Bands of America

Bands of America has been recognized for excellence by the International Festivals and Events Association since 1989.[4]

• 1989 – Special recognition for the design of promotional materials.
• 1990 – Two Gold Medals for print materials and promotional artwork.
• 1993 – Three Gold Medals for newsletter and program book design.
• 1994 – Four awards for newsletter and program book design.
• 1995 – Gold Medals for newsletter design.
• 1996 – Bronze Medals for website (bands.org) design.
• 1997 – Silver Medals for newsletter design.
• 1998 – Gold Medals for Best Television Program for Grand National Championship video program.
• 1999 – Best Fundraising Program award for Grand National pin program.
• 2000 – Four medals:
  • Silver Medal for Best Newsletter.
  • Bronze Medal for Best Website.
  • Bronze Medal for Best Sponsor Solicitation Video Production.
  • Bronze Medal for Best Television Production (Grand Nationals).
• 2001 – Silver Medal for Best Newsletter and Gold Medal for Best Sponsorship Video.
• 2002 – Recognition with three Pinnacle Awards.
• 2006 – Recognition with six Pinnacle Awards.

The regional championship program began in 1978 with events in Harrisonburg, Virginia and Jackson, Mississippi. Regionals are single-day events limited to a maximum of 32 bands in preliminary competition, with the ten highest scoring bands advancing to a final round. Regionals attract bands from the surrounding area, with many bands competing in more than one regional every year.[11]

The 2020 schedule consists of nineteen events over a two month period, in thirteen states:

In 2003, the San Antonio Regional was relaunched as a Super Regional Championship, a two-day event which included a national caliber adjudication panel, a maximum of 84 bands, with the fourteen highest scoring bands advancing to a final round. According to FloMarching, the caliber of bands at the San Antonio Super Regional is second only to Grand Nationals.[12]

The St. Louis and Atlanta Regional Championships were relaunched as Super Regionals in 2004. The Indiana Regional was relaunched as a Super Regional in 2011.

The Alamodome is also site of the annual Texas state marching championship hosted by the University Interscholastic League,[13] and Lucas Oil Stadium is also the site of the annual Indiana State School Music Association marching band championships.[14] The Atlanta Super Regional Championship ended in 2017 due to venue availability.

The Grand National championships are open to all high school bands. There are no qualifications or prerequisites for participation; a standard established by Larry McCormick at the first Summer Workshop and Festival in 1976. The format and terms for advancing to the semifinal and final competitions have changed since its inception.

As of 2019, Grand Nationals are open to as many as 112 bands, with performances taking place over three days. All bands participate in a preliminary competition, split between two rounds. The highest scoring bands from each preliminary advance to a semifinal competition, and the twelve highest scoring bands advance to the final round. Class champions (A, AA, AAA, and AAAA) are announced following the semifinal, with the Grand National Champion announced after finals.

The Grand National Champion receives the Championship trophy for one year. The trophy's base includes plaques for all previous champions, excluding the Summer National Champions. The trophy is capped by a white enameled eagle; hence, the phrase heard frequently during championship weekend: "taking home the eagle."[15]

The eagle was installed when the trophy was refurbished in 1995. Each school that has received the trophy has given the eagle a nickname.[lower-alpha 1]

From 1976 to 1979, Grand National Championships occurred in June. From 1980 onward, championships occurred in November. The June event was relaunched as the Summer National Championship which continued until 1989. The next Grand National Championship is scheduled for November 12 – November 14, 2020 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Dates for Grand Nationals have been announced up to 2022.[16]

Bands of America attempts to keep the number of competing bands in each class across the entire championship system evenly distributed. Classes AA, AAA, and AAAA are realigned every three years based on enrolled students data provided by participating bands.[17]^:2 The next realignment will take place in 2021. The following classes are available as of 2018.

The following classes are known to have been available from 1976 to the present:

The adjudication system used by Bands of America is a single-tier "criteria reference system, in which a band showing proficiency in particular criteria, or meeting certain criteria at a certain level."[17]^:25 Each adjudicator is assigned a specific category, or caption. The system has a strong emphasis on the Music General Effect, which accounts for 40% of the total score, as scores for Individual and Ensemble performance are averaged for both Music and Visual categories. According to the Adjudication Handbook a band's achievement (total score) is based on the content of the performance, as well as the quality of the performance. The Ensemble and Individual Performance scores in each category are averaged.

The manual and contest procedures utilized by Bands of America have been licensed to or adopted whole, or in part, by other organizations hosting marching band competitions. As a result, Bands of America functions as a de facto governing body who determines the adjudication and competitive attributes of marching band competitions throughout the United States. However, Bands of America is not organized as a governing body. It instead operates almost exclusively as an event promoter, producer, host, and music education advocacy organization. Changes to the attributes of Bands of America championships are made by the Music for All board of directors, who regularly appoint an advisory committee composed of directors from participating bands to provide input on all aspects of Bands of America's programs and events.[18]

From 1976 to 1979, Grand National Championships were hosted at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater in June. In 1980, the Grand National Championships moved to November where they have remained since.

In 1980, the Summer Workshop and Festival was relaunched as the Summer National Championship. Below is an incomplete list of champions:

The criteria for Open Class was altered in 1985 to accommodate member bands of the Mid-America Competing Band Directors Association (MACBDA). All remaining scholastic bands transitioned to the newly created AAA Class. 1989 Summer National Champion, Christian Brothers, was a combined band representing four schools from the Chicago metro-area: Brother Rice, Mother McAuley, St. Laurence, and Queen of Peace high schools.