Band Glossary

This person is a judge at a competition/event. There are different judges for each of the disciplines being evaluated, which can vary widely depending on the kind of event. 

Bands of America. This is a national organization which oversees competitions at a Regional and National level. Their scoring and other rules can be a little bit different than the local competitions we usually compete in, so you might hear of adjustments in procedure or slight alterations to a show in order to adjust to the different needs of a BOA competition. All participating schools compete in Preliminary competition, followed by Finals which comprises the top 10-15 bands. 

Concert Black refers to the what the students in the OHS band program wear during concerts/performances/festivals.

A Dress Rehearsal is an additional rehearsal in preparation for a concert. Dress rehearsals are usually after school and is typically a run through of the concert music where we make sure all of the technology, audio equipment, lights, and transitions are locked in before the concert. 

Ensemble, a french word, means together. In a musical context, this means a group of musicians that plays music together. 

"Region" and "State" both refer to festivals that the bands at OHS will participate and compete in.

A Sectional refers to a rehearsal where all of the members of like instruments get together and practice their music independent of the full ensemble. For example, all of the clarinets in Wind Ensemble meet during Titan Time to work out a difficult passage in one of their pieces. 

Solo & Ensemble is a nation-wide competition that takes place each spring. Students in music programs across the nation begin by performing a solo piece or in a small group (call an ensemble) first at the region level, then if they score high enough can progress to the state and national levels. 

 The Utah Music Educators Association. This is a nonprofit group of music educators within the state of Utah. One of their responsibilities is to oversee marching band competitions in Utah held by high schools on behalf of the UHSAA. 

 The Utah High School Activities Association. This is the group which oversees all sanctioned high school extracurricular activities in Utah. This group decides on school classifications and region alignments. They also set standards and requirements for participation including academic minimums and residency. With a primary focus on sports, this organization delegates most relevant music functions to the UMEA.

Seating: Students will be given a particular chair based solely on the judgment of the director. No chair is permanent, and no student is entitled to a particular seat. Students may ask the director about the results of seating. Students may be moved from their seats for any number of reasons, including needs, work ethic, skills progression, and skill level.