Allen High School Band? (Dallas, Plano: credit, high schools, college) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

Newsboy · 10-12-2010, 08:58 PM

I live in Georgia, which has some of the biggest and best high school marching bands in the country, but none as big as the Allen HS band.

I found some Youtube videos and read some stuff online that they have the largest marching band in the country -- high school, college or otherwise. Like, 600-plus kids? How is this possible? I understand it's a huge school and all, but really -- what kind of shows can they possibly put on that don't completely cover the football field?

Is anybody familiar with the Allen band who can share exactly how they do what they do -- logistically, artistically or otherwise -- and is it worth seeing in person? Like, should I make a special trip to Texas sometime to see this monster?!

Thanks!

DanielWayne · 10-12-2010, 09:15 PM

I saw them once many years ago at marching competition when I was in high school band. They are huge and sounded great, but personally I would rather watch DCI or the Texas Tech marching band (400+) if it was an issue of watching in person. I believe Abilene Cooper and Duncanville, Tx have or used to have huge bands, also (but not 600+).

Newsboy · 10-12-2010, 09:32 PM

^^^ Thanks. What I think I hear you saying is a band that big is somewhat limited in exactly what they can do. That's what I expected. And when you're THAT big, it's hard NOT to sound good. Heck, half the kids could be told to just hold their horns and not even blow and the band would still sound good (I've known directors who actually did this BTW). I saw the Arcadia High School Band from California with about 500 kids do "Les Miserable" and it was awesome. VERY GOOD!

It's interesting to note how marching band is so HUGE in some states and practically non-existent in others, usually depending on how big football is. In states where football is king, high school bands usually are too. Alabama, for example, has lots of very small rural high schools -- the average size is about 300 students -- but even the most rural, backwoods schools seem to have decent size marching bands. If you don't play football or cheer, you're in the band.

But there are exceptions. In Metro Atlanta, there are some really large schools (4,000-plus students) with very successful football programs that have bands with barely 100 kids or so in them. I think part of the issue today is that kids are just not dedicated and disciplined enough to do what it takes. They'd rather text and play video games. Sad. That's why I was curious about Allen's band. Is it just that the school is so huge, the band is too? Or do they have some secret method for getting tons of kids into the band program?

loves2read · 10-13-2010, 08:26 AM

forget Allen--
check out LD Bell Marching Band from HEB ISD in DFW area

they are one of the best bands in the US--
top 3 ranking in Bands of American for past 5 years--
L.D. Bell High School Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYzpQ...eature=related

momof2dfw · 10-13-2010, 10:44 AM

I've seen the Allen band numerous times over the last few years and most recently at a band competition 2 weeks ago on Oct 2 in Mesquite, Tx. I have never been impressed w/ them at all. They can not do much "marching". Their show this year actually has more "marching" than last years. It still is just very limited and not really any noticable "movement" on the field like one expects from a MARCHING band. Key word being "marching" as they can't really "march" in different formations.

As for their sound. Not impressed there either. Their first notes they ALL just BLAST and that is where some people get the impression they are so great as they are so LOUD! That is it more than anything. They are just big and loud. If you are sitting close or nearby on the sidelines you can see some participants that are simply just holding their instrument and not playing.

Even in the last few years at other competitions they have not gotten first. The highest I've seen them come in at is around 4th.

Today is the Regional UIL Marching Band Competition in Mesquite (GO Garland MOB!).

You also can not go on the size of the school for the size of the band. This last weekend at a band competition at Plano East HS we saw Plano West HS perform. I was simply amazed at how small their band is. The school is only juniors and seniors but w/ a graduating class size of a little over 1000. There are over 2000 kids in 2 grades at the school and there were less than 100 people on the field counting color guard and the band members standing on the sidelines not performing. I was shocked. It was so small that I DID count them as I could not believe it. Poteet HS from Mesquite won 1st at this competition. Last year at this competition Allen was there and their final rank was 7th. At the same competition in 2007 they were 6th. No results for 2008 posted on the website. Festival (http://www.peshband.com/Festival.html - broken link)
For their results from the Tournament of Champions contest over in Carrollton in 2009 they got 9.

So, as you can see, there are clearly much better bands to see. Granted, I LOOOOOOVE watching all of them

. I'll be going over to Mesquite later on to cheer on my daughters band. GO MOB!!!!!!!!!

catman · 10-13-2010, 02:01 PM

I was a trombone player in the Thomas Jefferson HS (Dallas) marching band many years ago. The football team was less than mediocre, but the band nearly always outperformed that of our opponents in the halftime show. I enjoyed it immensely, and still love to hear a good marching (or concert) band.

I wish the networks would show the halftime performances of the college bands like they used to. They sound great! Instead, they tell us what we just saw (duh) and pile on the commercials.

loves2read · 10-13-2010, 04:44 PM

MO2--perhaps one reason the band at Plano is so small is that there is no additional grade leverage for band--it counts as an elective--period--can only get regular scoring--and you know how many kids at Plano are all about the extra credit
At Bell--wonder of wonders--there are majority of IB and AP students in band--they sacrifice grade point to some extent because they enjoy the experience and know that (especially if they want any music-related college major) band at Bell is a great addition to to a grad's school record...

Westerner92 · 10-13-2010, 05:35 PM

I'm not sure why this is the case, but a trend I've noticed is that the more important academics are to a school (such as one in an upper middle class suburb), the more popular activities like band are. The Plano senior high schools might be an exception because juniors and seniors tend to put more focus on studying for the AP/IB tests rather than extracurriculars, and you'll notice that marching bands are often primarily composed of underclassmen. The GPA thing probably doesn't factor much into their decision because most schools have a policy of letting an unweighted class not required for graduation not be counted in your GPA. Where I am has three high schools of about 2000 students, and all of the bands are around 200-300 kids.

momof2dfw · 10-14-2010, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loves2read

MO2--perhaps one reason the band at Plano is so small is that there is no additional grade leverage for band--it counts as an elective--period--can only get regular scoring--and you know how many kids at Plano are all about the extra credit
At Bell--wonder of wonders--there are majority of IB and AP students in band--they sacrifice grade point to some extent because they enjoy the experience and know that (especially if they want any music-related college major) band at Bell is a great addition to to a grad's school record...

Garland HS where my daughter goes also has IB and a majority of the kids in band are in either IB or AP classes. Most of the IB kids at GHS are in some kind of extra curriculiar class and some in more than one and they don't sacrifice their gpa by doing it either. There are ways to get all of your credits, participate in IB/AP, participate in extra curriculiars. I have my own theory about PWHS and why this is the case. The school has a heavy population of asians in the area that are solely there for academics. They do not participate in hardly any extra curriculiars at all if any. I have friends that live in that area that have moved out or want to because of this influence. They want their kids to be more well rounded and still have a good solid education.

In reference to the time to take these other classes and still have time for other activities. My daughter wants to be on the track team and play soccer but because of band and her IB classes she can not take those as a class on her schedule. The coaches value these kids and understand that some of them do have more than one interest and academics take a top priority. They have allowed kids to do more than one and not take the "blocked" class for a sport that is only 1 semester. Her school is also one of the few that allows cheerleaders, drill team, etc to participate in band at the same time. The coaches and directors work very well together and it shows.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westerner92

I'm not sure why this is the case, but a trend I've noticed is that the more important academics are to a school (such as one in an upper middle class suburb), the more popular activities like band are. The Plano senior high schools might be an exception because juniors and seniors tend to put more focus on studying for the AP/IB tests rather than extracurriculars, and you'll notice that marching bands are often primarily composed of underclassmen. The GPA thing probably doesn't factor much into their decision because most schools have a policy of letting an unweighted class not required for graduation not be counted in your GPA. Where I am has three high schools of about 2000 students, and all of the bands are around 200-300 kids.

The other two Plano Sr Highs are not like this though. I saw all 3 this past weekend at contest. PWHS was the smallest and it was really small. PESH has the IB program and their band was easily 3x's the size of PW. I still think it has to do with my theory I mentioned above.

Mark Senior · 10-14-2010, 11:31 AM

I have seen Allen's band at least three times. Once in Tyler for a playoff game. There band has been at least good for some "intimidation" at football games. Prior to the game in Tyler, the band came playing and "marching" in from the top of the good size stadium as if they "owned" the place, filling up a large section.

In Texas Stadium for playoff games, they were the first band that "I" noticed that would play "noise" as loud as they could, when the other team had in ball, nearby. You know, trying to make so much noise the other team would be offsides are fumble the snap. It's fair play, but man, could THEY, more than most, make a "noise" This is what I remember them "famous" for. Don't even remember how they marched, and I did watch lol.