2011 California Parade Band Fantasy Championships

[resetdoitagain]

That's funny, because it seriously wouldn't have. These winds are crazy.

[Psalm 56]

Not upset....not causing stress to anyone...think this is a "fun" posting...please CHECK YOUR PASSION AT THE DOOR.

Yet, in the "final countdown" I believe I see only TWO NCBA ensembles?!?! Really?! Ok...and neither one in the top 10? Really?

SO, BEFORE YOU BUST MY CHOPS WITH the "Nor Cal is this and the SO.cal is that" I am going into a different direction. I would like to know the demographics (finance/ethnic and/or race (whatever term you are comfortable with/API/etc.) of THE TOP 10. Along with the great competance with said band directors and their staffs, I bet there is a connection of the TOP 10 and let's say -- FINANCES. Just saying...

Thanks again for this post. I hope many of us will take this post as something fun!!

[Hostrauser]

Thank Dave. I have the full Adobe on my work computer but not at home, so I couldn't create a PDF without downloading a third-party converter (which I didn't feel like doing).

Yet, in the "final countdown" I believe I see only TWO NCBA ensembles?!?! Really?! Ok...and neither one in the top 10? Really?

Yep. (Three, actually: Benicia, Franklin, and Golden Valley. A little surprised Fairfield didn't make Top 25, but they had a "bad run" in Prelims.)

Having been to dozens of parade competitions at both ends of the state over the past 20 years, I honestly feel the top SCSBOA parade bands are at a different level. The visual (marching) evidence is plainly evident on the YouTube videos: better block setup, better rank alignment, fewer phasing issues, better marching posture and form, and particularly more consistent form and approach to step style from the waist down. The musical evidence is a bit more in the minutiae, but the two biggest factors (IMO) would be a more advanced level of articulation and phrasing, and a greatly superior concept of tone production and ensemble intonation.

The CAUSES of this you've already alluded to...

SO, BEFORE YOU BUST MY CHOPS WITH the "Nor Cal is this and the SO.cal is that" I am going into a different direction. I would like to know the demographics (finance/ethnic and/or race (whatever term you are comfortable with/API/etc.) of THE TOP 10. Along with the great competence with said band directors and their staffs, I bet there is a connection of the TOP 10 and let's say -- FINANCES. Just saying...

You bet. If Golden Valley was in the financial position to give 50% of its kids private lessons, I think they would be more competitive with the SCSBOA Top Ten. That, along with the fact almost all elementary/middle school feeder programs are far more advanced in SoCal, compared to the barely-existent feeder programs in NorCal, are significant contributors to the performance level gap.

What I look at demographically to determine the "wealth" of the school is to see what percentage of students qualify for reduced-price or free school lunches. Using the same government site referenced in the initial post, this is what I get...

Finalist Bands
5.49% RANCHO BERNARDO
7.17% DIAMOND BAR
10.23% BENICIA
12.15% MT. CARMEL
12.70% ESPERANZA
14.38% ARCADIA
14.73% GLENDORA
14.87% GRETCHEN A. WHITNEY
15.84% EL DORADO
21.02% CYPRESS
29.16% RIVERSIDE KING
30.94% FRANKLIN
36.10% OLYMPIAN
38.40% DIAMOND RANCH
44.34% MAYFAIR
44.56% CHINO
44.75% MIRA MESA
54.38% VALENCIA
55.36% HENRY J. KAISER
63.34% JOHN GLENN
63.47% ARLINGTON
70.70% LOARA
84.76% GOLDEN VALLEY
88.67% GAREY
N/A NOTRE DAME

Is it surprising that the "wealthiest" school that can afford to send a significant number of kids to private lessons is the best in my review (and at Arcadia)? Sadly, no. It's just a fact of reality. It doesn't imply that any one band works harder than any other, just that some bands have a greater number of obstacles to overcome to become a top band. So really, Greg Christiansen and Golden Valley do a heck of a job considering the significant economic disadvantage they are in compared to the other top bands in the state.

[Luis]

This is great. Thanks for doing this Kevin. Looking closely at the recaps, I noticed that "one of the judges" actually gave RB a perfect 200 in M&M in prelims.

Where are the auxiliary, drill team and drum major scores? .....just kidding

-Luis

[Hostrauser]

Where are the auxiliary, drill team and drum major scores? .....just kidding

-Luis

I actually do keep track of those scores in each circuit. However, the philosophy of design from an auxiliary standpoint is SO DIFFERENT between the NCBA and SCSBOA I have not yet figured out a fair way to mesh the two. Maybe next year.

[Brad]

Thanks Hostrauser for doing this, and I think your analysis is spot on. The top southern cal bands march much better than the nor cal groups. Maybe it's because the nor cal group have to work so hard on music fundamentals to be on a par with our cousins to the south, that we don't get to spend as much time on the marching fundamentals, though, in all honesty, our aux. groups rock compared to the southern cal groups. But that is a horse of a differant color.

[Ryan H. Turner]

Interesting results--especially the top 10...which is pretty close to how things typically turn out anyway. This was COOL to see.

I don't know the "hows" of how you did it....but you are pretty dang smart.

For a tree hugging, gun phobic, commie pinko leftist that is ....... (KIDDING!)

[Hostrauser]

though, in all honesty, our aux. groups rock compared to the southern cal groups.

It's a matter of personal taste. Again: the two circuits have such amazingly different expectations of what a parade guard should be that it's almost impossible to do an apples-to-apples comparison.

I like parts from both circuits. I *love* the use of weapons on the street in NorCal. It's virtually non-existent in the SCSBOA. On the other hand, I've come to prefer the "shields on a pole" approach to ID that SoCal uses. It is SO much cleaner and more elegant, and the footwork the top SCSBOA banner units perform is delightful. Different girls, different heights, different arm lengths... even when really "clean" by NCBA standards, the vast majority of the individual shield routines look dirty to me.

Actually, the overall guard writing in SoCal is more "elegant" I think. Again, not "better" just different. The SCSBOA guard routines are much more restrained and controlled, very complementary of the music (parade marches, remember?). Some of the NorCal guards (no names will be mentioned) look like a mass panic attack on the street, because the guard writer has tried to cram as many routines as possible into a three-minute slot. The best guards in the NCBA (Golden Valley, to name one) maintain a pretty good balance between guard difficulty and complementing the music... but too many NCBA parade guard routines look like winterguard practice, IMO. They are so separate from the music being played they're nonsensical (the SCSBOA guards march better than the NCBA guards, too, because most of the NCBA guards don't march: they're too busy running and skipping and slide-stepping all over the place). It's gotten worse over the past 15 years. Most of the 1990s NCBA guards I watched were better (IMO) than what I see today. In fact, the 1998 Fairfield Scarlet Brigade to this day has the best parade guard I've ever seen: 9 shields, 8 rifles, 8 sabres, and probably about 20 flags (if I recall correctly). Huge, enormous guard, but a delightful routine that flowed perfectly and was super clean.

I'm not sure how I feel about the re-present. Required in NorCal, abhorred in SoCal. I do know that in NorCal, the bands are performing immediately in front of the judges' stand for about 30 seconds as they march past, while the guards (thanks to the re-present) are stationed directly in front of the judges' stand for 2 minutes plus. Seems like putting the cart before the horse.

Anyway, these are all just my opinions. It comes down to a matter of preference, and what you think a parade guard should be and do. I'm certain that if Mayfair, El Dorado, Arcadia, et al. were to design a parade guard routine in the NorCal style, they would be every bit as good as Golden Valley, Armijo, Benicia, etc. Likewise, if Golden Valley, etc. designed "down" to SoCal's more controlled standards, I'm sure they would still be an Auxiliary Sweepstakes threat at every parade.

[Psalm 56]

Thank Dave. I have the full Adobe on my work computer but not at home, so I couldn't create a PDF without downloading a third-party converter (which I didn't feel like doing).

Yet, in the "final countdown" I believe I see only TWO NCBA ensembles?!?! Really?! Ok...and neither one in the top 10? Really?

Yep. (Three, actually: Benicia, Franklin, and Golden Valley. A little surprised Fairfield didn't make Top 25, but they had a "bad run" in Prelims.)

Having been to dozens of parade competitions at both ends of the state over the past 20 years, I honestly feel the top SCSBOA parade bands are at a different level. The visual (marching) evidence is plainly evident on the YouTube videos: better block setup, better rank alignment, fewer phasing issues, better marching posture and form, and particularly more consistent form and approach to step style from the waist down. The musical evidence is a bit more in the minutiae, but the two biggest factors (IMO) would be a more advanced level of articulation and phrasing, and a greatly superior concept of tone production and ensemble intonation.

The CAUSES of this you've already alluded to...

SO, BEFORE YOU BUST MY CHOPS WITH the "Nor Cal is this and the SO.cal is that" I am going into a different direction. I would like to know the demographics (finance/ethnic and/or race (whatever term you are comfortable with/API/etc.) of THE TOP 10. Along with the great competence with said band directors and their staffs, I bet there is a connection of the TOP 10 and let's say -- FINANCES. Just saying...

You bet. If Golden Valley was in the financial position to give 50% of its kids private lessons, I think they would be more competitive with the SCSBOA Top Ten. That, along with the fact almost all elementary/middle school feeder programs are far more advanced in SoCal, compared to the barely-existent feeder programs in NorCal, are significant contributors to the performance level gap.

What I look at demographically to determine the "wealth" of the school is to see what percentage of students qualify for reduced-price or free school lunches. Using the same government site referenced in the initial post, this is what I get...

Finalist Bands
5.49% RANCHO BERNARDO
7.17% DIAMOND BAR
10.23% BENICIA
12.15% MT. CARMEL
12.70% ESPERANZA
14.38% ARCADIA
14.73% GLENDORA
14.87% GRETCHEN A. WHITNEY
15.84% EL DORADO
21.02% CYPRESS
29.16% RIVERSIDE KING
30.94% FRANKLIN
36.10% OLYMPIAN
38.40% DIAMOND RANCH
44.34% MAYFAIR
44.56% CHINO
44.75% MIRA MESA
54.38% VALENCIA
55.36% HENRY J. KAISER
63.34% JOHN GLENN
63.47% ARLINGTON
70.70% LOARA
84.76% GOLDEN VALLEY
88.67% GAREY
N/A NOTRE DAME

Is it surprising that the "wealthiest" school that can afford to send a significant number of kids to private lessons is the best in my review (and at Arcadia)? Sadly, no. It's just a fact of reality. It doesn't imply that any one band works harder than any other, just that some bands have a greater number of obstacles to overcome to become a top band. So really, Greg Christiansen and Golden Valley do a heck of a job considering the significant economic disadvantage they are in compared to the other top bands in the state.

SERIOUSLY! SERIOUSLY??! THIS RESPONSE TO AN EARLIER RESPONSE OF MINE IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!! I am so grateful for the time, the clarity and the information. VERY CONSTRUCTIVE!! Can not say it loudly enough THANK YOU

[dmcoach]

Loved this event, thank you!

If you already have it set up, would it be too much to ask to post the drum majors as well?

[Hostrauser]

You're welcome Paul.

Loved this event, thank you!

If you already have it set up, would it be too much to ask to post the drum majors as well?

I have them set up separately, as SCSBOA and NCBA databases. I do not know enough about drum major technique and demand to accurately merge the two together.

[johan]

In my opinion for the parade finals El Dorado should of done
better than Diamond Bar, it would of been cool if Kaiser and Glendora
would have tied putting Kaiser ahead of Diamond Ranch, and last i think Mayfair would do better than Garey but that is just my opinion and i
totally respect your decisions, oh and this would be a fricken awesome event