Judging Criteria

Below is a judging criteria so that you will know or have some understanding on what exactly the 6 judges are looking for from each band and you can watch and judge with understanding of what they are looking for!

Music ensemble: Worth 20 out of 100 points

• Music Ensemble is how well we play as a whole band.  Do we play together, are we in tune, do we start and stop notes and songs together, are there parts where we are not balanced (meaning is any one instrument or group of instruments sticking out) and how do we sound.

Music Individual: Worth 20 out of 100points

• This is how well we play as a member of the band. There will be a judge that will be walking around on the field and they will listen to whether or not each member is playing their instruments correctly, in tune, and with clarity.

Music Effect: Worth 20 out of 100 points

• This is how effective is our music in our show. Do we do dynamics, do we convey our intentions with the audience, do we play with emotion, do we play with spirit and professionalism, and how well is the music put together.

Visual Ensemble: Worth 20 out of 100 points

• This is how we look. Do we look the same, move the same, have the same spacing between members as we move.  How well do we move, is it uniform, are our shoulders aligned, and do we look the same with our feet going forwards and backwards. Do the forms that we make on the field come through or are readable.  Do we do different things or are we boring.

Visual Effect: Worth 20 out of 100 points

• This is our overall effect of how we look. Do we look good on the field. Do we show signs of well taught members, does what we are doing on the field convey up to the audience, in form and clarity.  Can we march at slow and fast tempos.

At most shows there will also be a guard, percussion, and drum major caption. These awards don’t factor into our overall placement, but do, help in the above areas. Do to our size and difficulty of show, we will be down in a lot of these areas during the first of the season, but, we will get to the top and achieve high levels in all of these captions!