Welcome to the Marching Band Assessment Page
General Information
VBODA will sponsor the 31st Annual MARCHING BAND ASSESSMENT in October 2011. The event will be held in seven locations again this year. Bands will be processed by their applications but not registered until we receive you $175.00 entrance fee. (All sites will be "first come, first served"). After a site is full we will place your group at your second choice location and contact you. Because of the number of groups going on the second weekend, please make site choice on application from first to fourth. Please try to visit the site nearest your school. The east and southeast sites are too large!
Entry Fee and Application Due Date
The entry fee this year is $175.00 per school (judge's tapes and a video of your group's performance will be furnished). The Marching Band Assessment Official Application and copy of your MENC card must be postmarked by Friday, September 9, 2011. Any application postmarked after September 9, 2011 must include a $100.00 late fee. Applications postmarked after September 16, 2011 will not be accepted! Please have a line of communication with the Chairman, do not put your group in a position to miss this assessment!
Performance Order and Class Sizes
(All Bands MUST perform within their class! For groups that have students taking ACT tests the first weekend, we'll work around that event. Groups attending the Southeast Assessment we will continue to use the "split" day format due to travel.)
Your group's performance order will be based on:
- Number of winds & percussion - those making sound
- Distance from the site
- Your applications postmark (First to be turned in - last to perform).
Classifications are as follows:
|
Class A |
0-50 |
| Class AA |
51-70 |
| Class AAA |
71-95 |
| Class AAAA |
96-130 |
| Class AAAAA | 131+ Up |
Adjudication
All groups will be assessed by 7 judges. The breakdown of judges in the press box is: 3 music performance, 2 visual performance, and 2 general effect. Ratings will be given from I to V. They will then be tallied to achieve a final rating. NO SCORES WILL BE DELETED! A power point made up by the marching assessment committee will be placed on the web site. This will explain the caption judging and how the score sheet is to be used.
Timing
You have 15 minutes to run and complete your program. The time will include: set-up, warm-up (if you use one), performance and exit. The timing will begin when the first person crosses the field boundary and ends when the last person crosses the field boundary. Any warm-up done within the performance area must be done to the backfield bleachers and within the official field boundaries. Once a group performs the first note of a warm-up their 15 minutes will start! Minimum show length is 6 minutes.
Rule Violations
Any violation of the assessment rules will result in the overall rating being lowered. Timing penalties will result in the highest individual judge's rating being lowered one grade level.
Commonwealth of Virginia Honor Band
The VBODA Marching Band Assessment will continue to be the first step in achieving this honor. Bands receiving a superior rating in both marching and concert festival will receive this designation.
Scheduling
After the deadline for applications passes we will make up the site schedules. The schedule for your site will be posted on this website. We will also e-mail this schedule to you with final instructions.
All bands must march within their class except for ACT testing and Southeast Site travel.
Host schools will have the option of where they march within their class due to their students assisting. Once the schedule is posted no changes will be made!
Bill Berg
VBODA Marching Assessment Chairman
4121 Plank Rd., PMB 204
Fredericksburg, VA 22407
Phone - home: (540) 786-5532
email: Bubmus@AOL.com