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IT'S BAND CAMP TIME!

 

 

NEWS AND NOTES...

CSJA FALL SEMINAR

One of our most active business partners, the Central States Judges Association, held their fall seminar in Indianapolis Indiana on August 14th. FMBC representatives were in attendance, along with over eighty judges and 'prospective' judges from all over the United States, including several Florida band directors and staff members who had successfully completed CSJA's rigorous and thorough training regimen (it is not easy to qualify to be a Central States Adjudicator). We congratulate them on their acceptance into this prestigious organization.

CSJA judges evaluate high school marching band competitions all over the country, and they provide specialized training in FMBC criteria for their judges who adjudicate FMBC events, and they are one of the sponsors of FMBC College Scholarships. Approximately 80% of our Regional Shows use one or more certified Central States judges.

FMBC extends its personal congratulations to Dick Turner, former Executive Director of CSJA and long time friend of FMBC, who received a lifetime achievement award at this event.

SHOW HOSTS

FMBC is currently reviewing all adjudication assignments for the fall season. If you had one or two slots unfilled in your submittal, we understand, but please let us know who you would like to use to adjudicate your event as soon as possible. Last minute changes must be reviewed by our adjudication committee manually, sometimes by phone, and this is very time consuming for us.

Also please advise if you plan to use Digital Audio media (discs or Zip Drives) or conventional cassette judging tapes to record the judges' comments at your show. We plan to add that information to all of our Regional Show listings soon, along with some helpful information on how to change over to the newer Digital Media.

If you did not receive your password, contact your Regional Liason or the FMBC Technical Coordinator. If you have any problems accessing the Show Host site, contact the Technical Coordinator for assistance.

 
2010 SEMI-FINALS REGISTRATION

 

REGISTER NOW FOR FMBC
2010 SEMIFINALS

We have 80 bands (yes, eighty bands!) pre-registered thus far for FMBC Semi-Finals (see the list on the Finals Information page). Is your band on the list?

See the table at the left for printer-friendly forms and access to on-line registration...FMBC size classes remain the same for 2010. We appreciate your early submittals, as it helps us plan, but please remember that your registration is not official, and seedings are not given until your deposit is received. Seedings are updated weekly, and assigned seedings to date can be viewed on the FMBC Finals Information Page.

 
   
 
A View from the Top!
An FMBC Olympic Finals Retreat - Tropicana Dome, St. Petersburg Florida
 
 

NEW ADJUDICATION SHEETS

FMBC will be introducing its new state-of-the-art adjudication sheets in 2010. The new FMBC sheets have been two years in development, and we think you will like the results.

Our adjudication committee reviewed current competitive marching band criteria from many other parts of the country and also the criteria used by other performing arts activities, as well as considering the updates and revisions suggested by the directors of bands participating in FMBC events, FMBC Regional Show hosts, and FMBC adjudicators. We have put many of their recommendations into our new scoring system criteria.

The sheets have a new shape and a new look, and we believe they will be easier for our judges to use and the participating students and directors to understand. Samples of the new sheets are available on the Rules and Regulations Page.

 
2010 Class Sizes
1A
 30 Winds or less
2A
 31 - 44 Winds
3A
 45 - 64 Winds
4A
 65 to 84 Winds
5A
 85 Winds & Up
Traditional Band Class (No limitation on size)
 
2010 KEY DATES
Early Applications Accepted
Completed
Deadine for Early-Entry discount & pre-season seeding.
April 1st
Deadline for Show Host early season Host fee discount ($100)
April 1st
CSJA Judge Training Orlando
May 1st
Deadline for discounted Sanctioned Regional Registrations
July 1st
FMBC Summer Seminar - Orlando
July 10th
Sanctioned Regional Deadline for Declaring Judges for review
Aug 1st
FMBC Final Approval of Judges
Aug 15th
FMBC Semi-Finals Entry Deadline
Oct 25th
FMBC Yearbook Photo Deadline
Nov 5th
FMBC Semi-Finals Program Information Deadline
Nov 10th
Deadline for receipt of applications for the FMBC/BQ Scholarship
Nov 12th
FMBC State Final Schedule Released
Nov 12th
FMBC Championships
Nov 20th

Note: Class sizes are reviewed annually and are revised when necessary to rebalance the number of bands in each class size.
 
FMBC AFTERTHOUGHTS...

DCI Finals - DCI, our business partner, completed their season this weekend, and several FMBC judges were there as well as some of the FMBC Staff. What an exciting event. It was interesting to see how so many corps are now making use of the third dimension (height) in their dance and individual movement with everything from simulated 'waves' to jack-in-the-box styled visuals - it adds an interesting parameter to visual presentation for certain - and it is amazing how the musical arrangers are able to adapt familiar and unfamiliar music to the Drum Corp idiom with such outstanding results. And many of these visual designers and musical arrangers lead the way in providing musical arrangements and visual ideas for High School Marching Bands as well.

Remember that almost all music is copyrighted, and the composers and arrangers depend on the copyright to help protect them and insure that they are able to continue to provide music and arrangements in the future. If you plan to use the services of a local arranger, or to arrange music yourself (or even make modifications to an arrangement you have purchased), you are required by law to obtain the permission of the copyright owner to do so. Usually this is relatively simple and inexpensive. Consult the publisher if you have specific questions. Keep in mind that you must present proof to FMBC that you have the right to perform the music you select if you are participating in and FMBC event.

In behalf of all of us at FMBC, as a thunderstorm looms outside our building even now, we want to again remind you that the safety of the students is BY FAR the most important thing. As we said a few weeks ago, every time we see a thunderstorm forming, we think that somewhere, nearby, there must a marching band rehearsing who had planned to head out on the field in just a few minutes... now scrambling to see if there is some other indoor place available...Whatever you do, don't ever take any chances with Florida's lightening. Be safe so we can see your great show this fall!!

Good luck to all - we are looking forward to a great season!

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SEMI-FINALS PHOTOS AND VIDEOS AVAILABLE

Jolesch Photography
Mr. Video
ADDITIONAL FMBC SUPPORTERS
Juice LogoWear
Josten's

 

 
 
 
2010 JUDGE COMMENTARY AUDIO

FMBC will be using digital recorders for Judge Comments at all sites for Semi-Finals and Finals in 2010. When you use digital recorders, each judge normally has two recorders. The judges' comments are transposed from the digital recorders to a laptop or desktop computer, where they are compiled by school onto either a zip drive or a CD, which is distributed to the Band Director at each school. FMBC will be providing some helpful guidelines on the Show Host page in the next few weeks.

Regional Hosts can choose to remain with traditional analog cassette tapes or move forward to digital media. FMBC will make available digital recorders for Regional Show Hosts for a small shipping charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional information about digital recording will be posted on our Show Host page soon.