The Marchin' Cats 2011-2012

The Wildcat Band works throughout the year.  As in athletics we have seasons.  Unfortunately the only season the public really knows about is Marching Season/football season.

Marching Season

This season begins the end of July.  The freshmen come in and learn how to march with the directors and the drum major.  These 3 days are spent learning marching fundamentals and ordering band shoes.
After the three days of marching fundamentals, the directors attend a music conference in San Antonio.  Summer band will begin for all band students the day before we are required by UIL to begin working on our UIL Marching Contest show.  On this first day, we pass out instruments, music, and play our standard stand tunes.  Example The Fight Song, Maroon & White, or Go For It.

All Region/Area/State Band

This process begins during summer band.  The music is not easy.  Because it includes region, area, and state band try-outs, it must be difficult.  We(the directors) work out practice times with the students involved.  We continue these practices after school begins.  It is very time consuming. 

Concert Season

This season begins after our last football season.  We check in the marching horns and send them to Tarpley Music for cleaning and repair to get ready for next years' marching season.  The students are given concert instruments and we begin preparing for our Christmas Concert.  Sometimes we begin this while we are still marching.  Our football team is a winning team and that means our marching season extends to go as long as the team is winning.

Solo & Ensemble

The members of the band have a chance to participate in UIL Solo & Ensemble Contest.  It is not a requirement.  It is a choice they the band students make.  If these student's earn a 1st division on a class I ensemble, they will earn a trip to the state contest in Austin Memorial Day Weekend.  The practices for this happen during lunch and after school.  We work around as many schedules as we possibly can to make sure all students have a chance to participate.

UIL Concert & Sightreading Contest

This occurs in early April.  We rehearse during class.  The closer the time for contest approaches, we begin practicing before school.  The students have required sectionals during lunch once a week.  This contest decides whether or not we earn our Sweepstakes Trophy.  It is usally held in Sudan.

Spring Concert/UIL State Solo Contest

The spring concert is in May.  All bands are there.  We do fun songs and combine all band students grades 6-12 for two combined numbers.  It is very unorganized and a whole lot of fun.  

We also get ready for state solo and ensemble contest and graduation.  The band performs at graduation and we practice during lunch and after school for UIL State Contest.