Posted by ross on October 02, 2003 at 18:58:30:
In Reply to: Re: Differences in All-State Tryouts by Stat posted by Ralph on October 02, 2003 at 17:25:00:
Texas also has all-state for smaller schools (1A,2A,3A), sponsored by the ATSSB (Small school bands). The 4A/5A state groups are sponsored by TMEA.
Maybe the process has changed since I was involved, but in my day, I think the all-region tryouts were actually a UIL-sponsored event. There were 3 levels of auditions, all "live" : Regional, Area, and State. The top 20-25% of the all-region members automatically were considered "All-Area", and at the area auditions, the top ones advanced as "All-State" band members. At the all-state clinic/convention, we had to audition on the concert music for placement into chairs for the two all-state bands. There were only 5 "areas" back then, with 2 euphoniums selected from each area.
The state auditions were kind of weird; we all sat in a circle in the audition room, watching each other take turns playing the excerpts. Luckily, I made it in the upper band (last chair) and got to sit pretty close to the first chair tuba, some kid named Sumner Erickson. He was pretty good...
RK