2014 Marching Band thread

[KiminChicago]

Well, last night was our last home game of the season and the last chance to see our half time show and one of our last times seeing DS as a drum major . It was also senior night so DH and I got to walk onto the field with DS before the game. Each senior from band, poms, cheer and the football team walks with their parent/guardian -- although there were a few seniors in the band who didn't have parents there and walked out with the orchestra director. There was a photographer taking each family's picture so we had DD join us for the walk (she's in Poms and we'll get our turn to walk with her in two years). I'm hopeful that the picture looks good enough for our Christmas cards!

 

[Southernmiss]

Busy band weekend here. Our 7th grader was introduced to marching last night as they stood and played on the field with the other high school in our area's band. Each year, the 2 middle schools bands join one of the 2 high schools in our area on the field and they all play before the game.

Dh and I helped heard the 320 middle school kids in behind the high school kids, watched the 5 minute show, grabbed dd and went to our 2 high school kid's game at the other school. Dh and I worked the visitor's concession stand. We were playing a different cross town rival. So the stand was hopping.

Didn't see the half-time show, but the kids weren't pleased with their performance.

This morning the boys had to be back for practice before today's competition. I went to serve the band pizza for lunch and wish them well. They loaded up and traveled to their competition. Made straight superiors in the first round which continues a 30 plus year tradition for the school. It also qualifies them for state competition Nov 1. Ds just texted me and said their evening performance was fantastic. So expecting good scores tonight. They were getting ready to watch their nemesis band perform next. Curious to see how they do.

Another competition next week. Senior night Oct 25th and then competition Nov 1.

Busy but exciting times!

 

[Monykalyn]

So-our band got 1st in class, outstanding music and outstanding visual for class in prelims, 5th overall. It is a good show. Blue Springs (bigger class) as usual took top honors-and their show could rival some college shows! We didn't see much of prelims, but all of finals and all the finals bands are very good!

 

[daemom]

Same sort of thing as airgrams, only instead of announcing the message over the loudspeaker, the message is attached to a candy bar and given to the student.

Not sure what a bandgram is, but I assume that's like a candygram...only without the candy.

Saw my first candygram this weekend!! I think that the parents bought them for $1--they were the small candies like Skittles-- and you purchased them, added a note and they took it to that student (I'm assuming after they competed). They also sold airgrams which were announced over the loudspeaker, and sold individual flowers to be delivered to the students. Lots o' stuff!

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[Octoberbeauty]

So-our band got 1st in class, outstanding music and outstanding visual for class in prelims, 5th overall. It is a good show. Blue Springs (bigger class) as usual took top honors-and their show could rival some college shows! We didn't see much of prelims, but all of finals and all the finals bands are very good!

I really enjoyed your show. Loved the theme. I kept looking for your daughter, but I forgot what she played and my phone was dead by that time. I "think" I saw her though.

We placed 1st in our division and won High Music, High Visual, High Percussion, and High General Effect. We came in 3rd overall. Talk about cheering so much my throat was hurting!! Lol. For our 2A band to do so well against the larger schools is Amazing! I am so proud of our kiddos. Makes all the early morning/late night practices, and those 5am to midnight Saturdays, worth it!

 

[Monykalyn]

I really enjoyed your show. Loved the theme. I kept looking for your daughter, but I forgot what she played and my phone was dead by that time. I "think" I saw her though. We placed 1st in our division and won High Music, High Visual, High Percussion, and High General Effect. We came in 3rd overall. Talk about cheering so much my throat was hurting!! Lol. For our 2A band to do so well against the larger schools is Amazing! I am so proud of our kiddos. Makes all the early morning/late night practices, and those 5am to midnight Saturdays, worth it!

She played bass clarinet. Yes, they were really good shows this year! I am always amazed at how it could how it comes together through the season. We know how hard these kids work at it too! Thought all of the top 12 shows were so good.

I had to laugh at the "worlds finest chocolate" fundraiser comment from announcer though - that is what our business is- we are independent contractors for WFC! Lots and lots of bands use it for an easy fundraiser.

 

[Katy Belle]

We are definitely in the same area!

We've come in 1st in our division for our first two competitions. 6th overall in first comp and 3rd overall in 2nd comp. We are up against some much bigger schools for those overall scores. I'm so proud of our kids.

We perform 2nd tomorrow so they are a bit nervous about that, and we can't do our aerials if it's raining. I'm chaperoning at Union tomorrow so it's going to be a very long day. These kids put in more hours than any other group at school. Its a lot of dedication. I love being a part of it

So got my competitions switched-tomorrow is Renegade review at Union Broken arrow last week

sounds like there will be a few bands with parents on Disboards there tomorrow-here is hoping rain stays away.

We are the Kickapoo Golden Arrow band-and my kid is the "tall girl" playing bass clarinet (seriously-even kids from other bands know her as "tall girl"-she is 6'1 and practically disappears if turns sideways-wish I had that metabolism back!)
Good luck to all the bands tomorrow!!

So-our band got 1st in class, outstanding music and outstanding visual for class in prelims, 5th overall. It is a good show. Blue Springs (bigger class) as usual took top honors-and their show could rival some college shows! We didn't see much of prelims, but all of finals and all the finals bands are very good!

I really enjoyed your show. Loved the theme. I kept looking for your daughter, but I forgot what she played and my phone was dead by that time. I "think" I saw her though.

We placed 1st in our division and won High Music, High Visual, High Percussion, and High General Effect. We came in 3rd overall. Talk about cheering so much my throat was hurting!! Lol. For our 2A band to do so well against the larger schools is Amazing! I am so proud of our kiddos. Makes all the early morning/late night practices, and those 5am to midnight Saturdays, worth it!

Sorry I have been out of touch! I've been battling High Blood Pressure this week, started on meds and trying to find the right balance. I was unable to function a couple of days, but am on the mend now! Luckily I was able to attend Renegade Review, for a little while, and watch my boys! I was not able to help with uniforms, but they did alright without me!

Congrats to both Cowetta and Kickapoo!!!! Cowetta, I've watched you for the last 4 years. Have always loved your shows! You march a few more kids than we do, but we are in class AAA and you in AA. We are Bartlesville, by the way If you saw the Russian Nesting Dolls, then you saw us. Kickapoo, you are awesome and huge! I didn't see either of your shows this week, but have the previous contests. We did well at Broken Arrow, got 11th, but not so well at Renegade. It was obviously not our best run, hoping to do better at OBA in Broken Arrow on November 1.

Our kids dont have a contest until November 1. Lots of work between now and then. So proud of the progress they have made thus far!

 

[Happy Snowman]

BOA St. Louis is going to be one heck of a show!! The OK bands are very strong this year. I wish I was going this year!

 

[stasijane]

My daughter plays trumpet. They had a competition last sat In Potosi and got 1st place I am so proud of them

 

[Colleen27]

I'm a sad band mom today... Our director just announced he's taking a position with another school and the kids are so upset! I understand why he's doing it - the school he's going to is much larger and much, much, much wealthier than ours and a shorter commute as well - but it stinks for the kids who are losing their director in the middle of an undefeated football season, a week after a spectacular performance at festival, etc.

 

[momof1princess]

Well, DD17 has a fractured right ring finger. Not what a clarinet player wants to hear with 3 football games to go. It happened Thursday afternoon, and she marched Friday night and at a competition on Saturday (she begged me not to take her to the ER). I took her to the orthopedic Dr. today, and she has to buddy tape it to her middle finger for 4 weeks, then go for a recheck. A freak accident in the band room before practice. No one's fault, just stinks for her.

 

[Octoberbeauty]

She played bass clarinet. Yes, they were really good shows this year! I am always amazed at how it could how it comes together through the season. We know how hard these kids work at it too! Thought all of the top 12 shows were so good. I had to laugh at the "worlds finest chocolate" fundraiser comment from announcer though - that is what our business is- we are independent contractors for WFC! Lots and lots of bands use it for an easy fundraiser.

I do think I saw her then! I thought everyone in the finals brought it too. I didn't see many mistakes. I did, however, cry for the poor girl from Bentonville that had the prop fall. I felt soooo bad for her.

I wish we sold WFC. We sell cookie dough and I'm not crazy about it.

 

[Octoberbeauty]

Sorry I have been out of touch! I've been battling High Blood Pressure this week, started on meds and trying to find the right balance. I was unable to function a couple of days, but am on the mend now! Luckily I was able to attend Renegade Review, for a little while, and watch my boys! I was not able to help with uniforms, but they did alright without me! Congrats to both Cowetta and Kickapoo!!!! Cowetta, I've watched you for the last 4 years. Have always loved your shows! You march a few more kids than we do, but we are in class AAA and you in AA. We are Bartlesville, by the way If you saw the Russian Nesting Dolls, then you saw us. Kickapoo, you are awesome and huge! I didn't see either of your shows this week, but have the previous contests. We did well at Broken Arrow, got 11th, but not so well at Renegade. It was obviously not our best run, hoping to do better at OBA in Broken Arrow on November 1. Our kids dont have a contest until November 1. Lots of work between now and then. So proud of the progress they have made thus far!

Glad to hear that you are getting it under control. High blood pressure can be scary.

Thank you. We have a great band director and team. I didn't get to see your show, but I love the idea.

We are not going to St. Louis this year. Hopefully we'll be back next year.

 

[Happy Snowman]

I do think I saw her then! I thought everyone in the finals brought it too. I didn't see many mistakes. I did, however, cry for the poor girl from Bentonville that had the prop fall. I felt soooo bad for her.

I wish we sold WFC. We sell cookie dough and I'm not crazy about it.

Ouch!!

If any of you have been around long enough when tarps were the rage, so many kids were hurt slipping/tripping on those things!! They were awful!

 

[Jennabeth]

We were in Royal Oak - the opposite side of the state from you guys.

Next Saturday the kids are marching in Ann Arbor at the Big House - the University of Michigan stadium. The dumb school scheduled the PSAT testing for the same day so DD has to take it at our rival school on a Wednesday during the day. Which means I have to take time off of work to drive her.

I can't justify having her miss the U of M thing for testing. The kids are real excited for that one.

That should be fun. My nephew is marching in that one (Portland). I would love it if our kids marched there (that stadium is AMAZING) but they'll be in Jenison for an invitational. I guess it's a big one, 40 bands participating.

That's too bad about PSAT testing that day, we have a few more years before that.

Will your school go to the state finals? We just found out that our division doesn't perform until 7:30 p.m. We live 2.5 hours from Ford Field and that is going to make for a long night.

 

[Monykalyn]

I do think I saw her then! I thought everyone in the finals brought it too. I didn't see many mistakes. I did, however, cry for the poor girl from Bentonville that had the prop fall. I felt soooo bad for her.

I wish we sold WFC. We sell cookie dough and I'm not crazy about it.

I felt bad for her too! My daughter said the other schools had more player movements to do which increases the difficulty score. This is the first year our band players really had more movement of the players (the dancing etc) instead of straight marching. The color guards of all the schools really really stepped it up this year!

 

[Happy Snowman]

http://www.musicforall.org/blog/live-blog/live-blog-st-louis-super-regional-championship

For those that could not make the St. Louis trip

 

[Happy Snowman]

Just saw that Kickapoo (best band name ever ) is up next. Good luck!!!

 

[Monykalyn]

Thanks! they think they did awful but drum majors and chaperones all thought they did very well-They find out around 3 today if they make finals. They have made finals for past several years so here is hoping!!

I agree that the OK bands were simply awesome this year!!

 

[Happy Snowman]

Thanks! they think they did awful but drum majors and chaperones all thought they did very well-They find out around 3 today if they make finals. They have made finals for past several years so here is hoping!!

I agree that the OK bands were simply awesome this year!!

It will be closer to 5 before they get done with the participation awards and announce the finalists. Sounds like there are some new bands there that are really rocking the place. It's going to be a fantastic finals tonight. I wish I was there!!