Register by January 31, 2024 to be eligible for the initial draw for preliminary performance times.

You can still register after January 31 if space is available. Performance times available on a first-come, first-served basis.

All high school bands are eligible to enroll in Bands of America Championships. Bands may choose competitive or INPUT ONLY participation. Applications must be signed by both the director and the school principal or superintendent and must be accompanied by at least a minimum of the deposit of the Participation Cooperative Fee to be considered a complete registration.

Registration Fees for 2024 

All one-day Regionals will be the same $875 fee to enroll. Super Regional Championship enrollment fee is holding flat at $925 and Grand National enrollment fee is holding flat at $975.  

Deadline for Equal Priority Scheduling: Tuesday, January 31, 2024

DEADLINE SCHEDULING:
Either the deposit option or full amount must be postmarked or submitted by January 31 for a band to be considered for the initial draw for performance times. All entries postmarked after January 31, 2023 will be scheduled by earliest postmark date. A Purchase Order must be fulfilled/paid by check or credit card by January 31 to qualify for the random draw.

All balances must be paid in full by May 15, 2024. Bands that have not paid full fees by May 15, 2023 will forfeit their performance draw. If fees are not paid by May 31, 2024, the application will be canceled without refund. Registrations that are completed after January 31 are still eligible for participation on a first come, first served basis depending on available capacity.

REFUND POLICY:

• If you cancel prior to March 31, you will forfeit a $200 per show, non-refundable portion of your amount paid.
• If you cancel after March 31, but prior to May 15, you will forfeit 50% of the Deposit Option amount per show.
• The full registration fee is due by May 15 or your spot in the show is forfeited and no refund issued.
• If you cancel for any reason after May 15, all fees paid are forfeited and no refund issued.
• All refunds under this policy will be made by December 31, 2024. Monies cannot be “held over” for future years except in the case of event date changes made by Bands of America. Bands with balances due for prior years may not enroll in future BOA events until such balances are paid.

Register online or call Music for All at 800.848.BAND or 317.636.2263 for assistance registering.

Register by January 31, 2024 to be eligible for the initial draw for preliminary performance times. You can complete your registration online, with the option to pay online with a credit card, or offline with a check. Regardless of payment method, payment MUST be postmarked (timestamped) by the January 31 deadline for your registration to be considered complete and eligible for the initial random draw.

Online applications will still require a consent form. Your administrator listed on your online registration will receive an online consent form by email immediately upon submission of your online registration. A complete registration consists of a submitted online registration, a consent form, and payment. A Purchase Order UNFULFILLED or NOT PAID by January 31 will NOT be considered a registration complete by the postmark deadline of January 31, therefore not eligible for the random draw.  

Payment – either deposit option OR full amount – must be postmarked or submitted, online or by mail, with a completed registration including administrator signature, by January 31 for a band to be considered for the initial draw for performance times.

Complete registrations received on or before the designated postmark date of January 31 are eligible for the initial random draw. After January 31, performance times, if available, will be based on the postmark of application, with the earlier postmark receiving the later performance time. A complete registration consists of an application, a signed consent form, and payment. 

If more applications are received by January 31 than spots in a show, a Bands of America point system is used to determine which bands are eligible for the initial draw. Points are allotted based on band participation in BOA events over the previous four years. The 2024 BOA Point System will incorporate a band’s participation from the 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 fall marching band seasons. Bands can earn a maximum of 12 points, with a maximum of three points earned per year. For each year, 1 point is awarded for total Regional and Super Regional participation, and 2 points awarded for Grand Nationals participation. The point system does not affect performance times in any other way.

Regional Championships 

Any 2023 Regional Champion (with complete registration submitted on or before January 31) is given its choice of prelim performance time at the equivalent event they won the previous year. The top 12 scoring bands from prelims, regardless of class, will advance to the evening Finals.

Super Regionals Championships 

Enrollment at a Super Regional Championship will consist of up to eighty-four (84) bands competing in two days of preliminary competition followed by a Finals competition. The structure/procedure (in order of consideration) for Day of Performance is as follows: 

Any 2023 Bands of America (BOA) Regional Champion, the 2023 Grand National Champion or the 2023 Grand National Class Champion enrolled in the event may choose its day of performance (Friday or Saturday). 

Bands that request a Friday performance draw slot on their enrollment application will be assigned to perform on Friday. 

The 30 bands that are the farthest distance from the performance venue will be given priority for a Saturday Prelim performance time. After Saturday slots have been filled, the remaining participating bands (those geographically closest to the performance venue), will have a Prelim performance time on Friday.  

Distance is determined by using mileage information from school street address to stadium street address obtained from Google Maps. 

In the event that performance spots remain in the show, bands that register after the January 31 postmark date will be placed in the earliest prelim times on Friday.

Super Regional Championships have a capacity for 84 participating bands, with Prelims taking place over two days, with a maximum of 52 bands on Friday and 32 bands on Saturday. The judging responsibilities for Super Regionals will be divided into Panel 1 and Panel 2, alternating between blocks. Fourteen bands from Prelims will advance to Saturday evening’s Finals. See the Bands of America Official Procedures and Adjudication Handbook for specifics.

Grand National Championships 

All Bands 325 Miles or Further from Indianapolis   
Bands of America recognizes that the travel distance for some bands will necessitate missing one to two days of school just for travel time. In order to retain the integrity of Grand Nationals as a national championship and enable bands from across the nation to participate, BOA will allow bands traveling from schools located more than 325 miles (one way) from Indianapolis to choose to either be part of the regular performance time draw OR choose to participate in a special draw for the first block of times of Friday Prelims. Bands from schools more than 325 miles (one way) from Indianapolis must select their preference on the application form.  

Thursday Prelims Performance Time Volunteer Opportunity   
It is feasible for groups within an approximate 200-mile radius of Indianapolis to perform on Thursday, return home for a full day of school on Friday, then return to Indianapolis. Bands can select this option on the application form. If you do not qualify for the milage option and/or do not volunteer for Thursday, all other bands will be placed in a random draw for the remaining performance times.  

Grand Nationals Adjudication Format   
The Grand National Championships is a three-day Preliminary, Semi-Finals, and Finals event that has a maximum of 118 participating bands. Judging responsibilities will be divided into Panel 1 and Panel 2, alternating between blocks over Thursday and Friday, balanced with like numbers of bands from each class. A minimum of 30 bands will then advance to Semi-Finals with a formula that ensures inclusion of representatives of each of the four classes and top scoring bands from the two separate Prelims panels and the overall event. (See BOA Official Procedures and Adjudication Handbook for specifics.) The top 12 scoring bands from Semi-Finals, regardless of class, advance to Saturday evening’s Finals.

Music for All takes care to comply with copyright laws and requires compliance by those who participate in our events. See more on copyright documentation required for participation. 

Per our commitment to re-evaluate the classification system, classification numbers are re-evaluated assessing every three years of data. Classification numbers were updated prior to the 2022 season. Bands are classified by school enrollment, grades 10-12 only.

Class 1A: 600 or fewer
Class 2A: 601 – 1325
Class 3A: 1326 – 1850
Class 4A: 1851 or more

Bands of America has a four-class system. For purposes of determining enrollment, your principal must certify enrollment and consider all those students in the grades 10-12 population as reported on fall State and/or FTE funding reports.

Download the Bands of America Championships Rules and Procedures Handbook from musicforall.org, in the “resources” area. It includes sample scoresheets and detailed evaluation criteria designed to support your teaching.

Download the latest version of the BOA Adjudication Handbook.

Bands of America Scoring System Point Breakdown

Music Performance Individual
Possible Total – 20
Music Performance Individual judge is located on the field.

Music Performance Ensemble
Possible Total – 20
Music Performance Ensemble judge is located at a vantage point from above.

Visual Performance Individual
Possible Total – 20
Visual Performance Individual judge is located on the field.

Visual Performance Ensemble
Possible Total – 20
Visual Performance Ensemble judge is located at a vantage point from above.

Music General Effect
Possible Total – 40
There are two Music General Effect judges, located above, each with 20 possible points that are then added for a total of 40 possible General Effect Music points.

Visual General Effect
Possible Total – 20
Visual General Effect judge is located at a vantage point from above.

Music Performance scores are averaged for a total of 20 possible points. Visual Performance scores are averaged – possible 20 points. The Music and Visual averages are added to the G.E. Music total (40) and G.E. visual score (20) for a possible total of 100 points. Any penalties are then deducted for the Final Score.

Use the BOA Adjudication System for Your Competition

Music for All believes that its Bands of America Adjudication System is a model for successful teaching and evaluation. If you would like to use the BOA adjudication sheets for your show or circuit, they are available for licensing. See License Agreement at the end of the Handbook or submit your request online.

Bands of America offers optional, post-performance Director Clinics for additional, in-depth, focused input in a private evaluation setting. These one-hour Sunday sessions are designed for directors and staff to analyze your performance from the previous day’s BOA Championship with BOA music and visual judges in a positive and constructive atmosphere.

Clinic fee: $300. Any clinics not having six bands registered by May 15, 2024 may be canceled.  

Learn more about BOA Clinics.

Music for All believes that its Bands of America Adjudication System is a model for successful teaching and evaluation. If you would like to use the BOA adjudication sheets for your show or circuit, they are available for licensing. See License Agreement at the end of the Handbook or submit your request online.