Okay I am just going to keep this going. In one of the larger, well supported regions of the state here is a comparison of Non Varsity HS band results from CSR. Keep in mind, the Non Varsity kids are developing and are the future of band programs - their performances will never be as perfected as a Varsity program.
In 2023 48% of the bands received at least one rating of Excellent (52% had all Superior) on their concert programs. In 2024 38% of the bands received at least one rating of Excellent on their concert programs. In 2025 65% of the bands received at least one rating of Excellent on their concert programs.
Largely the same directors, playing sometimes easier music than in 2024 but worse ratings. Are we just hiring way too nice of judges prior to 2025 or has the standard become a little tough for Non Varsity HS?
Re: Another CSR post
Posted by ME on 4/9/2025, 8:05 am, in reply to "Another CSR post"
I think the new rubric punishes programs who play music beyond the minimal requirement and play longer pieces. There are more chances for flaws to be discovered and "tick marks" to add up.
Re: Another CSR post
Posted by New Rubric on 4/7/2025, 9:52 am, in reply to "Another CSR post"
A lot of this is the new Rubric UIL has imposed. To me...it seems a little too objective. Almost like a tick system where you add up the consistently versus usually and essentially generate a rating on that. The judge gets the final say so, but it feels like keeping score in a very strange way.
I judged last week and I tried my best to adhere to the rubric. After experiencing it as a judge I feel it can most certainly make attaining a first division a bit more difficult. However, at the end of the day UIL has always had that standard.
Re: Another CSR post
Posted by Snerk on 4/7/2025, 8:14 am, in reply to "Another CSR post"
There's another option you may not have considered:
"Is the standard now being enforced fairly across the board? Are NV bands now being held to an appropriate standard instead of judges being too lenient?"
UIL shouldn't be a trophy trip. We should be earning our ratings, not inflating them.
There have been a number of bands earning 1s in the past few years that objectively sounded like second and third division bands.
Re: Another CSR post
Posted by My area on 4/7/2025, 8:05 am, in reply to "Another CSR post"
I have worked in two different regions that are not very close together, meaning they hire very different judges. My current region seems to have very low standards for varsity bands. I have heard some pretty bad playing over the last few years and that includes our varsity band. Pretty much everyone walked away with a first division, and most of them were sweepstakes. The NVs and ESPECIALLY SNVs seem to get crushed. And yes, I have been included in that group. Sometimes it was deserved, but more than once I have had retired judges in the audience who tell me they are baffled by the judging. So here, the 6A varsity bands get a pat on the back, and the lower levels get hammered.
Re: Another CSR post
Posted by Different region on 4/6/2025, 4:37 pm, in reply to "Another CSR post"
Sure, I'll play.
I'm also in a large, well-supported region in DFW. Several bands in my region are State Marching competitors and Honor Band contenders.
Here are the numbers from my region. These are HS NV and SNV bands, 5A and 6A classes, receiving at least one score that was not a 1 (including several 3s and a 4). 2023 - 7 of 12 bands, 58% 2024 - 7 of 13, 46% 2025 - 7 of 12, 58%
It wasn't necessarily the same 7 bands each year receiving 2s.
Looking at our results, I would say that the standards are very tough for 6A schools over 5A. Same day, same judges. In the past 3 years, not one 6A NV band has received straight 1s. Only 2 6A NV bands have received a 1 overall. When we went from 5A to 6A our scores dropped quite a bit, with the same staff, same demographic, just a few more kids enrolled that put us over the line from 5A to 6A. I know, "for the classification entered."
For the record, I'm not mad about my scores at all this year. We did well. Not perfect, but we did well, and I think the scores were fair.
