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what will 2020 Marching Band Look Like?


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O.K. - so I have no doubt that there are many that will disagree with my thoughts on this but, I will put it out there anyway

While Texas is the king of marching band, we are not a hot spot and while we see an increase in positives, that is being driven by the increased testing - the true number to look at is the number that need to be admitted to hospitals and that continues to decline

I believe that, we as a state will move forward and there will be a marching season - I believe that we will return to some form of normalcy in the coming months.

I have no concerns with my son participating in band camp, or band competitions. the real questions is will there be footballs games to perform at or band competitions to compete at. We have already seen that DCI has cancelled the season - will Texas UIL and BOA do the same?

Time will tell - 

I welcome your thoughts.......

We have not had much to talk about as of late - so let's hear it ....

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Based on what TEA is proposing, I don't see anything looking like a normal competition season happening.  This will even the plane for lots of bands, but the shows won't be elaborate.  I'm hearing that lots of bands are already planning on shelving their planned shows if that indeed happens.

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I'll preface my thoughts with a few precursors - I've lived in NYC up until this past weekend, so I've seen the worst of it, and my wife is a doctor who is about to be thrown into the thick of handling this mess. So that's partially what likely sways my perspective a bit.

I've tried to avoid these conversations, but the subject of marching band is close to my heart, so I'll chime in. While I want to be optimistic about this, I just can't bring myself to do it. The truth is, while cases have "stabilized," it's a fact that coronavirus will still be here in the fall...it's not going anywhere any time in the near future. And cases have only stabilized because we have been social distancing and canceling pretty much all events. I agree that life will go back to some level of normalcy, as far as people getting back to doing their jobs that drive the economy...because we don't really have a choice. But as much as I love football (a lot) and marching band (even more), they're far from essential activities that are literally the perfect storm for new spikes in this virus. Think of how close people in sit in stadiums, think of how tight they cram these kids into buses, heck, think of how close these kids are on the field during these shows. We're still barely scratching the surface of how the heck we're going to adjust school, which is much more essential. 

I will be happy to be proven wrong, come August (obviously all we can do is speculate),  but it only takes one person to suddenly get a whole band sick, which will instantly shut down everything for everyone. I love marching band, but marching band isn't worth risking lives, and that's what we'd essentially be doing. 

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4 hours ago, BandJunkies said:

I think what school dristricts and marching programs need the most right now is certainty.  Without it, I find it very hard to believe that marching band exists in the same way it did last year.  Hopefully the certainty can be found by the end of May

For us here in Texas, that all has to revolve around the UIL.  They will need to come out with some clear guidelines for the Fall with assurances that it won't be cancelled midstream, without a severe increase in cases.  The UIL brands itself as the king of fairness.  Tough, tough job they have.  Glad it's not me.

Here are my predictions:

Local contests will happen

BOA happens, but with fewer events.

UIL cancels all summer camps and starts everything on August 1.  State will happen, but it won't all 

Quite honestly I think its still to early to know what will happen. My guess is that there will be SOMETHING. Bands keep announcing shows as well as leadership teams, and from what I hear, band directors are planning on moving forward with the idea that marching season will happen unless told they absolutely cannot. There was also a very good point made about how although cases are not going down, the number of hospitalizations are drastically. I have also spoken to a few band parents, and they all seem both optimistic, and comfortable with the idea. My best speculation as of right now is that we will see SOME kind of marching season, but for for 2020 at least, it will look different in ways. 

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30 minutes ago, BandJunkies said:

Totally agree...I just thought it would be interesting to lay out some predictions...I think it will still be too early in June....who the heck knows!

Yessir!  Sorry I actually didnt mean to directly respond to your post haha

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7 hours ago, LHSax said:

I'll preface my thoughts with a few precursors - I've lived in NYC up until this past weekend, so I've seen the worst of it, and my wife is a doctor who is about to be thrown into the thick of handling this mess. So that's partially what likely sways my perspective a bit.

I've tried to avoid these conversations, but the subject of marching band is close to my heart, so I'll chime in. While I want to be optimistic about this, I just can't bring myself to do it. The truth is, while cases have "stabilized," it's a fact that coronavirus will still be here in the fall...it's not going anywhere any time in the near future. And cases have only stabilized because we have been social distancing and canceling pretty much all events. I agree that life will go back to some level of normalcy, as far as people getting back to doing their jobs that drive the economy...because we don't really have a choice. But as much as I love football (a lot) and marching band (even more), they're far from essential activities that are literally the perfect storm for new spikes in this virus. Think of how close people in sit in stadiums, think of how tight they cram these kids into buses, heck, think of how close these kids are on the field during these shows. We're still barely scratching the surface of how the heck we're going to adjust school, which is much more essential. 

I will be happy to be proven wrong, come August (obviously all we can do is speculate),  but it only takes one person to suddenly get a whole band sick, which will instantly shut down everything for everyone. I love marching band, but marching band isn't worth risking lives, and that's what we'd essentially be doing. 

I think you are 100% right here. I just don’t see ANYTHING being normal this fall. :(

Welcome home and God bless your wife. 

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I want to be optimistic--Marcus announced it's show to the band last night, and it looks really fun. This is my youngest's senior year, so after this season, we age out. It breaks my heart to think we might not have a season, especially for the seniors looking to close out their careers. I can live without a super-regional, honestly, and a multi-site state competition wouldn't be as exciting, but it would be something. But the virus doesn't care about band...so I guess we'll see how the summer goes. 

The other thing to consider is what the schools will be doing. Dallas ISD is reviewing a 3-day on campus/2-day at home schedule. LISD (north) hasn't announced anything, but any deviation from 5 day school weeks could change how the bands can even rehearse. 

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11 hours ago, KinDallas said:

I want to be optimistic--Marcus announced it's show to the band last night, and it looks really fun. This is my youngest's senior year, so after this season, we age out. It breaks my heart to think we might not have a season, especially for the seniors looking to close out their careers. I can live without a super-regional, honestly, and a multi-site state competition wouldn't be as exciting, but it would be something. But the virus doesn't care about band...so I guess we'll see how the summer goes. 

The other thing to consider is what the schools will be doing. Dallas ISD is reviewing a 3-day on campus/2-day at home schedule. LISD (north) hasn't announced anything, but any deviation from 5 day school weeks could change how the bands can even rehearse. 

I heard from a trusted source (a tx band director) that according to UIL athletics, there will be a football season, and it will start on time. Now whether that actually HAPPENS is another discussion, but I think that is a good sign that UIL is planning fall activities. 

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12 hours ago, Cityscapes said:

I heard from a trusted source (a tx band director) that according to UIL athletics, there will be a football season, and it will start on time. Now whether that actually HAPPENS is another discussion, but I think that is a good sign that UIL is planning fall activities. 

I'm becoming more and more concerned that it won't happen.  If it does, it will be interesting to see whether or not fans are allowed...I don't know if that would include the band or not.

The game itself is not the only hurdle...some of the difficulty is getting kids to the games.  Buses are tight spaces and would be a perfect breeding ground for the virus. 

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4 minutes ago, Band_dad_of_2 said:

I'm becoming more and more concerned that it won't happen.  If it does, it will be interesting to see whether or not fans are allowed...I don't know if that would include the band or not.

The game itself is not the only hurdle...some of the difficulty is getting kids to the games.  Buses are tight spaces and would be a perfect breeding ground for the virus. 

Yeah me too, but I am trying my best to remain optimistic 

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10 hours ago, Band_dad_of_2 said:

I'm becoming more and more concerned that it won't happen.  If it does, it will be interesting to see whether or not fans are allowed...I don't know if that would include the band or not.

The game itself is not the only hurdle...some of the difficulty is getting kids to the games.  Buses are tight spaces and would be a perfect breeding ground for the virus. 

They may have to start doing what college bands do for away games (given the far more considerable expense) is send pep bands. Keep the same number of buses but trade off group A and group B for away games. Not sure that's budget conscious, but an option. 

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I remain optimistic and that there will be a marching season. I have been amazed at the flexibility of our kids. online learning, online band banquets, online auditions for next year's program. In many ways it has helped our kids learn that life requires that we can improvise, overcome and adapt.

with that said, I do not believe that we can live in fear of this virus. in the grand scheme of things, I believe that there is a great deal of media manipulation around Covid-19 and the death tolls. Far too many are playing up the death rates of the virus. if you look at the data, there is a massive decline in pneumonia deaths, cardiac deaths, and flu deaths, to name a few, but they are all being reported as Covid-19 deaths and many of these death would have happened with or without this virus.

I started going out to restaurants as soon as they opened, I look forward to businesses in Texas reopening and if families do not feel that their child is safe participating in band or school in general, then stay home. each family must make the choice that supports their belief.

if kids can ride a bus to school, they can ride a bus to a football game or a band competition. if they can sit in a classroom, they can sit in a band hall, if they can practice football on a field, they can practice marching on the band pad      

just my thoughts.

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with Governor Abbott allowing the opening of "Summer Camps" it looks like band camps will open on time. Still some question if Texas schools will extend the 2020-21 school year by 30 days or even if they will convert to a year-round school cycle and how that will impact the band programs.

Barring any big spike in hospitalized cases, it looks like we will have a band camp this summer.

the nearest I can tell, it appears that BOA is going to leave the Regional and SR decisions to the cities/counties that host them as to if/when they will open the stadiums.

 

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11 minutes ago, banddad84 said:

with Governor Abbott allowing the opening of "Summer Camps" it looks like band camps will open on time. Still some question if Texas schools will extend the 2020-21 school year by 30 days or even if they will convert to a year-round school cycle and how that will impact the band programs.

Barring any big spike in hospitalized cases, it looks like we will have a band camp this summer.

the nearest I can tell, it appears that BOA is going to leave the Regional and SR decisions to the cities/counties that host them as to if/when they will open the stadiums.

 

I certainly hope so! Marching band is my happy place, and my Christmas day is the BOA houston regional. Hoping for a marching season!

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