UIL 5A State Marching Contest 2023

[J-Mike16]

Love this pre-opener from Lebanon Trail!

[J-Mike16]

Such a fantastic way to start off 5A Finals!!!!! Loved the powerful statement at the beginning and the ballad was gorgeous. Awesome job Lebanon Trail!!

[MikeKyu]

Lebanon Trail: 
Grand opening statement! Guard killed the opener and the ensemble sound is excellent. The flute soloist has such a pretty tone. Congratulations on State Finals and on performing an outstanding run.

[Tubalord11]

Incredible performance from Lebanon Trail to open up finals! Love the "River Flows Through You" pre-show!!! Plenty of showcasing of the different ensembles throughout the band as well as full ensemble moments! Guard was a treat to watch, and I love the different snowflakes we get to see throughout the show. Really enjoyed that performance, great final's performance Lebanon Trail!!! 

[LeanderMomma]

I loved the Lebanon Trail show much, especially the ballad and the snowflake shapes they made on the field. 🥰 Great job!!

[TrebleMaker2]

Lebanon Trail, I love this show even more every time I see it! Bravo on a great performance!

[ClutchATX]

3 hours ago, Tailgate88 said:

Huge props to the crazy marching band machine you all have in your district.  It has to be the premier example of a district and parents supporting their kids across an entire district in the country.  I have to wonder though - do you guys start training those kids to march in Junior High?  What about guard - are there colorguard schools the young 'uns start going to like the dance/gymnastics type schools elsewhere?  It's astonishing to me that you all are able to put such a quality product on the field with only 8 hours a week of rehearsal.  I have always though it would be cool if they started teaching some of the marching skills at the Jr. High level, wondering if anyone is actually already doing that?

Anyway, congrats.  Love watching the schools from LISD perform!

 

No marching in middle school but some of the section directors teach middle and highschool so they have the kids for 7 years. 

 

Vandegrift specifically is in a fairly wealthy area of Austin so most of their color gaurd/dance team has been doing it since they were 2 years old. 

 

The rest of the district, the color guard start in the summer before freshman year. The biggest thing is that the older kids are encouraged to really take the younger kids under their wing so the kids want to join. Lots of leadership within the band.  

[J-Mike16]

WOW

Friendswood!! 

At times sounded like a DCI Corps! Awesome job guys!!!

[MikeKyu]

Friendswood

Stephen Sondheim would have loved watching your performance today. Great job! The energy at the beginning built a lot of excitement and you kept it throughout the performance, even during the ballad. Then you all picked it up even more as the show continued.  Congratulations!!

[LeanderMomma]

Friendswood was flawless!  And that guard…oh myyyy!!!  😍😍

[TrebleMaker2]

Friendswood’s show just makes me smile! So joyful, delightful solos, and so much energy!

[Tubalord11]

WOW Friendswood! First time seeing their show this year and I'm BLOWN away!!! Guard was AMAZING all throughout the show! That quartet was incredible, that clarinet was sooo good! Love the design and music of the show so much, very reminiscent of TW's 2019! Great sounds all around, brass is playing with such mature articulation and style, very much in love with that show, amazing job Friendswood! 

[J-Mike16]

I am so happy to see Roma in State Finals!!

[J-Mike16]

Loved every second of Roma!!!! All the soloists were amazing!!

[MikeKyu]

Roma

What a delicate and controlled sound throughout the ballad. Just beautiful! Great shapes and spatial awareness in the long curvatures. Dynamics control was a treat throughout!   

[Dallas Hobbs]

Loved that saucy bass clarinetist! So cool to hear that classic clarinet soloist with the bass’s timbre 

[Tubalord11]

Great performance from Roma! Killer clarinet soloist! They have a really big sound for their size, and they sound really good! Really loved that percussion section, great sounds coming from them! Really interesting theme but they make it very easy to read, amazing job Roma! 

[TrebleMaker2]

Bravo, Roma! Such control, loved the dynamic contrasts! Beautiful. 

[LeanderMomma]

Roma has the most ridiculously beautiful sound!  And the small ensemble in the ballad was absolutely gorgeous. Way to represent the amazing Valley bands Roma!

[crunchycookie3]

Though the results can often be a bit hairy, I love that the judging of UIL allows schools with a larger minority enrollment to shine better than the BOA system does. Going from Friendswood to Roma back-to-back is very unique, and highlights the excellent performances occurring all across the state- something BOA doesn’t quite capture. 

[MikeKyu]

Richland

Ya'll really liked the grinder in the hall of the Mountain King. You nailed it!! Amazing job. Then to transition into the ballad.  Pretty tones throughout. Well executed step out to end the ballad. Epic ensemble sound on the closer. And to end with Phantom Regiment's kickout kneel was class!! 

Great job Richland!

[J-Mike16]

Richland HS - 

WOWOWOWOW! these performances are getting better and better!!!! Love the theme and ballad!!! Oh my god, that ballad made me shed a tear!

[Tubalord11]

Wonderful performance from Richland!!! Loved the volcano prop, so cool! That trumpet soloist was killer. Drill was very clean and helped bring out the show theme so much, as well as the flute soloist! That ballad was so emotionally powerful!  Really enjoyed that show, great job Richland! 

[TrebleMaker2]

Thanks, Richland, for a beautiful performance! The build from ballad to closer was sooo good!

[J-Mike16]

Woah, Lone Star warming up facing backfield was hella impressive with their sound.