Introduction

This section addresses various topics related to Marching Band and the Marching Band season. During the Fall, all band students – both Musician and ColorGuard – participate in Marching Band. Marching Band activities should finish early in November. However, should the Football Team qualify for play-off games, the Band will attend and perform at each play-off game.

Schedules

Students are given a practice and performance schedule at the beginning of each month. The schedule contains a great deal of information for both parents and students. Students tend to "forget" to share this important item with parents. If your band student has not volunteered to show you the band practice schedule by the third or fourth day of the month, ask to see it.

Please be aware that -- as the season progresses -- there may be changes to the published schedule. These result from a host of sources outside of the control of the Band Directors. Schedule changes will be communicated to all band students as soon as they are known. Thanks in advance for your understanding in dealing with last-minutes changes.

Practice Times

The monthly schedule lists all practice times.

You may not want to pick your student up immediately after practice since students often have many responsibilities after the end of the formal rehearsal period. We suggest that you negotiate a pick-up time with your student based on the practice schedule and their pre- and post-rehearsal activities:

1. Your student may want to be at school anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour before practice starts. This time is used for individually working on music, "passing off" music, etc.
2. Your student may remain after practice anywhere from 30 - 45 minutes, or longer. This is due to section meetings, conferences with the director, clean-up, demerits and fraternization with other band members.

Car Pools

Car Pools for practice are a great way to cut down on parent driving responsibilities. The master roster, mailed to each family over the summer, lists the neighborhood each student lives in . This information can help you set up car pools. However, since students tend to finish practice responsibilities at different times, car pool drivers need to plan their pick-up time based on the last student to finish.

Pass-Offs

Band students are not permitted to perform in a show until they have memorized the music and marching drill, and perform it correctly. Students have many opportunities to "pass-off" the music for one of the band directors. The band show typically has three or four movements, and the students learn the show one movement at a time. Students "pass-off" the music for each movement separately. When the band performs the show at football games, students march the movements that they have "passed-off." If you find that your band student is "always" attending the after-practice pass-off session, you may want to investigate your student’s practice habits during the week.

Football Game Performances

Many of you have grown to adulthood thinking that High School Football was designed to let athletes play football. You will soon learn otherwise; High School Football is an opportunity for the Marching Band to perform. The band performs at each scheduled and post-season football game. Please attend as many games as possible; both you and your band student will benefit from the synergism.

Watching Practice

Attending band practice is a great way to meet other band parents. Parents, friends and fans are always welcome to watch the band practice Many of the practices take place on the parking lot on the west side of the school. It is an impressive experience to watch the show form, build, and take on a high level of perfection as the season progresses. As a parent, you’ll learn that your child will ignore you during practice. This is positive, because each member of the band has a lot to concentrate on.

Shadows

The marching show is designed with fewer marching positions than marching students, recognizing that some students will not be able to perform in the show due to injury, illness, or academic eligibility. Inexperienced marching students practice in a "shadow" position next to a regular position. This system enables a new marcher to gain valuable experience and an opportunity to continue to improve marching skills.

As the season progresses students gain additional expertise and have opportunities to move into regular marching positions. Band students, who meet all other performance criteria, including grades, are allowed to attend all performances of the marching band. They also can perform in the stands, and are given every opportunity possible to perform at a minimum of at least one half time performance. There are no benchwarmers.

Demerits

Students who are late to practice, misbehave during practice, or commit one of several offenses (students and directors know the complete list) are awarded demerits. Demerits are an effective way of building team responsibility and enforcing discipline in a large group. Students work off demerits by performing additional drills and cleaning the band hall after practice. They are also another reason to be late to pick up your student after practice. (See Practice Times.)

Musician Uniforms

The school owns band uniforms, which are stored at the school. Band students are responsible for the uniform and any loss or damage is the responsibility of the student. Except for special circumstances, uniforms are distributed to each student immediately prior to an event and collected immediately after the event. Students are sized for uniforms early in the year In some instances, minor alterations to the uniform are required; you may be asked to assist in making the temporary alterations. If you make alterations, do not cut the material. Pant length is moved up one year and down the next as kids grow and personnel change. Please keep in mind that uniform sizes – particularly pant length – are designed to present the correct visual effect when viewed from the stands.

Colorguard Uniforms

Typically, Colorguard uniforms are developed each year as part of the visual effect of the marching show. The uniform components are professionally designed; parents assist in fabricating the uniform.

Band Shirt

Each year, a Band T-shirt is custom designed. The shirt serves many purposes and is an integral part of the uniform. The Band Shirt is ordered at Registration. By ordering as a group, we get a good price on a custom design. Every student in the marching band is required to have at least one shirt. Due to the high frequency of wear, many families opt to buy a second (or even a third) shirt as an alternative to late-night laundry sessions.

Travel

All trips, football games and contests, are considered school activities. Students must follow all school rules and regulations during these trips. All trips leave from and return to Langham Creek High School. Parent volunteers serve as chaperones on these trips. (This is a great way to get involved as a parent. See Chaperones, page *.)

All students are expected to leave with the band and return with the band. If a special circumstance requires that your band student join the band at the event or leave the event directly after the performance, you need to make the appropriate arrangements with the band director in advance.

Game Day Meals

When there is a Friday evening Football game (or another event occurring in the afternoon/evening of a school day, the band operates on a "closed school" basis and students are not permitted to leave school between the end of classes and the start of the event. Parents are responsible for providing an evening meal for their band student.

To assist in this area, the Booster Club has made arrangements with a local "fast food" restaurant to provide a meal (sandwich, fries, etc.) for $3.00. Orders are placed in advance and one of our band parents does the "running" to deliver the food. This service is publicized to the students on a regular basis

Meeting The Bus

The detailed schedule issued to your band student lists return / pick-up times for each event. Please keep in mind that these are approximate times, since event timing, and traffic are unpredictable.

When the band returns from an event, there is a tremendous amount of equipment that needs to be unloaded from the busses and moved to the band hall. Parents are requested to help; doing so allows our bus drivers to return the busses in a timely manner and helps to get our band students home earlier.

Bus Loading / Unloading Zone

Busses will always load and unload the band and equipment from the curb along the west commons and auditorium of the school. We ask everyone to refrain from parking cars along this curb.

Competition

Competitions are a great tool for motivating the students to achieve high levels of excellence. The excitement and the opportunity to see many fine bands perform makes the band competitions a valuable part of the marching program. Parents and fans are encouraged to attend all competitions and to show their support for the band.

The major competition in marching season is the UIL (University Interscholastic League) contest. Each year, the UIL conducts a marching contest at the Region Level. On alternate (even numbered) years, the UIL also conducts an Area and State marching contest. In recent years, the Lobo Band advanced to the State finals. Returning to the State finals on a regular basis is one of the long-term goals for the band program.

In addition to the UIL contest, the Lobo Band performs in several other contests each year. Some of the contests the band has participated in include:

• Spring ISD
• Katy ISD
• Sam Houston State University
• Bands of America.

All of these contests are one-day (long day) events.

Contest Scoring

Judges award scores at Marching Contest based on the musical quality, visual effect, and overall performance. Just like figure skating at the Olympics, the individual preferences of the judges play a part. Our Band Directors strive to develop a marching show that is appropriately challenging, yet enjoyable for the students to learn and perform. It’s a real juggling act!

Most contests are scored on the basis of "Divisions" … Division 1 through Division 5. Division 1 is the top score. Each band receives a "Division" rating.

In addition, at many contests, "Best in Class" awards are presented. Class groupings are defined based on student population of the particular school. The specific awards vary from contest to contest.

Concert Band

Winter Guard