5 Phase Plan for Fall 2021
5 Phase Plan for Fall 2021
Remember those days of being able to perform in front of a live audience?
The energy. The excitement. The applause. For many of us, it’s why we’ve dedicated our lives to providing that experience to the young people who participate in our programs.
Unfortunately over the past year, the pandemic has denied student-performers from the exhilaration of performing before an appreciative audience of family, friends, and peers.
Driven by the inspiration to create new memories, and experience the educational and social aspects of pageantry arts, USBands announces a comprehensive plan to assist music educators to recover, re-energize and revitalize their marching programs for the fall of 2021.
USBands recognizes that for all programs, from the most experienced to the resource-challenged, 2021-22 will prove to be a school year of flexibility, modification, and in some cases, experimentation which is why we’ve developed The 5 Phase Plan for Fall 2021
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The 5 Phase Plan
After countless conversations, surveys, and focus groups with educators, USBands determined a 5 Phase Plan to assist programs in re-establishing their levels of participation and performance and to ensure a quality and meaningful experience for students.
• Phase 1 (Spring): Virtual workshops from top names in the world of leadership, brass, percussion, winds, and guard instruction and design. A special focus will be provided for younger students who are new to the marching band activity, having joined their program over the past 18 months and yet to have taken the competitive performance field.
• Phase 2 (Summer): USBands Summer Education Series will assist directors and their staff in preparing new students for their first on-field experience, while upperclassmen are directed toward personally-challenging instruction and skills development. USBands and WBA schools will have access to top educators and in some areas, performing ensembles, for in-person experiences to hone their talent, develop new skills and prepare for the season.
• Phase 3 (Early Fall): For the first two weeks of the season, full panels of adjudicators and clinicians will be at each event to provide evaluation, commentary, and ratings as A and Open Class will be suspended for September 11 and 18 events. Details are being finalized with event hosts as to the exact format of these special Clinic Days, but directors can be assured that no matter where their program is at developmentally, they will find USBands as a safe space to workshop ideas, train new members and get into the flow of marching band without the stress of competitive placements and scores in the early season.
Two versions of the Clinic/Show format will be held in USBands New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Texas regions.
• Option 1: A full-day comprehensive experience where bands will have a doubleheader performance/clinic opportunity with cohorts of similar-sized bands or run as a separate performance and clinic. Events will feature individualized 30-minute clinic slots for each band run by the clinicians at the guidance of the director for instructional staff and students.
• Option 2: A single performance with a clinic for students and staff with a clinician immediately following the band’s performance. A traditional full critique with the judging panel will be held after the final performance.
v-USBands
• USBands will offer virtual assessment opportunities for bands to submit videos of their production for evaluation and feedback from adjudicators to assist in the development of their 2021 program. While the v-USBands opportunity will remain available throughout the season, having students hear feedback on the program early in the season will prove to be valuable. USBands member bands will receive one complimentary submission to v-USBands with their 2021-22 Annual Membership subscription.
• Phase 4 (Mid Fall): Beginning September 25, A and Open Classes will be reinstated as the competitive season continues with performances at convenient local events as well as showcase events in premium facilities allowing for educators to focus their student’s energy towards milepost events in the program’s 2021 development.
• Phase 5 (Late Fall): As the calendar heads toward late October and the student’s confidence is reaching its peak, the State Championship events provide for the ultimate performance opportunity, while for other schools, participation in the 2021 National Championships, Southern States or Southwestern Championship allows for a memorable conclusion to the season.
As always, USBands will provide the resources and performance spaces to allow for students to achieve their full potential and to perform in world-class venues as a celebration of the hard work, perseverance, and dedication to the marching band activity not only for the 2021 season but as a formal end to this pandemic era which has adversely impacted all facets of student’s lives and educational experiences.
With a laser focus goal on making up for the lost time and ensuring all students have the most successful, productive, and meaningful season possible, we hope you and your design and instructional team will join us in what could quite possibly be the most important USBands season in history.
For more information on the 2021 USBands Fall Marching Band Schedule please visit https://usbands.org/news/article.php?ID=54.
More details will be released in the coming weeks as we lead up to our 2021 National Sign-Up Day on March 4! But don’t forget, USBands Member Schools will have priority access to registration beginning on Monday, March 1. Please reach out to any member of the USBands Team at marching@usbands.org with any questions you may have!