Military Bands

[BlackJesus]

So I've been getting into and watching military bands lately, and I've gotta say I have a new found appreciation for it! I've always found them cool due to the drill they march and the fact that they HAVE to be so clean to pull those moves off sometimes (plus have a really good internal tempo), but after really paying attention to them, you realize that the best of them are playing marches at a pretty high level while constantly on the move, trying to execute fundamentals so perfectly.

 

Now that I've been watching Longview and Kingwood from the 70s to the 90s, I have to say that they don't get the attention they deserve. These bands lately just strive for perfection, not worried about the corps-style marching bands and their competitions.

 

I just wanted to ask some questions:

 

1) How many bands in Texas are still marching military?

 

2) What bands have switched to corps style and when did they do so? I know Texas High in Texarkana and Humble High have, and Humble switched fairly recently. I also know that the list is probably fairly long, but I just have to know

[BandFan95]

The Fightin Texas Aggie Band is my favorite but I know y’all are talking about high school! I’d love to see a list!

[PantherBone]

Texarkana Pleasant Grove and Quitman switched from military to corps, the latter being in 1983. I know because I have personal connections to those schools.

[takigan]

It's hard to get a concrete number mainly because some schools don't do true traditional military and others have been known to mix it up (e.g. China Spring, who've been in the 4A state finals in recent years utilizing what I would call "millicorps" style).  Plus there are a LOT of 1A and 2A schools in this state....you almost can't keep track of them all from year to year.

6A is a little easier, since there are only a handful of schools that dabble in that style nowadays....I will say the number of 6A schools still doing military is very likely in the single digits.  Kingwood, Kingwood Park, Atascocita in Humble ISD.  Longview (way out near the eastern border)...and Lufkin (whenever they're 6A, they're currently 5A but were 6A recently).  I'm kind of curious as to the exact number but don't have time to do the research right this second.

[cpb161]

Most schools that existed back at a certain time point was military at some point, it was the original style. Richardson 1970 has a video of them on YouTube performing one of my favorite military drills of all time. The only schools I know that have switched back and forth are schools with struggling band programs that tend to swap out directors a lot. Marshall High School switched to military at some point in the early 2010s when the program wasn’t doing too well, now they’re corps again and are doing better than they ever have, finally getting consistent sweepstakes.

[SpartanBandAlum]

It's hard to get a concrete number mainly because some schools don't do true traditional military and others have been known to mix it up (e.g. China Spring, who've been in the 4A state finals in recent years utilizing what I would call "millicorps" style). Plus there are a LOT of 1A and 2A schools in this state....you almost can't keep track of them all from year to year.

 

6A is a little easier, since there are only a handful of schools that dabble in that style nowadays....I will say the number of 6A schools still doing military is very likely in the single digits. Kingwood, Kingwood Park, Atascocita in Humble ISD. Longview (way out near the eastern border)...and Lufkin (whenever they're 6A, they're currently 5A but were 6A recently). I'm kind of curious as to the exact number but don't have time to do the research right this second.

KPark is 5A and also a corps band

[Majellan]

Most schools that existed back at a certain time point was military at some point, it was the original style. Richardson 1970 has a video of them on YouTube performing one of my favorite military drills of all time. The only schools I know that have switched back and forth are schools with struggling band programs that tend to swap out directors a lot. Marshall High School switched to military at some point in the early 2010s when the program wasn’t doing too well, now they’re corps again and are doing better than they ever have, finally getting consistent sweepstakes.

I believe Longview Pine Tree briefly changed to corps style and swiftly returned to military style marching. The five high schools serving portions of Longview are all military.

[cpb161]

I believe Longview Pine Tree briefly changed to corps style and swiftly returned to military style marching. The five high schools serving portions of Longview are all military.

Pine Tree has always done milicorps on and off throughout their history, but the last few years have been a transition and they went through with it completely this year. I doubt they’ll change back next year.

[Guest]

I believe Huntville HS switched to corps back in the 90s but switched back very quickly.

[bxOxAxUIL]

Can someone create a spread sheet for all the schools that march military still?

[Majellan]

Pine Tree has always done milicorps on and off throughout their history, but the last few years have been a transition and they went through with it completely this year. I doubt they’ll change back next year.

I’m glad, they have a great program, East Texas needs some good 5a/6a corps style marching bands. the Tyler bands aren’t really competitive.

 

Btw, I’ve marched in a “milicorps” before. I haven’t heard that term since I moved to dfw 20 years ago. Milicorps to me is military.

 

Mineola is outstanding of course, but they’re still 3a.

[cpb161]

I’m glad, they have a great program, East Texas needs some good 5a/6a corps style marching bands. the Tyler bands aren’t really competitive.

 

Btw, I’ve marched in a “milicorps” before. I haven’t heard that term since I moved to dfw 20 years ago. Milicorps to me is military.

 

Mineola is outstanding of course, but they’re still 3a.

I am interested to see how a lot of the East Texas 5As do now that Area C is actually relatively light on powerhouses from DFW, and a lot of those bands have gotten exponentially better. John Tyler made area for the first time ever this year and actually placed fairly well, getting 16th. Not what I expected from a band who early in that season was getting nailed with 2s and 3s by judges at pre-UIL contests. Marshall is also finally consistently having solid success after years of getting 2s and 3s at UIL, and Sulphur Springs jumped from nearly dead last at Area in 2017 to 13th in 2019, all really solid and clear improvements.

 

In the case of Pine Tree, it's just getting used to the style, when I saw them in person they very clearly had 5A level musical talent, ensemble sound was extremely mature and they consistently have very stout musicians, being basically the only 5A in the east to consistently get All-Staters, but I have got to hand them props for still having a great band, most bands making that kind of transition would just fall apart and get a 2, take Willis for example, they actually got a 2 sometime around 2013-2014 when they changed styles, but now they're making state/a state contender in 5A.