I present to you my comments as I wrote them down (edited for a PG rating ). I will have broader, overall comments at the end of each competition.
Band Review
Host Band:
Chino: decent auxiliary, but not a terribly difficult routine; terrific sound; great alignment, but a few step problems; not a huge issue (phasing). I scored them at 91.0.
CLASS M:
Ramona JHS: an okay sound with decent low brass; absolutely atrocious marching -- I don't think any two members of the band were in step with one another... North Park MS: I don't like the guard girls showing off before the roll-off -- save the showboating for the warm-up zone; outstanding marching, alignment and technique both fabulous; decent sound (only decent); balance and blend okay, fairly top heavy and woodwindy sound; active and talented auxiliary... El Roble IS: sound produced is very weak considering the size of the ensemble; pretty good auxiliary -- good shields, fair silks; marching alignment good, individual technique so-so; nice drill team... Giano IS: okay marching alignment, rather poor technique; horn angles, please; nice volume, but it's accompanied by balance and blend problems (some rather piercing individual players).
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Judges' scores: Phantom's scores:
92.40 North Park MS 85.0 North Park MS
85.95 El Roble IS 73.5 El Roble IS
77.25 Giano IS 70.0 Giano IS
76.95 Ramona JHS 67.0 Ramona JHS
Northview: okay sound on an easy march ("Washington Post"); fair marching technique, decent alignment... Monrovia: pretty good drum major; some marching problems -- a lot of swaying and duck-step; not a very blended or balanced sound; good individual sound, not so good ensemble sound... Chino Hills: sharp uniforms for the new band; seem like a "field show takes priority" band; good sound from the woodwinds, not so good brass intonation; fair marching technique, a few alignment and step problems... Sonora: pretty good auxiliary; again, decent sound on a pretty easy march ("King Cotton"); nice alignment and technique, but a lot of phasing and step issues; not quite all together marching-wise; outstanding drill team.
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Judges' scores: Phantom's scores:
85.35 Sonora 81.5 Sonora
81.20 Monrovia 78.0 Northview
79.80 Northview 77.7 Chino Hills
78.55 Chino Hills 77.0 Monrovia
San Dimas: flags fair, apparently no routine for the shields; nice sounds; good rank alignment, but spacing is off because the diagonals aren't there; a few step issues; nice strong sound... Don Antonio Lugo: decent drum major; good individual tone -- some blend issues; very piercing trumpet player; a few phasing issues, okay alignment... Ganesha: outstanding drum major, nice speed on the mace; fairly good sound; pretty good visually, nice alignment, decent diagonals, no major step/phasing issues.
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Judges' scores: Phantom's scores:
89.55 Ganesha 84.0 Ganesha
86.70 Don Antonio Lugo 83.0 San Dimas
83.45 San Dimas 82.0 Don Antonio Lugo
Temple City: nice military drum major; pretty good sound; decent marching; okay alignment and diagonals, a few phasing issues; not exceptionally good or bad in any area... Diamond Ranch: another great, speed-demon roll-off by the drum major (mace); pretty good auxiliary; nice sound, very nice; pretty good marching, nice alignment, technique, and diags... Kaiser: yet another fantastic drum major; very nice sound; good rank alignment, but kind of a "muddled" block; diagonals aren't as crisp as they should be... El Rancho: Hmm, "North Park Deluxe," heheh; the speed of these mace drum majors is incredible, outstanding drum major; piercing trombone sound, time to reel those mavericks back in with the rest of the band; much like NPMS, look fantastic -- terrific alignment, technique, and diagonals; don't sound as good as Diamond Ranch or Kaiser, though; nice job, guard... Schurr: outstanding sound; very active guard; good alignment and diagonals, individual technique good, a token few phasing issues; very, very, very nice sound on a pretty difficult march ("Pride of the Wolverines"); second favorite group of the day.
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Judges' scores: Phantom's scores:
93.45 Schurr 92.5 Schurr
92.75 El Rancho 89.5 Kaiser
92.15 Kaiser 89.2 Diamond Ranch
90.80 Diamond Ranch 89.0 El Rancho
87.95 Temple City 87.5 Temple City
Glendora: less speed, but a very precise, traditional drum major roll-off (mace); a few clams in the introduction, rough start; very nice auxiliary; good overall sound except for the trumpets, who struggled the entire march; not quiet enough in the trio, no contrast when the low brass came in ("British Eighth"); look nice... Diamond Bar: another good, active guard unit; outstanding sound; very nice diagonals, pretty good alignment, only a few phasing issues; really would like to see this unit with white or black pants -- too much purple... Montebello: very active guard; very nice sound; nice alignment and diagonals; very good drill team; solid from top to bottom... El Dorado: good sound, but not quite as good as the two prior; very nice alignment, extremely clean feet; sharp uniforms; outstanding color guard... Arcadia: I don't care if they do have 50 years of tradition, I think Arcadia's parade uniforms are ugly; that's the only "flaw" I could come up with for this group; terrific drum major; terrifc auxiliary, very active and together; outstanding, incredible sound; terrific alignment, perfect diagonals and technique; simply ridiculous how good they are, there just aren't words to describe them.
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Judges' scores: Phantom's scores:
94.85 Arcadia 96.0 Arcadia
93.70 Montebello 92.0 Montebello
93.00 Diamond Bar 91.7 El Dorado
92.85 El Dorado 91.5 Diamond Bar
92.15 Glendora 89.0 Glendora
Middle Schools
Music - 460.0 North Park MS
BAND - 92.40 North Park MS
High Schools
Music - 472.0 Arcadia
BAND - 94.85 Arcadia
PHANTOM'S SWEEPSTAKES
Middle Schools
Music - North Park MS
BAND - 85.0 North Park MS
High Schools
Music - Arcadia
BAND - 96.0 Arcadia
TOP TENS
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Judges' Top Ten: Phantom's Top Ten:
94.85 Arcadia 96.0 Arcadia
93.70 Montebello 92.5 Schurr
93.45 Schurr 92.0 Montebello
93.00 Diamond Bar 91.7 El Dorado
92.85 El Dorado 91.5 Diamond Bar
92.75 El Rancho 89.5 Kaiser
92.40 North Park MS 89.2 Diamond Ranch
92.15 Glendora 89.0 El Rancho
92.15 Kaiser 89.0 Glendora
90.80 Diamond Ranch 87.5 Temple City
- The SCSBOA uses one criteria, correct? Middle Schools and High Schools are on the same scale? I ask because I've seen North Park MS beat out High Schools for Sweepstakes at other SCSBOA events, and (according to the judges) they were 7th overall at Chino. Which I think is complete bunk. A handful of years ago I saw North Park MS at the Vallejo Band Review (NCBA), and they were quite easily handled by Sullivan MS of Fairfield. And, quite honestly, I think there's probably five or six middle school marching bands in the state of California that are better than North Park MS on any given day (especially musically). North Park MS is a very good Middle School band, but they are nowhere NEAR the level of a Diamond Bar, Schurr, or Arcadia. To have North Park scored that close to those ensembles is simply preposterous.
- I was simply amazed at how FAST the mace drum majors were spinning their batons. Never seen anything like it in the NCBA. El Rancho's drum major, Janette Aldara, deserves special mention. This young lady looks to be only a little over five feet tall (the mace is nearly as big as she is), and yet she spun that thing in such a way as to make a kung-fu bo staff master jealous. Amazing. A well-deserved first place, and a well-deserved high score.
- Does SCSBOA stand for "Southern California SOUSA Band and Orchestra Association?" All day long, Sousa, Sousa, Sousa. 10 of 17 High Schools played Sousa marches, and three bands that cancelled (Sultana, West-Torrance, and Mt. Carmel) were also slated to perform Sousa. I heard "Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company" three times. It's not even one of Sousa's better marches! Didn't hear a single British march all day, not even from Glendora (yeah, the "British Eighth" is an homage to the British march style, but Zo Elliot was from New Hampshire, not England). C'mon, guys, use some imagination and spice it up a little.
- And now, the question all of you have been waiting for: at a neutral competition with impartial judges, how would the NCBA bands fare against the SCSBOA bands on parade? Well, I think the NCBA's heavy-hitters (Benicia, Golden Valley, and Las Plumas/Oroville, specifically) would be able to hold their own against most of the SCSBOA's big dogs: Schurr, Montebello, Diamond Bar, El Rancho, El Dorado, etc. However, I think the "big three" (Arcadia, Rancho Bernardo, and Mt. Carmel) are pretty much beyond everyone's reach.