District Festival Guidelines

  • All ensembles, regardless of grade level, must play at least one selection from the appropriate SCSBOA List or Texas Prescribed Music List.
  • If your ensemble is playing music that is grade level .5, 1, 2, or 3, you must play three (and only three) selections.
  • If your ensemble is playing any music FROM EITHER APPROVED LIST that is grade level 4 or 5, you are limited to two selections. If one of your selections is believed to be grade 4 or higher, but is not on the approved list, it is considered one of your “free choice” selections.
  • Please aim for no more than 20 minutes of music; the 30-minute time slot should include time to get the stage set, get your group on and off the stage, and include a little time in between selections for the judges.
  • Below is a chart showing how the pre-2012 alphabetical grade levels convert to our new numerical system.
  • Note: the highest grade level is now grade 5 and the lowest is grade .5 (one half). This grade change is reflected on the new judging forms and will line up with the formula to select your ensemble’s classification.
    • Formerly Grade E – Now SCSBOA Grade .5
    • Formerly Grade D – Now SCSBOA Grade 1 and Texas PML Grade 1
    • Formerly Grade C – Now SCSBOA Grade 2 and Texas PML Grade 2
    • Formerly Grade B – Now SCSBOA Grade 3 and Texas PML Grade 3
    • Formerly Grade A – Now SCSBOA Grade 4 and Texas PML Grade 4 Formerly
    • Grade AA – Now SCSBOA Grade 5 and Texas PML Grade 5

Click Here for the SCSBOA Festival Score Sheet

Regional Festival Guidelines

The same guidelines listed above apply to selecting music for SCSBOA Regional festival, with the following exceptions:

  • All ensembles performing in a Regional festival must change at least one of their selections performed at their qualifying district festival. In other words, a group may not play the same set of music for both District and Regional festival; one selection must be “changed out.”
  • All ensembles, regardless of grade level, must still play at least one selection from the appropriate SCSBOA List or Texas Prescribed Music List.
  • Ensembles may use the same “list-approved” selection for both District and Regional festival as long as one of the remaining selections in their set is different from what the ensemble performed at their qualifying District festival.