Western Band Association

Last updated

Western Band Association
AbbreviationWBA
Formation1979;45 years ago (1979)
Founders
  • Mike Rubino
  • Ramiro Barrera
  • Dan Smith
  • Gary Runsten
  • Mel Stratton
Type 501(c)(3) organization
01-0560311
PurposeTo ensure a high quality, educationally sound performing experience in full support of the total band program
Headquarters Chino, California
Region
Executive Director
Rob van Loben Sels
Adjudicator Coordinator
  • Mike Stone
  • George Oliviero
Event Director
Brian Nunez
Formerly called
Western States Marching Band Conference (WSMBC)

The Western Band Association (WBA) is a nonprofit organization that promotes high school music education in California, Arizona and Nevada. Specifically, the WBA organizes marching band competitions for high school students. Its championships event is considered to be the among the largest marching band championships in the United States. [1]

Contents

In addition to marching band events, WBA also organizes concert band festivals, symposia, and musical and leadership clinics. In 2008, over 12,000 students in 133 bands performed in WBA events in multiple competitions hosted throughout the state. [1]

History

The Western Band Association was started in 1979 by marching band directors from five Northern and Central California high schools: Mike Rubino (Live Oak High School), Ramiro Barrera (James Logan High School), Dan Smith (Independence High School), Gary Runsten (Modesto High School) and Mel Stratton (Clovis High School).

In 1984, Gary Gilroy (Moreau High School) coined the name "WSMBC" Western States Marching Band Conference, which would later be shortened to WBA by Ramiro Barrera (James Logan High School) in 2002. The first WSMBC Championship was held in conjunction with the 1984 Music Bowl Prelims at James Logan High School. In 1995, John Hannan (Mission Viejo High School) helped expand the organization's efforts to include Southern California bands as well.

In recent years,[ when? ] bands have also competed under the "WBA" banner from nearby states, including Washington, Oregon, and Nevada. The scoring system also grew to become a two-tiered criteria based curriculum designed for bands of various size memberships, assuring that the small band would have the same opportunity as the large band to achieve a high score measuring their unique orchestration and design options.

In 2006, the competition schedule has grown to offer consecutive contests in each of the three Regions (Northern, Central and Southern California) helping to alleviate the costs of travel for the bands.

In 2012, James Logan High School and Ayala High School tied for first place at the WBA Championships, with both scoring 93.40. However, the tie was broken based on Ayala's General Effect score. The tiebreaker settled Ayala as the WBA Champions.

Marching band circuit

The WBA organizes a marching band circuit with competitions held throughout October and November leading up to the circuit championship competition.

Historic classes

Available classes:

1984–19992000–20032004–present
A-601A
A-90
2A
3A3A
4A4A
5A

Class alignment

Below is an incomplete table of class alignments based on number of performers. Classes were re-aligned in 2021, 2023, and 2024. [2]

Class2004–20212021–20232023–20242024–present
1Aup to 60up to 45up to 50up to 60
2A61–8045–6551–7061–80
3A81–10065–8571–9081–110
4A101–14086–11591–125111–141
5A141 or more116 or more126 or more141 to more

Championship format

Class champions are determined at the conclusion of preliminary competition. After prelims, the bands then move on to one of two finals competitions: the A/AA/AAA Championship and the AAAA/AAAAA Championship. The top three bands from each division move on to their respective championship and the remaining field is filled by the next highest scoring bands.

The Finals field is composed of:

Adjudication

Each individual judge is assigned to a specific caption (Individual and Ensemble Music, Individual and Ensemble Visual, General Effect, Auxiliary, and Percussion). General Effect and Music are each worth 30% of the total score, Visual is worth 20%, and Auxiliary and Percussion are each worth 10%.

Awards are released by division. The band with the highest award points for each caption per division is awarded a caption award, while the band with the most overall points in each division is awarded first place-prize. The band with most points in A/AA/AAA combined classes and AAAA/AAAAA combined classes are awarded a "sweepstakes award", with that band removed from the rankings of their class; the next band in placement in that class is moved to "first place" and so on (only for that class). Each competition will have two Sweepstakes winners, one each for A/AA/AAA and AAAA/AAAAA.

Past champions

Below is an incomplete list of past class champions and sweepstakes winners:

Class champions

Year1A2A3A4A5A
2000
(17th)
Riverbank Trabuco Hills Buchanan James Logan
2001
(18th)
Buena Live Oak BuchananJames Logan
2002
(19th)
Gilroy Live Oak BuchananJames Logan
2003
(20th)
Newbury Park Valley Christian El Toro Clovis West
2004
(21st)
ModestoLive Oak Valley View Cerritos James Logan
2005
(22nd)
Newbury ParkLive Oak Fred C. Beyer Trabuco HillsJames Logan
2006
(23rd)
Newbury Park Independence Fred C. BeyerNogalesJames Logan
2007
(24th)
Live OakIndependenceFred C. Beyer Fountain Valley James Logan
2008
(25th)
Live OakMadera SouthFred C. BeyerEl DiamanteJames Logan
2009
(26th)
Live OakValley ChristianLos AlamitosTrabuco HillsJames Logan
2010
(27th)
Live OakClovis NorthLos AlamitosEl DiamanteJames Logan
2011
(28th)
PeninsulaClovis NorthBashaGranite Bay Ayala
(tie)
James Logan
2012
(29th)
Damien Live OakTrabuco HillsEl DiamanteAyala
2013
(30th)
DamienCerritosNogalesEl DiamanteUpland
2014
(31st)
Live OakCerritosTrabuco HillsNogalesAyala
2015
(32nd)
The King's AcademyCerritosClovis EastGranite BayAyala
2016
(33rd)
The King's AcademyFred C. BeyerCerritosMission ViejoJames Logan
2017
(34th)
IndependenceKingsburgTrabuco HillsGranite BayJames Logan
2018
(35th)
Championships cancelled
2019
(36th)
The King's AcademyOak GroveMission ViejoClovis NorthChino Hills
2020
(37th)
Season cancelled
2021
(38th)
Regional championships only
2022
(39th)
The King's AcademyEl ToroTrabuco HillsGahrChino Hills
2023
(40th)
The King's AcademyNorthTrabuco HillsUplandChino Hills

Sweepstakes winners

Combined 1A–3A Grand Champions

Previously known as the Class A/AA Championship.

Year3rd Place2nd Place1st Place
2000
(17th)
Valley Christian Clayton Valley Trabuco Hills
2001
(18th)
Bullard Aliso Niguel Live Oak
2002
(19th)
Aliso NiguelBullardLive Oak
2003
(20th)
Aliso NiguelBullardValley Christian
2004
(21st)
Independence Valley View Valley Christian
2005
(22nd)
Valley ChristianAliso Niguel Fred C. Beyer
2006
(23rd)
Clovis Valley ChristianFred C. Beyer
2007
(24th)
Aliso Niguel Chino Hills Fred C. Beyer
2008
(25th)
Fred C. Beyer Clovis East Aliso Niguel
2009
(26th)
Clovis EastFred C. Beyer Los Alamitos
2010
(27th)
Clovis North Valley ChristianLos Alamitos
2011
(28th)
Valley Christian Rancho Cucamonga Basha
2012
(29th)
Los AlamitosRancho CucamongaTrabuco Hills
2013
(30th)
Los Alamitos Nogales Clovis North
2014
(31st)
ChaffeyCerritosTrabuco Hills
2015
(32nd)
Live Oak Clovis EastCerritos
2016
(33rd)
Los AlamitosCerritosTrabuco Hills
2017
(34th)
CerritosFountain ValleyTrabuco Hills
2018
(35th)
Championships cancelled
2019
(36th)
Los AlamitosRowlandMission Viejo
2020
(37th)
Season cancelled
2021
(38th)
Regional championships only
2022
(39th)
The King's AcademyFountain ValleyTrabuco Hills
2023
(40th)
BranhamThe King's AcademyTrabuco Hills
2024
(41st)
Trabuco HillsGranite BayThe King's Academy

Combined 4A–5A Grand Champions

Previously known as the AAA/AAAA Championship.

Year3rd Place2nd Place1st Place
2000
(17th)
Clovis West Mission Viejo James Logan
2001
(18th)
Clovis WestMission ViejoJames Logan
2002
(19th)
Clovis West Ayala James Logan
2003
(20th)
AyalaClovis WestMission Viejo
2004
(21st)
Upland Mission ViejoJames Logan
2005
(22nd)
Mission ViejoUplandJames Logan
2006
(23rd)
AyalaMission ViejoJames Logan
2007
(24th)
Mission ViejoUplandJames Logan
2008
(25th)
AyalaMission ViejoJames Logan
2009
(26th)
Mission ViejoAyalaJames Logan
2010
(27th)
Homestead Mission ViejoJames Logan
2011
(28th)
UplandAyala
(tie)
James Logan
2012
(29th)
El DiamanteJames LoganAyala
2013
(30th)
Mission ViejoJames LoganUpland
2014
(31st)
Mission ViejoAyalaJames Logan
2015
(32nd)
UplandJames LoganAyala
2016
(33rd)
Amador ValleyHomesteadJames Logan
2017
(34th)
HomesteadAyalaJames Logan
2018
(35th)
Championships cancelled
2019
(36th)
UplandJames Logan Chino Hills
2020
(37th)
Season cancelled
2021
(38th)
Regional championships only
2022
(39th)
James LoganVista MurrietaChino Hills
2023
(40th)
Clovis East James LoganChino Hills
2024
(41st)
AyalaChino HillsJames Logan

2021 Regional Championships

The 2021 season concluded with a series of Regional Championships.

James Logan Invitational

Class3rd Place2nd Place1st Place
1A Mountain House IndependenceKing's Academy
2A San Benito Oak Grove Santa Teresa
3A Monta Vista Branham Leigh
4A Lynbrook Milpitas Granite Bay
5A Amador Valley HomesteadJames Logan

Kingsburg Viking Classic

Class3rd Place2nd Place1st Place
1AExeter UnionTempletonSelma
2AHanfordSunnysideMadera South
3ANo championNo championClovis West
4AGolden WestKingsburgClovis
5ALemooreClovis EastClovis North

Trabuco Hills Tournament

Class3rd Place2nd Place1st Place
1ALaguna HillsTorranceDon Antonio Lugo
2APalisades CharterMission ViejoRowland
3AMurrieta ValleyEl ToroMira Costa
4ALa CanadaTrabuco HillsUpland
5AAyalaVista MurrietaChino Hills

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Grantham, Jon (March 26, 2009). "WBA President's report 03/26". Western Band Association. Retrieved April 9, 2009.
  2. "2021 Classification". Western Band Association. Western Band Association. Retrieved October 18, 2021.