CALL US NOW 512-229-1985
LOGIN DONATE NOW

Marching Arts Division

Marching Arts Division

Medal of Distinction

Marching Arts Division

Medal of Distinction

Global Initiative for Talented Students (GIFTS) a 501 (c) (3) organization in collaboration with Perform America – TX, LLC is excited to offer once again an educational opportunity for high school marching bands throughout the country. The Marching Arts Division of Medal of Distinction, will be a unique recording submission process designed to celebrate excellence in performance while simultaneously offering practical and exciting opportunities of growth for both students and directors. All participants will have access to a wealth of knowledge from evaluators with a variety of musical and visual backgrounds.. The Medal of Distinction program serves as a means to bring together a community of musicians and educators striving to better themselves, their programs and the art of music-making through the marching arts. The Marching Arts Division of Medal of Distinction, will be an unique recording submission process designed to celebrate excellence in performance while simultaneously offering practical and exciting opportunities of growth for both students and directors. All participants will have access to a wealth of knowledge from evaluators with a variety of musical and visual backgrounds.. The Medal of Distinction program serves as a means to bring together a community of musicians and educators striving to better themselves, their programs and the art of music-making through the marching arts.

Overview

Our event focus will be on the educational aspects of your performance and work to provide feedback that will help elevate your bands to the next level. We have a competitive component that is focused on providing an educational experience. Marching Band video recordings will be evaluated by 8 nationally recognized educators and designers. After viewing each group’s recordings, the adjudicators will share a video commentary of their review of each show to provide feedback for each program. In addition, the top 10 bands will be listed, a Grand Champion will be announced regardless of classification, plus the winner of each classification will have one of the evaluators visit and work with their program, the following year. (applicable only if more than one marching band applies to compete in your classification). This is what makes Medal of Distinction a truly educational experience!

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Bands will submit a full run-through video of their fall 2021 show to be assessed by the following educators.  This submission should be a high quality video in full uniform.  

EVALUATORS:

Jason Robb

Music General Effect

Andy Toth

Visual General Effect

Mike Howard

Visual

Jeremy Spicer

Visual

Dan Morrison

Music

T. André Feagin

Music

Heather Graham

Color Guard

Joe Hobbs

Percussion

PARTICIPANTS:

  • All participants will receive feedback through Screencastify from each adjudicator on their 2021 fall performance.
  • All participants will have exclusive access to an online forum as soon as they register where both directors and contest evaluators can share discussions about rehearsal procedures, performance considerations, programming, and other questions and topics that arise along the performance preparation and educational journey.
  • All participants will have exclusive access to evaluator’s methods and strategies videos on how they approach different aspects of teaching and ensemble performance and/or UDB Virtual Curriculum 
  • Every participant that enters will have a chance to have 1 adjudicator visit their program the next fall 
    • The Grand Champion regardless of classification will have an evaluator visit their program, plus the winner of each classification! (applicable only if more than one marching band applies to compete)
    • Honorarium, plus accommodations and flights (if applicable) will be provided by GIFTS/Perform America – TX, LLC.  The school/director would only be responsible for providing meals/social gatherings or any other requests from evaluator. 
    • Schools would be able to select the time as to when adjudicators will come to visit their programs (clinicians will be selected by GIFTS/Perform America – TX, LLC and will based based on their availability)

SUBMISSION:

Each ensemble will submit a press box video recording of their bands performance

Recording Considerations:

  • Videos must be from the Fall 2021 school year
  • .MP4 or .MOV is preferred, but not necessary 
  • Stationary camera from press-box or as high up as possible to capture most/all of the field
  • Must be one continuous take/unedited

FALL 2021 DATES/DEADLINES:

  • October 22nd – Entry registration opens, payment of $350 should be processed upon registration, once registered and payment received you will have access to Online Community Forum, UDB Virtual Curriculum and we will plan a video conference with one of the evaluators
  • January 1st – Videos are due
  • Results/Feedback will be sent to all in March

Payment can be mailed to:

Medal of Distinction – Marching Arts Division
2601 La Frontera Blvd. #1114
Round Rock, TX 78618

Checks can be made out to: Global Initiative for Talented Students or GIFTS

Recordings should be submitted through the registration form.  If having trouble, please email [email protected] with school/director information with videos in a google or dropbox folder.

WHO CAN ENTER?

Medal of Distinction for Marching Bands is open to all marching bands (Domestic and International) from every classification, no penalties, no disqualification, we just ask that you Bring ALL you got!!!

Classifications:

  • International Division
  • Class A – up to 600 students in schools enrollment
  • Class AA is 601 – 1250 students in schools enrollment
  • Class AAA is 1251 – 1750 students in schools enrollment
  • Class AAAA is 1751 and above students in schools enrollment

ONLINE COMMUNITY FORUM:

  • Facebook group, everyone that registers has access.
  • Entry to the group is available once the participant has registered and closes on December 1st.
  • Participants will be able to bounce ideas off each other as well as receive feedback from judges throughout the season.
  • Each judge will post 1 mini instructional video. These will be released weekly beginning on Oct 22nd and/or receive UDB Virtual Curriculum