state game anytime soon, especially this year.

 

The Woodlands - No real introduction is needed for TWHS, but here we go anyways: 2013 Grand National champion, regular national finalist, undisputed top band in the Houston area for almost a decade. Excited to see their show as always.

 

North Shore - I mentioned them earlier with their surprise (and well deserved) state finals appearance in 2016. Their 2018 opening hit is one of my favorite moments in marching band ever and their ensemble sound is incredible (one of the best in the state if I had to say). They'll definitely be making state again and could potentially sneak into finals once again.

 

Kingwood - Not necessarily in the running for state, but with the state military contest pilot one would be a fool to count them out as a potential first champion. This group has maintained the military tradition for many years and is one of the best examples of it in the state.

 

Klein Collins - A Klein school on the upswing, I'm keeping an eye on them because of their enrollment in the McAllen regional this fall. We tend to see non-south Texas bands make the trek if they want to start the season on a strong note, so I'm excited to see what they have planned.

 

Klein Oak - The other big name in Klein right now, they had a beautiful show this past fall that earned them an impressive top 30 placement at San Antonio. They seem to have been doing not as well in UIL as BOA the past few seasons, so I think they'll be very motivated to make state with the new sheets this year.

 

Spring - After 2018 being the first time no band from Spring ISD made state in a long time, it will be interesting to see where this program goes with their well-maintained classical music identity.

 

Westfield - Read above, but they seem to be going in a more culturally-influenced direction that I am a big fan of. Hope to see them continue this trend in coming years.

 

Tomball - This band has been doing very well in 5A and will more than likely be an area finalist still in 6A. This district is growing so I only see them improving in the future.

 

Tomball Memorial - If I'm not mistaken, they were state alternates in 2018, which is very impressive for a band as relatively new to 6A. Also read above about the district growing.

 

Willis - Loving what this band is showing us, they want to get better and don't want to stop. A potential dark horse state qualifier, dare I say...

 

Area I:

 

Bridgeland - Wow, this program is really putting themselves out there in full confidence. They have a tendency to peak later season, and that's perfect for this upcoming season given their planned Grand Nationals trip. When I say they are a potential finalist there, I mean it.

 

Cy-Fair - We all know this program very well, they've consistently produced some of my favorite marching shows the past few years and even though they were late bloomers this year, they showed that they aren't out of the picture quite yet.

 

Cypress Falls - Despite some rougher seasons for them the past couple of years, I'm not ready to count them out. They can easily recover and wow us this next year even if it isn't to their mid-2010s standards.

 

Cypress Woods - After losing a tie to judges choice to make area finals in 2018, CyWoods showed us what they're about this year with some incredible performances. If they can step up their show design a little more, I think they could get their way into finals at BOA.

 

Jersey Village - Jersey Village is a controversial band when it comes to the 2018 season, but I think they are a very strong program and think they could rise to the occasion once again and make state this fall.

 

Katy - See above, but another thing worth mentioning for them is their late-season peaking. Their BOA Houston results aren't always good for predicting where they'll end up by the end of the season.

 

Cinco Ranch - This band is one of the most underrated bands in the area in my opinion. They really turned things on for their finals performance at the Cypress Showcase and if they can have that same energy all the time, they will become a force to be reckoned with.

 

Seven Lakes - I was shocked when they didn't make finals this past season, but this band sounds absolutely phenomenal and seem to have fairly unique show concepts, especially that squid one in 2018.

 

James E. Taylor - I put JET in the same boat as Brazoswood, a consistently strong Houston-area group who always seems to put on a fantastic performance. Once again, we will probably see them at the state contest.

 

Obra D. Tompkins - Wow, was I surprised by their performance at Houston. Being so close out of finals at BOA Houston makes me hopeful for where this program is headed in the future. I don't see the school split hitting them too hard for a couple of years and I trust the directors are ready to adjust accordingly.

Very solid list! I especially agree with your thoughts on Cinco Ranch. Another band id love to see more from is Galena Park. Probably the most dramatically improved program in Houston over the last few years, they are definetely going to shake things up a bit!
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With all this time on my hands now, I thought what better time than to talk about the 5A Houston bands!

 

Area E:

 

Kempner - this program will be fun to watch in 5A as they are coming off of making 6A Area E finals in 2018, adding some much needed depth to this area. In 2021 we might see this band taking the second (or even third depending how region treats them) state spot.

 

Friendswood - Friendswood is the undisputed 5A powerhouse in the Houston area, just placing 6th at state this past year with the next highest placing Houston band in prelims being Tomball in 21st. Their dominance will not be going anywhere anytime soon.

 

Paetow - the newest Katy school (second newest as of this upcoming fall) has impressed me with their sound despite their smaller size. If this program can figure out what is holding their numbers back, then they could certainly become a powerhouse before the more than likely move up to 6A.

 

Churchill Fulshear - this new school outside of Katy had a fantastic second season in 2017 making state finals in 4A (where they were probably the most under scored out of any band in the entire season in my opinion). Like Kempner, this band will add in some much needed depth for this area and will be a state contender.

 

Barbers Hill - this program has been a fairly strong group in the Houston area for quite some time, but they haven't made state since 2015. I could see them making a comeback these next few years.

 

Foster - this band was not on my radar until last season when they scored very strongly at a local contest (I unfortunately do not remember which), but I immediately had them as my second lock for state. I hope to see Foster ride off the momentum and along with Fulshear demonstrate the growing fine arts programs in LCISD.

 

Waller - this group is in a similar position as Barbers Hill, being a consistently strong program for quite some time, but not making state in a while. What separates them from most of the other groups on this list is their regular participation in BOA.

 

Area I:

 

Cleveland - this school has been growing exponentially and me putting them on this list is more of a recognition of the massive growth they have had largely as a result. I see this program continuing to grow throughout this decade and adding to the already long list of fantastic Houston-area bands.

 

Crosby - these next four groups were some of the biggest names that started this conversation of quickly improving programs as early as 2017, starting with Crosby who made state for the first time back in 2017 after being a band that regularly received 2s as late as 2011.

 

Galena Park - this school is in the same district as North Shore and is often overshadowed by them, but they seem to be making a name for themselves again. You can find a video of their 2009 show (the last time they have made state) and see that this program has quite the history and is finding it's roots once again.

 

Magnolia - I've loved seeing this name pop up in BOA results and giving us some impressive shows the past few years. It's sometimes hard to believe this is the Magnolia that was making mostly 2s for the first part of the decade. Seeing them miss area finals by one spot was tough, but I think that will give them more than enough motivation to keep moving forward.

 

Porter - and the last of the four, Porter is the only one to have made state in both 2017 and 2019. I think they were placed too low at state and am very impressed with this program, which started in 2011 with a 3 in marching.

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Houston is an area with more Journeymen than literally anywhere else, but no has no real Masters.  DFW has Flower Mound, Hebron, Marcus, LD Bell & Keller. San Antonio has Reagan and CTJ.  Austin has Vandegrift, Vista Ridge & Leander.  But for Houston it's really just the Woodlands.  There are plenty of bands like North Shore, or Pearland, or Clements, or Oak Ridge, or Clear Brook, or SFA, or JET, or Seven Lakes, or Brazoswood, or Cy-Fair or Friendswood that have shown they have the potential to be that second tower...Houston has so many bands that have been to State or won BOA Regional finalist honors....they can climb really high but just can't summit. Even TWHS barely kept up with the rest of the heavy hitters this past year. 

Pearland had a good year this year.  If they can make SA Finals again and push into the Top 15 at State I might be prepared to start calling them that second tower.  We'll also see what MacAnear has in store for Bridgeland as they've outdone themselves year after year since opening and haven't lost that momentum just yet.

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