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State Marching Band Goes Live (on the Web)
By McKensie Wallesen, UIL intern | Monday, December 05, 2011 8:41 AM
At the 4A State Marching Band Competition, Vandergrift High School performs at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Vandergrift HS placed ninth at the state competition. Cedar Park High School won the 4A title. Queen City High School won the 2A title, and Sundown High School won the 1A title. For a full list of results, go to http://utdirect.utexas.edu/uilsmbc/lbw2_sched_results.WBX?s_conference=1A&s_round=2&s_display_sw=R.
Photo by Jeanne Acton
For the first time in the history of the UIL State Marching Band Contest, parents, fans and bands across the state were able to see the performances live without making the trip to the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Over the two-day contest, the webcast received more than 60,000 hits without even much advertising to promote the event.
One of those hits was from a parent who had emergency surgery days before the marching contest so she couldn’t travel to see her daughter play.
ILPC Spring Convention Moves to Late April
By Jeanne Acton, UIL Journalism Director | Monday, December 05, 2011 8:08 AM
Due to statewide testing dates, UIL regional competitions and conflicts with the national journalism conference, the ILPC Spring Convention will be held April 28-29 this year at the University of Texas at Austin.
We surveyed members last year to see if an early date or late date in April would work best, and an overwhelming majority selected the later date.
The later date offers a few benefits for schools and ILPC. For example, we moved the newspaper and broadcast deadlines from Feb. 1 to Feb. 15, and with more time, we are hoping to add a competition component to the convention.
Leaguer Moves to Issue-based Format
By Stephanie Ramirez, Communications Officer | Monday, November 07, 2011 3:02 PM
The Leaguer has had many makeovers during its time at the League. It's gone from a broadsheet to a tabloid to finally an online publication. Starting in December, the online Leaguer will return to an issue-based format and will continue to be published online.
In an effort to improve the online Leaguer and increase readership, the publication will return to an issue-based format published online.
The first issue will post Tuesday, Dec. 6. New content, including articles, columns, photos and media packages, will appear in each issue.
“This change should make it easier for our readers to know when they should visit the Leaguer online,” managing editor Jeanne Acton said. “Because we don’t have a full-time Leaguer staff to generate new articles every week, it is hard for our readers to know when new material is posted.”
The League will continue to use social media, like Facebook and Twitter, to give updates on breaking news, and it will move the weekly blog to the homepage of the website. Individual departments also will utilize their homepages to post time-sensitive articles.
Preparations For First Two UIL State Championships
By Stephanie Ramirez, Communications Officer | Friday, October 28, 2011 11:27 AM
It’s a busy time of year around the state as several UIL programs gear up for the culmination of their seasons at the UIL State Championships. Both athletics and music have their first State event coming up just around the corner.
Team Tennis regional tournaments are taking place this weekend to determine which teams will qualify for one of the eight spots at the UIL Team Tennis State Championships being held in College Station.
Marching Band will finish their regional contests this week and area contests next week in preparation for the State Marching Band Contest which will be held on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 7 and 8 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
To see the full UIL calendar and all state qualifiers, please visit the UIL website at www.uiltexas.org. Good luck to all our participants!
UIL Legilslative Council Results
By Stephanie Ramirez, Communications Officer | Monday, October 24, 2011 11:15 AM
The UIL Legislative Council met Oct. 16-17 in Austin to listen to proposals and discuss possible UIL rule changes.
If approved by the Commissioner of Education, items that will take effect Aug. 1, 2012 include changes to athletic preseason practice regulations, an additional conference in wrestling, new music programs having the option to enter concert and sight-reading contests as non-varsity and the Theatrical Design Contest becoming an officially sanctioned event.
To see the full press release issued by the UIL with all the results of the annual October Legislative Council meeting, go to http://www.uiltexas.org/press-releases/detail/uil-legislative-council-meeting-results8.
State Wind Ensemble Festival Provides a Unique Musical Opportunity
By Richard Floyd, Music Director | Wednesday, October 19, 2011 3:22 PM
The State Wind Ensemble Contest was established in 1976 as a part of the Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest. During the years that followed, this event gradually evolved into the festival format that is in place today. It is now referred to as the State Wind Ensemble Festival (SWEF) and provides an educationally rewarding and positive experience for all participants. This prestigious event is scheduled for May 5, 2012.
Much of the success of this event has been attributed to the Clinician/Commentator component of the format. This feature allows each performing group to have a 30-minute post concert clinic/critique with a nationally recognized conductor/educator. The focus of the event is on the subjective, artistic elements of music performance rather than the objective, technical details that tend to dominate critiques in a totally competitive setting.
Richards Joins Academic Department
By | Wednesday, October 12, 2011 1:27 PM
Trudy Richards is the new administrative associate for the speech department.
Photo by Jeanne Acton
Trudy Richards may be a new addition to the UIL Speech & Debate department, but she already has significant experience with the League.
She competed in a variety of academic events as a student and then coached journalism while teaching at Manor High School. Richards also worked as an intern in the mailroom at UIL during her undergraduate career.
Richards, an alumna of the University of Texas with a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s in Curriculum and Instruction, joined the UIL staff as the administrative associate on Sept. 1.
UIL Legislative Council to Meet
By Stephanie Ramirez, Communications Officer | Wednesday, October 12, 2011 10:34 AM
The UIL Legislative Council will be meeting in Austin this weekend for its annual October meeting. The Legislative Council meeting will address proposals regarding athletics, music and academics, as well as any other issues that have come up since it last convened.
Some important topics will include the potential for an additional conference in soccer and wrestling, possible theatre rule changes and the issue of cost associated with travel for area marching band meets. The fall superintendent survey and recommendations from the recent UIL Medical Advisory Committee meeting also will be discussed.
The UIL Legislative Council meeting is an open meeting and anyone interested is welcome to attend. The meeting agenda can be found on the UIL website at www.uiltexas.org under UIL events.
Austin Chronicle Writer Makes a Great Point
By Luis Muñoz, Theatre Director | Monday, October 10, 2011 2:02 PM
Connie McMillan at the UIL office forwarded this article to me last week. We felt that Mr. Faires words supported what we try to do at UIL. We thank him and The Austin Chronicle for allowing us to share this with our membership.
All Over Creation: So Little, So Much
When it comes to the theatrical, the smart choice is to go bare
By Robert Faires, Oct. 7, 2011, The Austin Chronicle
Prospero has reached the moment when he must confront the brother who betrayed him a dozen years earlier, who stole his dukedom and set him adrift on the sea with his infant daughter.
Marching Band Lone Star Cup Points To Count For 2 Years
By Stephanie Ramirez, Communications Officer | Thursday, October 06, 2011 4:35 PM
Beginning with the 2011-12 school year, points earned by marching bands for the UIL Lone Star Cup will carry over for two school years.
Previously, Area and State Marching Band points were counted only for the year each conference competed. Under this system, schools competing could only contribute to UIL Lone Star Cup points every other year.
To be consistent with the State Marching Band Contest, points earned by participating bands will carry over until the next competition year.
This change requires no work for the schools or band directors. UIL Lone Star Cup points are tabulated in the UIL office and results for each year become official on July 1. To read more about the UIL Lone Star Cup, please visit http://www.uiltexas.org/lone-star-cup.