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Post by Allohak on Oct 7, 2019 10:48:01 GMT -6
That “Texas Loud” comes from the basic physics of resonance. Tone that is centered and played at the same frequency (aka “in tune”) resonates more. There’s SO much focus in Texas from day one in beginner band all the way through, to focus on a full, open, centered tone. Everything else emerges from that idea. Since there are no state standards for marching band specifically, only music, all things begin and end from the music, because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about. The visual side of marching band is an extension of that, rather than a co-equal part (Translation: if the music is bad, why would you want to watch?). As far as the 8 hour rule goes, I am a huge fan. In Texas, more than that and you’ll not only have academic eligibility problems, but you’re also going to have kids dropping like flies from exhaustion. When it’s over 100 degrees for 50-90 days per year, you have to take care of kids, educate them on how to protect their health, and write drill that accommodates the climate where you are. There's too much wrong with the first three-quarters of this post to dig into. But the final sentence is the best pro-8-hour-rule commentary I've ever seen.
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Post by LeanderMomma on Oct 7, 2019 13:07:38 GMT -6
That “Texas Loud” comes from the basic physics of resonance. Tone that is centered and played at the same frequency (aka “in tune”) resonates more. There’s SO much focus in Texas from day one in beginner band all the way through, to focus on a full, open, centered tone. Everything else emerges from that idea. Since there are no state standards for marching band specifically, only music, all things begin and end from the music, because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about. The visual side of marching band is an extension of that, rather than a co-equal part (Translation: if the music is bad, why would you want to watch?). As far as the 8 hour rule goes, I am a huge fan. In Texas, more than that and you’ll not only have academic eligibility problems, but you’re also going to have kids dropping like flies from exhaustion. When it’s over 100 degrees for 50-90 days per year, you have to take care of kids, educate them on how to protect their health, and write drill that accommodates the climate where you are. There's too much wrong with the first three-quarters of this post to dig into. But the final sentence is the best pro-8-hour-rule commentary I've ever seen. Really? I thought it was pretty accurate.
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Post by cinnamonpromenade on Oct 7, 2019 14:23:45 GMT -6
That “Texas Loud” comes from the basic physics of resonance. Tone that is centered and played at the same frequency (aka “in tune”) resonates more. There’s SO much focus in Texas from day one in beginner band all the way through, to focus on a full, open, centered tone. Everything else emerges from that idea. Since there are no state standards for marching band specifically, only music, all things begin and end from the music, because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about. The visual side of marching band is an extension of that, rather than a co-equal part (Translation: if the music is bad, why would you want to watch?). As far as the 8 hour rule goes, I am a huge fan. In Texas, more than that and you’ll not only have academic eligibility problems, but you’re also going to have kids dropping like flies from exhaustion. When it’s over 100 degrees for 50-90 days per year, you have to take care of kids, educate them on how to protect their health, and write drill that accommodates the climate where you are. There's too much wrong with the first three-quarters of this post to dig into. But the final sentence is the best pro-8-hour-rule commentary I've ever seen. What is wrong in this post...? I mean, I would argue that a show's visual package IS just as important as its musical package, though I would agree that it IS a disservice to prioritize visual demand over musical achievement. Especially given how few bands really teach strong movement fundamentals––how many kids are hurting their bodies to throw themselves into shapes, versus moving through space with total control and awareness?––it is usually not worth adding complex choreography if a band can't play a note together. But in regards to their description of tone, they aren't wrong. Moreover, Texas bands have TOTALLY homogenized their sound such that every band sounds almost the same (in terms of tone quality, not necessarily in stylistic choices). There is a definitive difference between how a Texas band sounds and how a... how almost any other band sounds. It's to the point where I question whether that Texas definition of tone production (or the DCI definition of tone production, for that matter) should be held on the pedestal that it's held on. It feels so limiting to other sonorous choices; what if you were purposely going for a grittier sound for your show? A gritty sound may be effective but is rarely credited by a music judge. This is a digression now, so I'll leave it here, but yeah. Not sure what was wrong in the original post.
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Post by Allohak on Oct 7, 2019 14:54:40 GMT -6
My issue with that post was not the description of sound physics. In that regard it was accurate.
Where it's wrong is inferring that "Texas Loud" stems from educational aspects existing there but not elsewhere (pretty insulting to the great music education kids are receiving all around the country). You think other programs aren't teaching their kids that a centered, clear tone is important or focusing on the education of their kids over whatever competitive results might be achieved? We should all recognize that playing in-tune and in-tone are critical aspects of ensemble playing which are being taught at all good programs, not just in Texas.
It's also assuming that loud = good. Many would argue that they'd prefer a well-balanced ensemble to a brassline overpowering the woodwinds as often happens when groups push for volume.
Similarly saying that if Texas kids rehearsed any more than they do would mean issues with academic eligibility is to say academic standards aren't just as high elsewhere. That's certainly not the case, and students all over the country are learning crucial time management skills by keeping on top of their classload while spending time in rehearsals.
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Post by cinnamonpromenade on Oct 7, 2019 15:18:55 GMT -6
My issue with that post was not the description of sound physics. In that regard it was accurate. Where it's wrong is inferring that "Texas Loud" stems from educational aspects existing there but not elsewhere (pretty insulting to the great music education kids are receiving all around the country). You think other programs aren't teaching their kids that a centered, clear tone is important or focusing on the education of their kids over whatever competitive results might be achieved? We should all recognize that playing in-tune and in-tone are critical aspects of ensemble playing which are being taught at all good programs, not just in Texas. It's also assuming that loud = good. Many would argue that they'd prefer a well-balanced ensemble to a brassline overpowering the woodwinds as often happens when groups push for volume. Similarly saying that if Texas kids rehearsed any more than they do would mean issues with academic eligibility is to say academic standards aren't just as high elsewhere. That's certainly not the case, and students all over the country are learning crucial time management skills by keeping on top of their classload while spending time in rehearsals. Ok, THAT all makes sense! I couldn't agree with you more on all of that.
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Post by wwmw on Oct 7, 2019 21:00:07 GMT -6
My issue with that post was not the description of sound physics. In that regard it was accurate. Where it's wrong is inferring that "Texas Loud" stems from educational aspects existing there but not elsewhere (pretty insulting to the great music education kids are receiving all around the country). You think other programs aren't teaching their kids that a centered, clear tone is important or focusing on the education of their kids over whatever competitive results might be achieved? We should all recognize that playing in-tune and in-tone are critical aspects of ensemble playing which are being taught at all good programs, not just in Texas. It's also assuming that loud = good. Many would argue that they'd prefer a well-balanced ensemble to a brassline overpowering the woodwinds as often happens when groups push for volume. Similarly saying that if Texas kids rehearsed any more than they do would mean issues with academic eligibility is to say academic standards aren't just as high elsewhere. That's certainly not the case, and students all over the country are learning crucial time management skills by keeping on top of their classload while spending time in rehearsals. It was not my meaning at all, I’ve worked with bands on the East Coast, the Deep South, and Colorado, as well as Texas. We all know the fundamentals of good tone production. However, the focus in Texas is music, both by UIL and state standards (TEKS), predominantly focused on music production. So when those are your primary evaluation tools, that’s your North Star. I’m not saying it’s better or worse, it’s just the way it is. That also includes the 8 hour rule. It applies to every UIL sanctioned activity, not just marching band. When you have programs that have students that participate in more than activity, as many small and mid sized programs do, it protects students from exhaustion. Texas is a big state with a very diverse demographic mix, and while bigger districts have sufficient students who tend to be more “band specialists”, the 8 hour rule allows kids in small towns to participate in more than one activity. That way there are enough students to field a football team, a volleyball team, AND a band, because they’ve learned to share kids.
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Post by LeanderMomma on Oct 7, 2019 21:45:54 GMT -6
My issue with that post was not the description of sound physics. In that regard it was accurate. Where it's wrong is inferring that "Texas Loud" stems from educational aspects existing there but not elsewhere (pretty insulting to the great music education kids are receiving all around the country). You think other programs aren't teaching their kids that a centered, clear tone is important or focusing on the education of their kids over whatever competitive results might be achieved? We should all recognize that playing in-tune and in-tone are critical aspects of ensemble playing which are being taught at all good programs, not just in Texas. It's also assuming that loud = good. Many would argue that they'd prefer a well-balanced ensemble to a brassline overpowering the woodwinds as often happens when groups push for volume. Similarly saying that if Texas kids rehearsed any more than they do would mean issues with academic eligibility is to say academic standards aren't just as high elsewhere. That's certainly not the case, and students all over the country are learning crucial time management skills by keeping on top of their classload while spending time in rehearsals. It was not my meaning at all, I’ve worked with bands on the East Coast, the Deep South, and Colorado, as well as Texas. We all know the fundamentals of good tone production. However, the focus in Texas is music, both by UIL and state standards (TEKS), predominantly focused on music production. So when those are your primary evaluation tools, that’s your North Star. I’m not saying it’s better or worse, it’s just the way it is. That also includes the 8 hour rule. It applies to every UIL sanctioned activity, not just marching band. When you have programs that have students that participate in more than activity, as many small and mid sized programs do, it protects students from exhaustion. Texas is a big state with a very diverse demographic mix, and while bigger districts have sufficient students who tend to be more “band specialists”, the 8 hour rule allows kids in small towns to participate in more than one activity. That way there are enough students to field a football team, a volleyball team, AND a band, because they’ve learned to share kids. I always love it at some of the smaller school football games when you see cheerleaders and football players marching in the halftime show.
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Post by wwmw on Oct 7, 2019 22:08:17 GMT -6
One more quick thing regarding academic eligibility in Texas: passing isn’t 60; it’s 70. I don’t know how that compares to the rest of the country, but I know it surprised me when I moved in from out of state.
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Post by paddy on Oct 8, 2019 8:00:56 GMT -6
I'm not even sure why the rest of us field bands after reading all that...
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Post by hewhowaits on Oct 8, 2019 9:12:17 GMT -6
I always love it at some of the smaller school football games when you see cheerleaders and football players marching in the halftime show. I graduated with a three-time first team all-state center who did this. He played flute (first chair in the all-state band) and piccolo - quite an accomplishment with his fingers taped up for football.
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Post by LeanderMomma on Oct 8, 2019 14:08:08 GMT -6
I always love it at some of the smaller school football games when you see cheerleaders and football players marching in the halftime show. I graduated with a three-time first team all-state center who did this. He played flute (first chair in the all-state band) and piccolo - quite an accomplishment with his fingers taped up for football. What?! Are you serious? That’s fantastic. Truly.
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Post by boahistorybuff on Oct 9, 2019 10:17:47 GMT -6
I totally agree with the comments everyone has made. It is also interesting to note how high school marching band hot spots in the country have changed over the years.
New York State and Pennsylvania had some of the best and most innovative bands in the country in the 70s, 80s and early 90s. I think cuts to the music programs have had an impact in this region.
During the 70s and early 80s, central California was big, especially in and around San Jose. I think having a lot of drum corps in the region helped. I think again we have seen some cuts to music programs in recent years in this region.
North Carolina had several bands on the forefront in the 70s and 80s. Perhaps the lack of a more organized state championship circuit has hurt them or perhaps it was because they had a few band directors (like Bob Buckner and John Sykes) who steered the programs in a certain direction back in those years.
Today, one of the big things that I notice is that the newer, larger and more affluent schools (at least those that put resources into their performing arts departments) have the strongest programs. Yes the suburban Texas programs are an example. These larger and more affluent schools can also hire staff/design teams that are heavily involved in DCI and multiple top notch high school programs (ie they are more expensive). Newer suburban communities are also building larger schools that can accommodate more students, leading to bigger bands and a much larger pool of talent.
Having the same designer also helps. In the late 80s and early 90s, Steve Brubaker designed a ton of shows from different parts of the country. The bands that used his designs had a similar style even though they were from different states. In recent years, the Wes Cartwright shows have had a similar look and feel even though they are from several different states. Of course, these bands are highly active in the BOA circuit. Some designers may only work in one region or state, leading to their design ideas/tastes being more local/regional.
Finally, having baton twirlers (or majorettes as they were usually called) was pretty common in the 70s and early 80s. Some bands just had one, while some bands had several. Norwin HS had a line of baton twirlers in their 1982 Grand National Champion performance. I was stunned to see a baton twirler 30 years later in Carmel's show. These were typically a carry over from marching bands who started out as having a college half time style show and did a lot of parades. As bands transitioned into the drum corps style during the 70s and 80s, a lot of these bands held onto their majorettes. I am actually surprised that even today, we still see a baton twirler emerge from time to time.
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Post by LeanderMomma on Oct 9, 2019 11:18:30 GMT -6
We saw a baton twirler just a few weeks ago at BOA Austin. First time I've seen one outside of a football game. Was nostalgic for sure! I think this art is definitely making a come back.
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Post by Subito Fortissimo on Oct 9, 2019 21:13:32 GMT -6
North Carolina had several bands on the forefront in the 70s and 80s. Perhaps the lack of a more organized state championship circuit has hurt them or perhaps it was because they had a few band directors (like Bob Buckner and John Sykes) who steered the programs in a certain direction back in those years. Unfortunately nothing is going to change anytime soon in NC. There is a small but very vocal and influential group of directors in the state who despise competitive marching band and keep those who want a state championship from being able to have one. Of course these directors don't turn up their nose at getting paid to judge every weekend... A dozen or so years ago some pro-competition directors manage to get the NCBA state sponsored sheets approved and a few years later marching band MPA. At this point MPA has pretty much failed for lack of participation and the number of shows using state sheets has been declining. Show hosts don't see the supposed "prestige" as worth the cost of getting the sheets and the loss of bands at their shows who refuse to attend shows using the state sheets. It won't be until the anti-competition directors retire that things may finally start to change, and that may still be well down the road.
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Post by N.E. Brigand on Oct 9, 2019 21:44:13 GMT -6
There's too much wrong with the first three-quarters of this post to dig into. But in regards to their description of tone, they aren't wrong. Moreover, Texas bands have TOTALLY homogenized their sound such that every band sounds almost the same (in terms of tone quality, not necessarily in stylistic choices). There is a definitive difference between how a Texas band sounds and how a... how almost any other band sounds. Interesting. I think there may be at least a half-dozen Ohio bands that I could identify, no matter what they were playing, just based on the way they sound. Just like in drum corps it's generally easy to tell the Bluecoats from Carolina Crown from the Blue Devils by their sound quality. Obviously as staffs change over time, that changes, but are Texas really so homogenized that this is impossible down there?
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Post by lostchoirguy on Oct 9, 2019 23:32:18 GMT -6
But in regards to their description of tone, they aren't wrong. Moreover, Texas bands have TOTALLY homogenized their sound such that every band sounds almost the same (in terms of tone quality, not necessarily in stylistic choices). There is a definitive difference between how a Texas band sounds and how a... how almost any other band sounds. Interesting. I think there may be at least a half-dozen Ohio bands that I could identify, no matter what they were playing, just based on the way they sound. Just like in drum corps it's generally easy to tell the Bluecoats from Carolina Crown from the Blue Devils by their sound quality. Obviously as staffs change over time, that changes, but are Texas really so homogenized that this is impossible down there? The easiest way to tell them apart is their music book in my opinion. Vandegrift/ Hebron/ Flower Mound/ Reagan/ The Woodlands/ CTJ all have slightly different sounds, but that has more to do with stylistic choices than it does the way they play their instruments. I suspect a really well-trained musician or someone who is very experienced in marching band could tell these bands apart just by listening to them, but I am not quite there yet.
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Post by Jake W. on Oct 9, 2019 23:46:30 GMT -6
Unfortunately nothing is going to change anytime soon in NC. There is a small but very vocal and influential group of directors in the state who despise competitive marching band and keep those who want a state championship from being able to have one. Of course these directors don't turn up their nose at getting paid to judge every weekend...
(bold was my addition) That's absolutely ridiculous. Luckily that's a dying breed, although it's taking far too long. The head director at the school of music I went to was truly terrible; a fine(ish) guy, not bad or good as a person, a bit of a buffoon, but absolutely not knowledgeable enough to be the head director of a nationally-known university band program. The type who had gotten to where he was based on networking throughout the years, but who truly had no ear. He despised competitive marching band and constantly bemoaned the horrors of it. I remember we got in an argument once in an arranging course he taught because I wanted to arrange Gillingham's "Prophecy of the Earth" for a marching band (done many times), and he said there was no way it could be done because of the use of organ in the original concert band work. Anyway, a few years back, I noticed his name on the roster judging UIL 6A State Finals. I forever have taken the UIL judging system as a joke from that point on. The man literally besieged competitive marching band any chance he got, and, to my knowledge, still does.
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Post by LeanderMomma on Oct 10, 2019 5:19:45 GMT -6
Unfortunately nothing is going to change anytime soon in NC. There is a small but very vocal and influential group of directors in the state who despise competitive marching band and keep those who want a state championship from being able to have one. Of course these directors don't turn up their nose at getting paid to judge every weekend...
(bold was my addition) That's absolutely ridiculous. Luckily that's a dying breed, although it's taking far too long. The head director at the school of music I went to was truly terrible; a fine(ish) guy, not bad or good as a person, a bit of a buffoon, but absolutely not knowledgeable enough to be the head director of a nationally-known university band program. The type who had gotten to where he was based on networking throughout the years, but who truly had no ear. He despised competitive marching band and constantly bemoaned the horrors of it. I remember we got in an argument once in an arranging course he taught because I wanted to arrange Gillingham's "Prophecy of the Earth" for a marching band (done many times), and he said there was no way it could be done because of the use of organ in the original concert band work. Anyway, a few years back, I noticed his name on the roster judging UIL 6A State Finals. I forever have taken the UIL judging system as a joke from that point on. The man literally besieged competitive marching band any chance he got, and, to my knowledge, still does. Seriously? And he’s judging Texas UIL competitions? Aaaccckkk!
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Post by N.E. Brigand on Oct 10, 2019 10:30:46 GMT -6
There is a small but very vocal and influential group of directors in the state who despise competitive marching band and keep those who want a state championship from being able to have one. Of course these directors don't turn up their nose at getting paid to judge every weekend...
That's absolutely ridiculous. Luckily that's a dying breed, although it's taking far too long. The head director at the school of music I went to was truly terrible; a fine(ish) guy, not bad or good as a person, a bit of a buffoon, but absolutely not knowledgeable enough to be the head director of a nationally-known university band program. The type who had gotten to where he was based on networking throughout the years, but who truly had no ear. He despised competitive marching band and constantly bemoaned the horrors of it. I remember we got in an argument once in an arranging course he taught because I wanted to arrange Gillingham's "Prophecy of the Earth" for a marching band (done many times), and he said there was no way it could be done because of the use of organ in the original concert band work. Anyway, a few years back, I noticed his name on the roster judging UIL 6A State Finals. I forever have taken the UIL judging system as a joke from that point on. The man literally besieged competitive marching band any chance he got, and, to my knowledge, still does. (My bold.)
There's a judge who's worked in DCI, DCA, and BOA, who said in an interview in 2014 that he welcomed the addition of trombones and French horns to DCI in part because he was sometimes frustrated by bands and corps who played passages famously written for those instruments on other instruments.
Not quite as egregious as the attitude you describe, but to me that's like complaining that the Canadian Brass play works not originally written for brass quintet.
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Post by paddy on Oct 10, 2019 11:22:42 GMT -6
I heard a critique tape one time where the judge stated that jazz music has no place on the marching band field and thus he would be scoring them lower.
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Post by Jake W. on Oct 10, 2019 11:27:50 GMT -6
Seriously? And he’s judging Texas UIL competitions? Aaaccckkk! Only one as far as I know But it was the biggest of the big ones.
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Post by LeanderMomma on Oct 10, 2019 11:46:47 GMT -6
Seriously? And he’s judging Texas UIL competitions? Aaaccckkk! Only one as far as I know But it was the biggest of the big ones. That’s highly concerning!
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Post by Subito Fortissimo on Oct 10, 2019 21:28:52 GMT -6
Unfortunately nothing is going to change anytime soon in NC. There is a small but very vocal and influential group of directors in the state who despise competitive marching band and keep those who want a state championship from being able to have one. Of course these directors don't turn up their nose at getting paid to judge every weekend...
(bold was my addition) That's absolutely ridiculous. Luckily that's a dying breed, although it's taking far too long. The head director at the school of music I went to was truly terrible; a fine(ish) guy, not bad or good as a person, a bit of a buffoon, but absolutely not knowledgeable enough to be the head director of a nationally-known university band program. The type who had gotten to where he was based on networking throughout the years, but who truly had no ear. He despised competitive marching band and constantly bemoaned the horrors of it. I remember we got in an argument once in an arranging course he taught because I wanted to arrange Gillingham's "Prophecy of the Earth" for a marching band (done many times), and he said there was no way it could be done because of the use of organ in the original concert band work. Anyway, a few years back, I noticed his name on the roster judging UIL 6A State Finals. I forever have taken the UIL judging system as a joke from that point on. The man literally besieged competitive marching band any chance he got, and, to my knowledge, still does. It is rather despicable. I wish show hosts wouldn't hire them to judge but sometimes in NC it isn't easy to fill up a panel with decent judges.
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Post by N.E. Brigand on Oct 10, 2019 21:54:53 GMT -6
Eh, it may be better when people are open about their biases. Better a judge who tells you flatly he doesn't like jazz than one who doesn't tell you but scores you lower for that reason. At least with the first judge you know what you've done "wrong".
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Post by N.E. Brigand on Oct 17, 2019 18:12:40 GMT -6
Parents and alumni sometimes have unusual ideas about the state band. Here in Ohio (and doubtless this is true in other states), there are a number of instances in which two or more schools have the same name. For instance, there's a "Perry" in Lima, a "Perry" in Massillon, and a "Perry" in, well, Perry. Only one of them currently competes, but historically, one of the others did, so when researching older information, you have to be careful when a listing, like a competition schedule, only refers to "Perry".
There's another instance of two bands with the same name that's proved particularly thorny when trying to understand the history of the OMEA state finals: "Shawnee". One is (ironically, given "Perry") in Lima and the other is in (or near) Springfield. (For those in other states: those two towns are about 90 minutes apart. Lima was the town where the TV show "Glee" was set. And there's actually a third "Shawnee", still active though with a lower profile, but they're always listed as "Preble Shawnee".) Both bands overlapped in competition for some years. OMEA's public records are often not clear about which is which. Lima Shawnee, to judge from the results that are certain, was the more successful band for a couple decades (although I never saw them) but stopped competing some ten years ago or more -- although the directors (only just retired?) continue to judge regularly in OMEA. Springfield Shawnee seemingly started later in competition and continues to compete, but with only sporadic success (especially lately).
I lately stumbled across a comment on the Facebook page of the Lima Shawnee band. As mentioned somewhere earlier in this topic, Ohio State each year hosts the "Buckeye Invitational", in which 30+ bands are judged in OMEA, and alongside there are another 10 or so festival bands in exhibition. Someone noticed the schedule for that OSU event listed just "Shawnee" as one of the performing bands and posted to Lima Shawnee's page asking: is that our band? I thought this response from another commenter was fascinating:
"Sad that a few years ago, the OMEA decided to put much more emphasis on showmanship (i.e.,dancing etc) rather than the music and precision in judged competitions. That's about the time the Band of One quit going to the State Marching Band competition, I believe."
Imagine thinking that OMEA, derided by BOA aficionados for being visually staid, is seen by others as having too much dancing. But such comments tell us something about the risks in trying to make such classifications!
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Post by 70sguardchick on Oct 25, 2019 17:24:55 GMT -6
Ok, saw an example of what I was thinking about just now at the Indy Super. Grove City - big, lush sound, but drill and uniforms are very collegiate (company front, what?!). Is that an Ohio thing, or a “them” thing?
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Post by Allohak on Oct 25, 2019 18:57:50 GMT -6
Ok, saw an example of what I was thinking about just now at the Indy Super. Grove City - big, lush sound, but drill and uniforms are very collegiate (company front, what?!). Is that an Ohio thing, or a “them” thing? It's very much an OMEA thing (as opposed to MSBA, Ohio's "other" circuit) Even the groups in OMEA who play very very well (as Grove City does!) have very simple, basic, traditional visual designs.
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Post by hewhowaits on Oct 25, 2019 19:19:09 GMT -6
Ok, saw an example of what I was thinking about just now at the Indy Super. Grove City - big, lush sound, but drill and uniforms are very collegiate (company front, what?!). Is that an Ohio thing, or a “them” thing? It's very much an OMEA thing (as opposed to MSBA, Ohio's "other" circuit) Even the groups in OMEA who play very very well (as Grove City does!) have very simple, basic, traditional visual designs. To expand on this a little - look at the visual design for Grove City compared to BOA regulars like Mason, Centerville, Bellbrook, etc. Definitely not an "Ohio thing" per se. Bands like Lakota East and Lakota West made the move from participating only in OMEA to MSBA/BOA several years ago and are just now getting to the point where we aren't likely to make the same observation as we currently do about Grove City's visuals.
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Post by N.E. Brigand on Oct 25, 2019 19:55:42 GMT -6
Ok, saw an example of what I was thinking about just now at the Indy Super. Grove City - big, lush sound, but drill and uniforms are very collegiate (company front, what?!). Is that an Ohio thing, or a “them” thing? It's more complicated than that.
BOA style, to the degree that there is such a thing, gets rewarded just fine in OMEA. Mason won every caption when they appeared in OMEA earlier this year (except guard, which Miamisburg took). About half the Ohio bands who regularly turn up at BOA also participate in OMEA. But what's wrong with a company front? Not using it is like painting without using the color yellow. Can't have yellow! So unsophisticated! What kind of barbarian uses yellow?
From my perspective, Grove City is as different from Beavercreek is as different from North Royalton as any of the three of them are different from Lakota East. That's four quite different styles right there, but to BOA eyes, the first three may look all the same.
It's rather like how people who love old drum corps look at today's Bluecoats and Blue Devils and Santa Clara Vanguard and complain: "they're all alike!" and people who love today's drum corps look at 1980's Blue Devils and 27th Lancers and Bridgemen and complain: "they're all alike!"
I feel confident there are Grove City parents who sat through this block and thought: most of the other shows are all alike.
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Post by 70sguardchick on Oct 25, 2019 20:06:06 GMT -6
Oh, don’t get me wrong - I loves me a good company front. I was digging on DCI back when cummerbunds and puffy shirts were in vogue. But it is a bit of an anachronism these days, as are drum majors in skirts, hose and white pumps. Grove City was just so markedly different from the bands that came before and after.
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