The Western Band Association (WBA) is a nonprofit organization that promotes high school music education in California, Arizona and Nevada. Specifically, the WBA organizes marching band competitions for high school students. Its championships event is considered to be one of the largest marching band championships in the United States.
In addition to marching band events, WBA also organizes concert band festivals, symposia, and musical and leadership clinics. In 2008, over 12,000 students in 133 bands performed in WBA events in multiple competitions hosted throughout the state.
History The Western Band Association was started in 1979 by marching band directors from five Northern and Central California high schools: Mike Rubino (Live Oak High School), Ramiro Barrera (James Logan High School), Dan Smith (Independence High School), Gary Runsten (Modesto High School) and Mel Stratton (Clovis High School).
In 1984, Gary Gilroy (Moreau High School) coined the name "WSMBC" Western States Marching Band Conference, which would later be shortened to WBA by Ramiro Barrera (James Logan High School) in 2002. The first WSMBC Championship was held in conjunction with the 1984 Music Bowl Prelims at James Logan High School. In 1995, John Hannan (Mission Viejo High School) helped expand the organization's efforts to include Southern California bands as well.
In recent years, bands have also competed under the "WBA" banner from nearby states, including Washington, Oregon, and Nevada. The scoring system also grew to become a two-tiered criteria based curriculum designed for bands of various size memberships, assuring that the small band would have the same opportunity as the large band to achieve a high score measuring their unique orchestration and design options.
In 2006, the competition schedule has grown to offer consecutive contests in each of the three Regions (Northern, Central and Southern California) helping to alleviate the costs of travel for the bands.
In 2012, James Logan High School and Ayala High School tied for first place at the WBA Championships, with both scoring 93.40. However, the tie was broken based on Ayala's General Effect score. The tiebreaker settled Ayala as the WBA Champions.
Marching band circuit
The WBA organizes a marching band circuit with competitions held throughout October and November leading up to the circuit championship competition.
Historic classes Available classes: 1984–19992000–20032004–presentA-601AA-902A3A3A4A4A5A
Class alignment Below is an incomplete table of class alignments based on number of performers. Classes were re-aligned in 2021, 2023, and 2024. Class2004–20212021–20232023–20242024–present1Aup to 60up to 45up to 50up to 602A61–8045–6551–7061–803A81–10065–8571–9081–1104A101–14086–11591–125111–1415A141 or more116 or more126 or more141 to more
Championship format Class champions are determined at the conclusion of preliminary competition. After prelims, the bands then move on to one of two finals competitions: the A/AA/AAA Championship and the AAAA/AAAAA Championship. The top three bands from each division move on to their respective championship and the remaining field is filled by the next highest scoring bands.
The Finals field is composed of: The top 3 bands from each of Class A, AA, and AAA, then the next highest 6 bands from those 3 classifications combined (regardless of class and score) for a total of 15 bands in finals. The top three bands from each of Class AAAA and AAAAA, then the next highest 9 bands from those 2 classifications combined (regardless of class and score) for a total of 15 bands in finals.
Adjudication Each individual judge is assigned to a specific caption (Individual and Ensemble Music, Individual and Ensemble Visual, General Effect, Auxiliary, and Percussion). General Effect and Music are each worth 30% of the total score, Visual is worth 20%, and Auxiliary and Percussion are each worth 10%.
Awards are released by division. The band with the highest award points for each caption per division is awarded a caption award, while the band with the most overall points in each division is awarded first place-prize. The band with most points in A/AA/AAA combined classes and AAAA/AAAAA combined classes are awarded a "sweepstakes award", with that band removed from the rankings of their class; the next band in placement in that class is moved to "first place" and so on (only for that class). Each competition will have two Sweepstakes winners, one each for A/AA/AAA and AAAA/AAAAA.
Past champions Below is an incomplete list of past class champions and sweepstakes winners:
Class champions Year1A2A3A4A—2000RiverbankTrabuco HillsBuchananJames Logan rowspan="4" 2001BuenaLive OakBuchananJames Logan2002GilroyLive OakBuchananJames Logan2003Newbury ParkValley ChristianEl ToroClovis WestYear1A2A3A4A5A2004ModestoLive OakValley ViewCerritosJames Logan2005Newbury ParkLive OakFred C. BeyerTrabuco HillsJames Logan2006Newbury ParkIndependenceFred C. BeyerNogalesJames Logan2007Live OakIndependenceFred C. BeyerFountain ValleyJames Logan2008Live OakMadera SouthFred C. BeyerEl DiamanteJames Logan2009Live OakValley ChristianLos AlamitosTrabuco HillsJames Logan2010Live OakClovis NorthLos AlamitosEl DiamanteJames Logan2011PeninsulaClovis NorthBashaGranite BayAyalaJames Logan2012DamienLive OakTrabuco HillsEl DiamanteAyala2013DamienCerritosNogalesEl DiamanteUpland2014Live OakCerritosTrabuco HillsNogalesAyala2015The King's AcademyCerritosClovis EastGranite BayAyala2016The King's AcademyFred C. BeyerCerritosMission ViejoJames Logan2017IndependenceKingsburgTrabuco HillsGranite BayJames Logan2018 colspan="5" 2019The King's AcademyOak GroveMission ViejoClovis NorthChino Hills2020 colspan="5" 2021 colspan="5" 2022The King's AcademyEl ToroTrabuco HillsGahrChino Hills2023The King's AcademyNorthTrabuco HillsUplandChino Hills2024Mission ViejoFremontTrabuco HillsClovis NorthJames Logan2025SobratoMission ViejoThe King's AcademyGahrJames Logan
Sweepstakes winners Combined 1A–3A Grand Champions Previously known as the Class A/AA Championship. Year3rd Place2nd Place1st Place2000Valley ChristianClayton ValleyTrabuco Hills2001BullardAliso NiguelLive Oak2002Aliso NiguelBullardLive Oak2003Aliso NiguelBullardValley Christian2004IndependenceValley ViewValley Christian2005Valley ChristianAliso NiguelFred C. Beyer2006ClovisValley ChristianFred C. Beyer2007Aliso NiguelChino HillsFred C. Beyer2008Fred C. BeyerClovis EastAliso Niguel2009Clovis EastFred C. BeyerLos Alamitos2010Clovis NorthValley ChristianLos Alamitos2011Valley ChristianRancho CucamongaBasha2012Los AlamitosRancho CucamongaTrabuco Hills2013Los AlamitosNogalesClovis North2014ChaffeyCerritosTrabuco Hills2015Live OakClovis EastCerritos2016Los AlamitosCerritosTrabuco Hills2017CerritosFountain ValleyTrabuco Hills2018 colspan="3" 2019Los AlamitosRowlandMission Viejo2020 colspan="3" 2021 colspan="3" 2022The King's AcademyFountain ValleyTrabuco Hills2023BranhamThe King's AcademyTrabuco Hills2024Trabuco HillsGranite BayThe King's Academy2025BranhamGranite BayThe King's Academy
Combined 4A–5A Grand Champions Previously known as the AAA/AAAA Championship. Year3rd Place2nd Place1st Place2000Clovis WestMission ViejoJames Logan2001Clovis WestMission ViejoJames Logan2002Clovis WestAyalaJames Logan2003AyalaClovis WestMission Viejo2004UplandMission ViejoJames Logan2005Mission ViejoUplandJames Logan2006AyalaMission ViejoJames Logan2007Mission ViejoUplandJames Logan2008AyalaMission ViejoJames Logan2009Mission ViejoAyalaJames Logan2010HomesteadMission ViejoJames Logan2011UplandAyalaJames Logan2012El DiamanteJames LoganAyala2013Mission ViejoJames LoganUpland2014Mission ViejoAyalaJames Logan2015UplandJames LoganAyala2016Amador ValleyHomesteadJames Logan2017HomesteadAyalaJames Logan2018 colspan="3" 2019UplandJames LoganChino Hills2020 colspan="3" 2021 colspan="3" 2022James LoganVista MurrietaChino Hills2023Clovis EastJames LoganChino Hills2024AyalaChino HillsJames Logan2025GahrChino HillsJames Logan 2021 Regional Championships The 2021 season concluded with a series of Regional Championships.
James Logan Invitational Class3rd Place2nd Place1st Place1AMountain HouseIndependenceKing's Academy2ASan BenitoOak GroveSanta Teresa3AMonta VistaBranhamLeigh4ALynbrookMilpitasGranite Bay5AAmador ValleyHomesteadJames Logan
Kingsburg Viking Classic Class3rd Place2nd Place1st Place1AExeter UnionTempletonSelma2AHanfordSunnysideMadera South3AClovis West4AGolden WestKingsburgClovis5ALemooreClovis EastClovis North
Trabuco Hills Tournament Class3rd Place2nd Place1st Place1ALaguna HillsTorranceDon Antonio Lugo2APalisades CharterMission ViejoRowland3AMurrieta ValleyEl ToroMira Costa4ALa CanadaTrabuco HillsUpland5AAyalaVista MurrietaChino Hills
See also Bands of America Northwest Association for Performing Arts Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association Tournament of Bands
References
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