Marching Band Season: 2010

[Ditto616]

I'm a major marching band geek (seeing as I am the section leader of my section), and the first of 3 of the main competitions I go to is on Saturday. We go to MCBA competitions (Michigan Competing Bands Association). The bands are divided up between 4 flights, I being the from the largest schools and IV being from the smallest ones. We fall in flight IV. The top 11 bands from each flight get to go to State Competition, located at Ford Field in Detroit. I'll try to get a video up of our show, as I think it's quite cool.

So, our show this year is originally called Escape, but our director changed it to In the Dreams of My Heart, which coincides with lyrics from our second movement. It consists of 3 movements, as most shows do. First off, we have an arrangement of In the Hall of the Mountain King, and I play a Baritone Saxophone, which almost always doubles the tuba part, so it makes me happy. If you don't recognize the name of that song, go look it up.

The next song is Novus, a song by Santana, featuring Placido Domingo, an opera singer. At one point, our lead drum major turns around and sings the first part of the song.

Our last selection is called King Kong Finale, which takes music from the Peter Jackson version of the film, which has an amazing soundtrack. We did extend the drum solo and scrapped the old ending for a new one that incorporates the main melody from Hall of the Mountain King.

If everything goes according to plan, I'll try to get a video and our results up every week. I also would like to see what you guys are doing, and maybe get into this depth.

[Idno58]

Well, have fun and Good luck!

[Quadcentruo]

NO WAY!! Another Band Geek on this forum, AND from Michigan!!
I didn't see that one coming....

My band had their first real competition last saturday, and we made second (which is much higher for what we've done in the past... 4-5 years) with a score of 83.6 (our average is below/around 70-60)

[Jason_Henge]

If there's any way to record your show or routine, please do. BTW, how big is the band?

[mariothecellist]

Good luck I'm in my first year of marching band (though I am a junior). My friend said "You need to come to band camp! It's fun!!!" I decided I would and was placed in the pit on the xylophone (which I proceeded to break in three places, but on the strings holding the keys together).

My friend was right, it is very fun. We have our third game in a week or so. Lucky me, our music, from La Nouba (Cirque du Soleil) is very keyboard dependednt. So I had to get good. Fast.

[Ditto616]

Our band is probably about... 60-70 people I want to say. What band are you in Quad? And you do MCBA too?

[Quadcentruo]

I play for Waterford Mott. Our band is about, 54 kids - not exact though (which is 2 more than last year). Yes, we do MCBA.

We are playing the music of Ray Charles: America, the Beautiful + Hallelujah, I love her so; Let the Good Times Roll; and Georgia on my Mind, Bye Bye Love.

[Jason_Henge]

60-70? That's pretty small for me. Before I quit the band, we had about 100. After we got a new director, who had to be mentally unstable, most of the band quit and they were left with about 30.

My university has around 200 members, I think. Maybe 300. I haven't got to go to one of the shows so unless someone posts it on YouTube like last year's show, I won't get to see it. D:

[Ditto616]

My freshman year of High School, we had about 90. Our show was called "Rise of the Samurai Warrior." It was amazingly epic. Two videos makes it up.

First movement:

Second and Third

That one was my favorite, but this year is looking to be my second favorite. I hope to get those videos up, and just get them period.

Quad, I'm going to Cedar Springs, Jenison, and Reeths-Puffer @ Rockford. What about you?

[Jason_Henge]

From the Bands of America Championship:

Part 1

Part 2

Yeah, it's 2009, but it's a worthwhile show. :3

[Quadcentruo]

Originally Posted by Ditto616

Quad, I'm going to Cedar Springs, Jenison, and Reeths-Puffer @ Rockford. What about you?

For the competitions, I know we are going to Clarkston High (which is a band of about 200), Livonia, and we've already been to Brandon.

[Ditto616]

So, we've gone out twice now. Once for MCBA and once for district festival. We got a 63.83 at our first MCBA, which isn't bad for a starting score for us. We got straight division I ratings at festival, in which I believe that our performance was a bit better. We go out this Saturday to Jenison, a city by Grand Rapids.

[Quadcentruo]

Last week, my marching band got a I in a MSBOA style grading competition at the other high school in my town. This passing Saturday, my band got 5th out of 8 at Livonia with a score of 63 (I think), which is much better than what we normally get.

[GrassPokemonFTW]

That's awesome! I have my Fall Concert coming up in a few weeks, and these are my favorite of the songs we are playing:

[Ditto616]

Well, better late than never, but we are going to State, as we got a 64.65 and 64.07 respectively at Jension and Reeths-Puffer. Our score did go down, but it was definitely a lower scoring competition. We go in tied at 7-8th place, with the town directly next to us. If there's any way you can get to Detroit for any reason this weekend, you should. MCBA is very entertaining. My band performs at 5:00 p.m. sharp.

[Quadcentruo]

Unfortunately, my band is not going to State's. We got 63 and 66 in Livonia and Clarkston. Although we made 5th out of 8 in Livonia, we made last (there were 5) at Clarkston.