Freshman/New Student Guide

Everything You Need to Know as a Freshman/New Student/Parent

Fall 2024

Welcome to the Magnolia HS Band & Color Guard

We’re excited to have you! High school band is an amazing experience and we can’t wait to share it with you! To help prepare you for the upcoming days and months, we’ve put together this page to help answer any questions you may have as an incoming freshman/new student or parent. While it has a lot of information, it’s not all-inclusive and is only a general reference tool. If you have any other questions that aren’t addressed here, please reach out to the directors or Freshmen Representatives.

*The following information serves as a supplement to the Magnolia HS Band Handbook and as a general guide of the band year. Please read our Magnolia HS Band Handbook and be sure to join the BAND app to receive band information and updates*

FIRST… THE BAND APP

Please join the BAND app! 

ALL Parents and Students: JOIN HERE


The BAND app will be the main source of information regarding all things band and guard. It is vital that ALL students and parents are members. Please be sure to use your first and last name and a school appropriate profile picture when setting up/modifying your account.

GOOD TO KNOW

Parking/Pickup Map (right):

-Student drivers, please park in the “Student Parking” area ONLY

-Please pick-up/drop-off students at the locations labeled on the map.

-Blue dot is the band hall entrance

–Please keep vehicles off of the marching band practice field for safety reasons

Summer Band Camp

Summer band camp is arguably the most important part of the whole marching season. It’s extremely important to come prepared. There are a few items that students must have that are NOT provided:

  • Instrument, pencil, and mouthpiece
  • Lunch
  • Flip Folder/Lyre
  • 1 inch 3 ring binder and multiple plastic sheet protectors
  • ½ gallon jug
  • Water (please fill your jug before practice. Water can be refilled during breaks. There is an ice machine near the band hall)
  • BLACK hand towel – flute, clarinet, alto, trumpet, mellophone, baritone/euphonium
  • Large BLACK Bath towel – sousaphone
  • Batting gloves for all silver brass instruments
  • Bass clarinet, tenor, and bari saxes instrument stand (provided) 
  • Sunglasses, hat, sunscreen
  • Light colored, sleeveless t-shirts are highly recommended
  • Shorts – comfortable and breathable. No long pants or jeans
  • Socks and athletic sneakers – NO sandals, flip-flops, or shoes with a flat sole (ex: Converse, Vans)
  • Knee pads (not mandatory but recommended after August 1st)

Registration Day

Registration Day/Uniform Checkout is a very important part of the band process. On this day, parents will pay band fees/select a payment plan, indicate areas of interest for volunteering, select a few things to buy, register themselves on CutTime, and more. Students will be fit for and assigned a marching uniform, dry-fit (Ironman) shirt, and can sign up for private lessons. This will also be the chance to address any concerns you may have with a director.

If a student is unable to make the uniform check out day, please contact a director.

Band boosters will be on hand to provide volunteer information, sell a small amount of spirit wear, and answer any questions.

COST – (TBD) required fair share fee for all students, which helps cover the following: 

  • 1 dry-fit (Ironman) shirt and 1 show shirt
  • 1 meal for every football game and band competition (dietary/allergy form to be submitted as needed) 
  • Water jug pouch
  • Color guard uniform (Guard students)
  • Additional marching techs and teaching staff
  • Additional transportation costs

Additionally, there is a *$100 instrument usage fee (school owned instruments)*

Sports Physicals

Physicals are required and are due by the first day of summer band.

As a reminder, ALL marching band students need to have a physical on file in Rank One before the start of summer band camp. Any student that has not completed the necessary forms will not be permitted to participate in this activity. Many of you have already taken care of this, but this is just a reminder on this important and required step.

Here is a current link to the UIL page for marching band requirements.

What is Color Guard?

Color guard is a section of students that use flags, props, mock rifles, and dance and are a large part of the visual impact of the marching band. The color guard performs with the band in the fall semester during football games and competitions. When our schedules say “Full Band,” color guard is also included. Color guard rehearses once a week on their own during football season. In the spring, the band and color guard are separate; color guard has their own winter guard season with indoor competitions. Please contact Ms. Easton (veaston@magnoliaisd.org) if you have any color guard related questions.

Band Uniforms

All band students will have two uniforms: one for marching band and one for concert band. Each uniform has different requirements. Further information can be found in our band handbook. For any uniform related questions or if you weren’t sized on registration day, contact a director.

Fall: Marching Uniforms. The formal marching uniform is kept at school. It will be worn at all football games, competitions, and other appearances. Students will be fit for and assigned a uniform on registration day. Uniforms will be cleaned at home when directed (more information to come). This uniform consists of:

  • Marching Jacket
  • Bibbers (pants)
  • Shako (hat)
  • Shako wrap
  • Gloves
  • Gauntlets
  • Marching Shoes (NOT provided. These must be purchased. Our uniform shoe is the DSI Viper shoe in black [~$45]. They can be found online; we suggest looking here)

 Under this uniform, students must wear:

  • Black compression/spandex shorts (not provided)
  • Black calf-high socks – above the ankle with no logos, symbols, or patterns (not provided)
  • Our show shirt for competition days or the “Ironman” shirt for football games

Spring: Concert Uniform. This uniform is kept at home once it has been issued. Students will typically be fit for and given this uniform in December. It will be worn for concert performances. This uniform consists of:

  • A long, black concert dress for girls
  • A tuxedo jacket and pants for boys

Not provided:

  • Girls need to provide their own black closed-toe shoes and black hose.
  • Boys need to purchase a tuxedo shirt (color to be determined), black dress shoes and socks. At the end of the concert season, all tuxedo jackets and pants must be dry cleaned and returned in the dry cleaning bag with the receipt attached.

Competitions and Football Games

Throughout our marching season, the band will compete in multiple competitions. Our competitions typically take place on Saturdays but can be during the school day, too. They take up the entire day, sometimes running late at night. We highly encourage all family and friends to attend and cheer the band on in the stands. Tickets to these events can be purchased at the venue gates or online. Ticket information will be provided on the BAND app. BOA also offers a paid streaming service through Box5-TV (check out https://box5tv.com/category/watch/boa/) so you can watch remotely.

In the fall, our marching band attends contests under three different organizations: BOA, UIL, and USBands. 

BOA (Bands of America) – https://marching.musicforall.org/about/

UIL (University Interscholastic League) – https://www.uiltexas.org/music/contests

USBands – https://usbands.org/

For football games, home tickets must be purchased here. Away football game ticket information will be posted via the BAND app prior to the event.

At most of our away games and competitions, the venues have clear bag policies. This means that spectators will not be allowed to bring any bag that isn’t clear into the venue. Further info will be provided on the BAND app. The band boosters sell MHS Band clear bags in the spirit store and during registration.

TMEA All-Region Band Process

The TMEA All-Region Band Process is a unique opportunity for students to compete against other band students grades 9-12 from different schools. Auditioning is a great way for students to gain experience and enhance musical ability. The All-Region audition process is required for all Wind Ensemble members and is highly encouraged for Symphonic and Concert Band students. Students can audition for All-Region Band, All-Region Jazz Band, All-Region Orchestra, and/or All-Region Freshmen Band. All-Region Orchestra auditions are in mid-November, All-Region Jazz Band auditions are in late September, All-Region Band auditions are in early December (refer to calendar). All-Region Band and All-Region Jazz Band member students, if they place high enough in auditions, can then audition at the All-Area level for the chance to be in the All-State Band or All-State Jazz Band, respectively. Students are expected to memorize all 12 major scales and be able to perform all three etudes at a high level for All-Region Band auditions. There are weekend clinics and a concert for All-Region Band/Jazz Band/Orchestra. Audition music is released mid-July for All-Region Band and Orchestra, and mid-May for All-Region Jazz at www.tmea.org. For more information, see the band handbook or speak with a director.

For All-Region Freshman Band auditions, only ninth-grade students are allowed to compete. This offers a less rigorous competition as students are only required to play a certain cut of the All-Region etudes. Freshmen cuts are released by the band directors at a later date. Students are also required to memorize all 12 major scales and be able to perform all 3 abridged etudes at a high level. All-Region Freshman Band auditions are held in late November.

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