Welcome to USBands Week 1 & 2
Enhancing the Educational Experience in Week 1 & 2
It was evident early on that the 2021 fall marching band season was going to be unlike any other. Beginning early in the spring, USBands began working with the schools that host the opening two weeks of competitions to address any concerns they may have and to underscore how important those key events are to the overall season success of the dozens of bands who participate.
Working together, directors, adjudicators, and USBands determined Three Goals for Week 1 & 2 of the season:
- Assist bands in their first steps back to performing in an educationally supportive, yet traditional environment
- Balance the competitive aspects with performance opportunities
- Provide Event Hosts with a comparatively similar roster of bands at their events to support fundraising
After additional individual conversations with each host and several follow-up meetings with directors and adjudicators, we are pleased to announce the following plan for the weeks of Sept. 11 and 18.
- Suspension of A and Open Classes for Weeks 1 & 2
- A and Open Classes will resume with Week 3
- Use of A Class Sheets only
- Changes to the competitive assessment of programs in Week 1 & 2
- Bands will not receive scores, but rather ratings (Good, Excellent, Outstanding, Superior)
- Placements will only be announced for First, Second, and Third place in each Group (1-5). The remaining bands in each Group will have only their rating announced.
- Recaps will be provided for each event, but will only show the Ordinals
- Event Hosts will distribute trophies for their events reflecting the band's level of achievement as listed above. Plus, caption awards for guard and percussion at Gold events.
| 2021 Week 1 & 2 | Traditional Competition | |
| Ratings (Good, Excellent, Outstanding, Superior) | √ | n/a |
| Scores | n/a | √ |
| Placements | First, Second, Third Only | √ |
| Recap | Ordinals Only | Full |
| Trophies | √ | √ |
- Clinic Experiences for all participating bands based on Event Host. Each Host can determine their Clinic format based on logistics and other scenarios on their campus.
- Clinic Option #1:
- Full comprehensive experience where bands will have a doubleheader performance/clinic opportunity with cohorts of similar-sized bands.
- Events will feature individualized 20-minute clinic slots for each band run by the clinicians at the guidance of the director for instructional staff and students.
- (Full Clinic Events: Edison HS and Danbury HS)
- Clinic 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. (Instant Clinic Events: Bethel HS, Great Mills HS & Patuxent HS)
- Clinic Option #1:
More information will be available shortly as to the Clinics for the remaining events. Due to travel and schedule constraints, clinics will not be held at Bordentown HS and Brick Memorial HS.
USBands will be underwriting the expenses associated with additional clinicians to provide additional educational support in these most challenging of circumstances as bands resume a near-normal schedule.
Awards and Announcements
- First, Second and Third Place for each Group (1-5) will be announced along with their rating. (Good, Excellent, Outstanding, Superior)
- The remaining bands in each Group (1-5) will be announced with their rating only.
- Guard and Percussion Caption awards will be presented for each Group (1-5). These will be the only caption awards presented during the Sept 11 & 18 events.