UNIVERSITY INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE
AREA D MARCHING CONTEST
October 24, 2015
TO: All Directors of Class AA Participation Bands
From: Tony Clines, Contest Chairman
and Collin Anderson, Contest Site Host
Congratulations on having been selected to represent your Region at the Area Marching Band Contest to be held on October 24, 2015, at the Groesbeck ISD Stadium at 1202 N. Ellis in Groesbeck, Texas 76642. The school and stadium are located just north of town on Highway 14. Buses will enter on the north side of the campus. Spectators and personal vehicles should enter on the south side of the campus. After reviewing the following information please contact Collin Anderson at 903-390-3271 or with any questions regarding the logistics of the contest.
JUDGES
The judges for the Class AA Area D Marching Band Contest are:
Mike Bartley, Canton High School
Barry Hurt, Pagosa Springs, CO (retired)
Kathy Johnson, Argyle High School
John Rauschuber, Fredericksburg High School
Tom SoRelle, Frenship High School
ENTRY FORMS AND ENTRY FEE
The following items are available under the Area D Marching Contest section of the UIL Music Region 8 webpage:
1. Area Marching Contest Entry Form (Entry Fee is $250.00)
2. Information from the UIL State Office, with specific Area Marching Contest information
3. Announcer’s Script-Please deliver to Check-in with Entry Form and Check
4. Synchronization Form for West Side Recording (video company)
5. Order Form for Area Contest Patches
Please fax a copy of your Entry Form to Tony Clines at 254-662-6480 ASAP after your Region contest. You may also scan and email it to Mr. Clines if you prefer. Bring your original Entry Form and Entry Fee of $250 to the contest. The Entry Form must be signed by the principal of the school. The Band Director should give the Entry Form, Entry Fee, Announcer’s Script and the West Side Recording Synchronization Form to the adult monitor at the check-in station as soon as you arrive at the contest (before going to warm-up).
Make Entry Fee checks payable to: UIL Area D Marching Contest.
SCHEDULE
Scheduling is done randomly with slots allotted for bands from each region. The final schedule will be emailed to you on Thursday, October 22.
ARRIVAL, PARKING, UNLOADING (Please refer to the enclosed campus map.)
There are two areas designated for bus parking. Those bands assigned to Warm-up A should use the parking in front of the auditorium on the north end of campus. Those using Warm-up B will park in the main parking lot in front of the school building. Students are not allowed to play in either parking area.
Pit equipment may be unloaded in the edge of the field house parking lot, just south of the stadium entrance ramp.
Spectators should park on the north end of the stadium in the parking area just behind the scoreboard. Should this area fill up, additional spectator parking can be found on the south end of the stadium, between the football field and the tennis courts. Best access to overflow parking is by way of the lane behind the football field.
FIRST AID
A First Aid facility will be available at the home concession stand. There will be water, ice and other minor emergency supplies on hand. In the event of a larger emergency, the local EMS will be on call. Ask any contest worker for assistance if needed.
RESTROOMS
Restrooms are located under the press box, behind the home stands or behind the visitor stands.
Changing areas and restrooms will be made available to bands in the auditorium foyer for Warm-up A and in the cafeteria for Warm-up B.
ADMISSION CHARGE
The admission charge is $5.00 per person for the general public. School administrators will be admitted free upon presentation of their District UIL pass. Admission wrist bands for chaperones and bus drivers will be distributed at check-in.
MONITORS
Student monitors will be assigned to each band. They will expect to meet you approximately 30 minutes prior to your warm-up time and will assist you in maintaining your schedule through the entire contest sequence. Please give them your total cooperation so that they can be of maximum service to you and your students.
WATER
Water will be made available as bands enter and exit the field as well as in the warm-up areas. Please instruct students to not disrupt the flow of bands entering and exiting the field at the water stations.
PRESS BOX ACCESS
Press box access is limited to judges, contest officials, contest workers and directors of participating bands. Directors of bands should exercise care in avoiding contact with judges at anytime during the contest. The contest office is located in the press box. A separate hospitality area will be available below the press box, in the school building, for the participating band directors.
WARM-UP
Your assigned monitor will escort you to your warm-up area at the assigned time. Please be prepared to move to your warm-up area 15 minutes before your scheduled warm-up time. If you wish to use a tuner you must provide it. No indoor warm-up areas are available. Do not play toward the stadium during warm-up. PLEASE INSTRUCT YOUR STUDENTS THAT THEY MAY NOT PLAY THEIR INSTRUMENTS AT ANY TIME OTHER THAN THEIR OFFICIAL WARM-UP AND PERFORMANCE TIMES. THIS INCLUDES PERCUSSION.
MOVEMENT TO STADIUM ENTRANCE
A monitor will advise you when it is time to move to the ready position. In order for the contest to remain on schedule, it is essential that you be prepared to proceed promptly and efficiently as directed. Please be courteous to the monitors. They are trying to help you as well as all the others following you.
MOVEMENT TO THE FIELD
Please note that your official performance time will begin exactly 5 minutes after your band has been cleared at the entrance gate to enter the field. It is advised that entrances be designed for movement of the band into position on the field as quickly as possible.
OFFICIAL TIME
Preparation and performance time will be kept according to the guidelines listed in the current Constitution and Contest Rules under Section 1105 (g) (3) Official Time.
(A) The contest chair will designate an official time keeper.
(B) Bands will be scheduled with five minutes between performances and a maximum of fifteen minutes per band.
(C) Bands may use the five minutes before their performance in any way they deem appropriate in order to assume their starting position and prepare for the beginning of their show. Activities may include warm-up and/or cadence.
(D) Each band will be announced with 45 seconds remaining on the 5-minute clock. The beginning of their announcement will indicate that the performance time will begin in 45 seconds. When 20 seconds remain on the five minute clock the announcer will read “Drum majors (drum majors names) you may begin your performance for the (prelims or finals) of the UIL Area D Marching Band Contest.”
(E) The actual timing and adjudication of the show will begin at the end of the five minutes.
(F) At the conclusion of its performance the post script will be read while each band will have two minutes to exit the field and clear the marching surface of all equipment, instruments and props. The use of either instrumental or verbal cadence is optional. A band that fails to be clear of the field (outside the sidelines or endlines) or continues to use instrumental or verbal cadence at the end of the two minutes will be disqualified.
(G) A band leaving equipment or instruments on the sideline in such a manner that these items impede the movement of the next band into its starting position is subject to penalty in accordance with Subchapter E.
The stadium clock will indicate the official contest time. However, when the final 20 seconds of the five minute warm-up period arrives, the stadium clock will be turned off and reset to eight minutes. Those final 20 seconds will be kept by the official timer with a stop watch.
POST PERFORMANCE
There will be no band photographer at the Area D Marching Contest. Competing bands will sit on the visitor side of the stadium at the conclusion of their performance. Admission will be by uniform or band shirt. Please remind students that noise and motion must be kept to a minimum during each bands performance. The press box stands will be open to directors and paid spectators only.
AREA CERTIFICATION TO STATE
If there are 13 or fewer bands in the area contest the preliminaries will stand as finals. 50% of the competing bands will be recognized as finalists. If there are 14 to 19 bands at the area contest 7 will advance from the preliminaries to the area finals. If there are 20 or more bands at the area contest 10 will advance from the preliminaries to the area finals. If 19 or fewer bands compete in the area contest, the three bands receiving the highest ranking in the finals shall be certified to advance to the State Marching Contest. If 20 or more bands compete in the area contest, one band for every five competing shall be certified to advance to the State Marching Contest.
CONTEST RESULTS
At the conclusion of the preliminary competition, ONE DIRECTOR from each competing band will be requested to appear in the contest office for a verification period before contest results are announced. Directors may pick up comment sheets and tapes in the press box during the verification period-not before. If your band is selected to advance to the area finals or the State Marching Contest, please report to Tony Clines for information and scheduling. If your band is certified to advance to the State Marching Contest, please be prepared to declare your intention to participate.
DRUM MAJOR RETREAT
At the conclusion of the final band’s performance drum majors from all competing bands are requested to meet on the field at the south end zone to prepare for the drum major retreat. A contest official will organize the retreat and present each band’s drum major(s) with an Area D Marching Contest participation plaque. After this, bands advancing to either the Area D finals or the State Marching Contest will be announced in alphabetical order.
COPYRIGHT REPORT
In order for your band to be video recorded you must complete the appropriate Synchronization Form and have it on file with West Side Recording Company. You will find the link to this form under the Area tab of the Region 18 webpage.
VIDEO RECORDING
West Side Recording Company is the official videographer for this contest and will be recording from the press box. All other video recording may be set up anywhere outside the press box and a battery pack must be used for power. The director from each competing band will receive a complimentary DVD of your bands performance and will be included in your contest packet.
CONCESSIONS
The Groesbeck Band Boosters will be operating a concession stand throughout the contest. While you may choose to utilize some the local restaurants to feed your students, your support of the concession stand would be appreciated. Local restaurant information is available by contacting Collin Anderson.
BALLOONS PROHIBITED
By UIL rules, balloons are prohibited at all UIL events.
QUESTIONS? Do not call the State UIL Office with questions about this contest. Please call Tony Clines at 254-644-5128 (cell). Again, for specific “Groesbeck questions,” contact Collin Anderson at the above listed contact information.
OTHER RULE CLARIFICATIONS
Electronic Equipment: Electronic equipment may be used under the following provisions:
A. All electronically produced music, including narration and sound effects, must be performed live and in real time by eligible students.
B. Pre-recorded music, instrumental or vocal, may not be used.
C. The placement of electronic units must comply with the 5-minute set up and 2- minute tear down limitations.
Amplification: Amplification of instruments or voice may be used with the following restrictions:
A. All equipment, such as mixers, sound boards, etc. must be operated by eligible students.
B. AC power cords and AC supplied amplification units must be located outside the sidelines and endlines.
C. A power generator or DC power source may be placed on the field, provided there is a protective barrier between the power unit and the turf and all
cords are contained safely within close proximity to the equipment that is being supplied with power.
D. The placement of amplification units must comply with the 5-minute set up and 2-minute tear down limitations.
E. Wind instruments may be amplified only for solo and/or small ensemble features.
Violations will be subject to penalties in accordance with Section 27 and Section 29 of the Constitution and Contest Rules. Judges will be expected to address the appropriateness and frequency of use of electronics and amplification as part of the adjudication process.
Groesbeck Band Boosters
Concession Stand
Burger Baskets
available for pre-order
includes burger, chips, and drink (soda or water)
$6.00
Please contact Collin Anderson at 903-390-3271
if you are interested in ordering food for
your students, director, chaperones, etc.
through the concession stand.
A total count needs to be in as soon as possible
in order to make preparations. Orders cannot
be accepted after noon, Thursday, October 22.