Classic on the Cane 2024 2024
Director Guidebook
WELCOME TO NSU
On behalf of our entire university, thank you for joining us at the annual Classic on the Cane Marching Festival at Northwestern State University Nestled in the historic city of Natchitoches, I hope you enjoy the beautiful setting that we get to experience each day as faculty, staff, and students If you decide to explore the downtown area, you will be greeted with the Southern charm that makes this area special
Recognized as one of the premier marching festivals in the region, NSU's Classic on the Cane strives to provide a sound music education experience paired with the atmosphere of friendly competition. Our adjudicators are highly respected in their area of expertise and are carefully chosen to provide positive and authentic assessments for every ensemble.
Anthony Pursell Director of Bands
I hope that you will always keep Northwestern State University in mind when serving the needs of your program and your student's musical growth As a high school band director who took his program to NSU for several events, I am forever grateful for the professional delivery of content and good-natured people who welcomed us to campus I hope you continue to trust us to deliver that experience now and in the future As we continue to strive and serve the evolving needs of your program, we would love to hear from you.
SCHEDULE
Bands are scheduled according to classification, based on band size (marching winds/percussion). Every effort has been made to schedule bands from the smallest classification to the largest; however consideration is given for travel and events that may ordinarily prohibit a band’s performance (ACT, etc.)
Classifications are:
IB – 40 or fewer marching winds/percussion (groups comprised of grades 7-12);
IA – 40 or fewer marching winds/percussion (groups comprised of grades 9-12);
II – 41-60 marching winds/percussion
III – 61-84 marching winds/percussion
IV – 85+ marching winds/percussion
Directors may opt to not compete in class by requesting comments only (CO).
The schedule will run in 15-minute intervals per band. To help maintain the day’s schedule and to assist in making the contest run smoothly, directors are asked to depart the warm-up area at the time indicated on the schedule and abide by the 15-minute time limit.
BUS/EQUIPMENT TRUCK INFO & DIRECTOR CHECK-IN
Please make a note of the location of the NSU Marching Contest “Check-In” point located in front of the University Police Station on Caspari Street; buses will turn into campus on Caspari Street; please do not use any other location.
Buses will park in the parking lot near Prather Coliseum. Buses may unload students at their warm-up area or stadium prior to parking at the Coliseum. We ask that drivers keep their buses facing South Jefferson St (towards Chaplin Lake);
Equipment Trucks may unload at the Northwest Gate of Turpin Stadium, but must park in the designated lot (see map) according to band classification (Class IA/B and Class 2 are together; Class 3 and 4 are also grouped together);
Directors, upon arrival, please meet your band guide at the Alumni Pavilion. They will remain with you until the conclusion of your band's performance.
At the conclusion of the festival, we ask that all traffic exit using the South Jefferson Street access (south of Prather Coliseum).
Please see the maps provided for all locations
BUS & EQUIPMENT TRUCK ROUTE
Police Station
PLEASE NOTE THAT TURPIN STADIUM ENFORCES A CLEAR BAG POLICY. IF YOU MUST BRING THINGS INTO TURPIN, WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR COOPERATION
BUS, EQUIPMENT TRUCK, & SPECTATOR PARKING
DIRECTOR CHECK-IN/BAND GUIDES
3/4 A Trailers
RESTROOMS & DRESSING ROOMS
Restrooms are located in the Alumni Pavilion and in Prather Coliseum and may be used for changing into uniforms
For the safety and convenience of all guests attending the event, we ask that bands do not use the restroom facilities in Turpin Stadium to change into or out of their uniforms.
WARM-UP AREAS
There are two warm-up areas for bands. Your band's assigned warmup area is identified on the schedule in this document. Warm-up locations are also identified on the band flow map on the Event Flow & Departure Map page.
Warm Up Location A is the Softball/Track Parking Lot
Warm-Up Location B is on Organizational Dr. (between Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) and Kappa Sigma)
Your band guide will help you locate this space when you are ready to go to the warmup area with your band
At 10 minutes prior to your band's performance (see schedule), your band guide will take you to the entrance of Turpin Stadium. NO CADENCE, drum taps, or other playing can occur outside of your warm-up area.
STADIUM ENTRANCE
Performers & Pit
FIELD MARKINGS
There will be 2 sets of hash marks on the field:
NCAA (Texas UIL) hashes (these are the painted/permanent hash marks) and the Louisiana High School Athletic Association hash marks (these hash marks will be tape marks on the field (see below).
While props are allowed, the use of confetti, powder, or similar substances is not allowed in Turpin Stadium.
Although a crew of NSU students will be manning the sidelines and assisting, they are not available to place props on the field Please coordinate with your band students or other volunteers for this service.
ADJUDICATION PANEL
Scott Dudley
Music Performance
Temple Symphony
Scotty Walker
Visual Effect
LMEA Executive Director
Omar Carmenates
Percussion
Furman University
Todd Steffan
Music Effect
North Allegheny (PA)
Senior High School
Frank Felice
Visual Performance
Director of Fine Arts
Little Elm, Texas
Crystal Walker
Color Guard
Hallsville (TX)
High School
ADJUDICATION & SCORING
Judges will use a criterion system that divides the scoring into four boxes, which will be consistent in the language used to describe the level of performance by each band, under each caption.
These criteria will correspond to a division rating of I, II, III, or IV and judges commentary will justify the selection of the criterion box used, as well as the number inside that range.
There will be one judge for each of the following captions:
25% - Music Performance
25% - Music Effect
20% - Visual Performance
20% - Visual Effect
5% - Color Guard/Auxiliary
5% - Percussion
The percentages next to each area indicate how that area is weighted when scores are tabulated.
AWARDS
The following awards will be determined by a combined score of all six judges as outlined in the “Adjudication & Scoring” section of this document:
TOP FIVE BANDS: The top five scoring bands of the entire contest regardless of class will be awarded trophies indicating this distinction with the top scoring band receiving the “Grand Champion” designation.
TOP THREE BANDS IN EACH CLASS: Provided there are at least five bands in the class, the top three bands in each class will be awarded trophies indicating that distinction with the top scoring band in each class receiving the “Best in Class” designation.
BEST IN CLASS – PERCUSSION: The highest scoring percussion section in each class will receive a trophy indicating that distinction and be designated “Best in Class”.
BEST IN CLASS – COLOR GUARD/AUXILIARY: The highest scoring Color Guard/Auxiliary unit in each class will receive a trophy indicating that distinction and be designated “Best in Class”.
FIRST DIVISIONS: Trophies will be awarded to any Band, Color Guard, or Percussion Section that scores in the “Superior” range as assessed by the judges.
MOST ENTERTAINING SHOW: The competition's most entertaining show will be decided by a panel of honorary judges representing academic and administrative faculty and staff from the Northwestern Community. The band winning this award will receive a plaque
MOST SPIRITED SUPPORTERS: This award was created to honor those band boosters and parents who do so much to support their band. The MOST SPIRITED SUPPORTERS will be chosen from the support groups in the stands by the panel of honorary judges A plaque will be presented to the selected supporters.
MOST OUTSTANDING SOLOIST: One “Most Outstanding Soloist” award will be selected from each Classification by a vote of the band judges. The award in Classification IV is titled “THE THOMAS ROGERS AWARD” in memory of a Northwestern State band student who was killed in a tragic car accident several years ago. Each soloist will be presented with a Band Scholarship to attend Northwestern State University and participate in the program.
AWARD CEREMONY
A ceremony will be held at the conclusion of the competition.
Drum Majors, Captains of Color Guard, and Percussion will be requested to report to the North end zone near the scoreboard prior to the conclusion of the contest by the stadium announcer.
BAND DIRECTOR HOSPITALITY ROOM
This room is assigned for band directors to relax and enjoy refreshments while the contest is in progress.
The room is located on the third floor of the stadium in the “Demon Den,” and refreshments will be served beginning around noon
Access to Hospitality is via the stadium elevator under the press box on the west side of Turpin Stadium.
ADMISSION FEES
(SPECTATORS)
Participating band students are admitted free.
Directors will receive a wristband for each of their staff and 5 additional wristbands for parent volunteers/pit crew help. These will be presented to you upon check-in.
At-gate prices:
$10, general admission
$8, senior citizens/military/children 8 years and under/faculty, staff, and students with NSU ID
Ticket sales will be cash only, however, an ATM will be available at the stadium for your convenience
A reminder that Turpin Stadium has a clear bag policy. The Eta Pi chapter of Tau Beta Sigma will have bags for sale outside the stadium.
Please encourage your parents and administrators to attend the event! Programs will be available for $5.00 by the Theta Nu Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi.
BAND SEATING
Please remind your students that when the bands are performing, they must be quiet in the stands during other performances.
We also ask that you not enter or exit the seating area during a band’s performance.
Seating is available on both lower & upper decks of the west stands (press box side) of Turpin Stadium
SOUVENIRS
PEPWEAR of Midlothian, Texas, will again have a store located under the west concourse of Turpin Stadium.
They will have a wide range of band t-shirts and novelty items as well as the “official” Northwestern State Marching “Classic on the Cane” Contest T-shirt and patch.
Their contact phone number is 887-899-1919. www.pepwear.com
CONCESSIONS
The concession stands will be open under stands on the West side of Turpin Stadium.
SHOUT OUTS
Messages of encouragement to bands or individual band members may be purchased for $200 at the Shout Out booth located near the concession stand.
Messages will be read aloud on the Public Address System before and after band performances.
All proceeds will benefit the activities of the Eta Pi chapter of Tau Beta Sigma.
"BAND" MEALS
If you would like to arrange a meal for your band on campus, it is recommended that you contact SODEXO Food Service, the food service provider at Northwestern State University.
You may call them at 985-852-1315 (James Charpentier) to arrange a meal at Iberville Cafeteria.
You should find this an easy, not to mention cost-effective, way to feed your students without having to move your buses!!
EMERGENCY PHONE
Anthony Pursell, Director of Bands - (785) 250-5054 (cell)
Trevor Bailey, Associate Director of Bands & Director of Athletic Bands(318) 554-9710 (cell)
Oliver Molina, Assistant Director of Bands/Percussion (321) 297-7775 (cell)
NSU Press Box (318) 357-4529
University Police (318) 357-5431
Directors, please opt-in to receive text messages for alteration/emergency notifications throughout the day. Text @classicdir to 81010
'CLIFF-NOTES VERSION
This guide is intended to assist you in having the best experience possible, however, it may be overwhelming. Here are the highlights to help you get to campus and know what is going on:
Enter campus on Caspari Street only (there will be signs guiding you to turn on Caspari Street)
Equipment Trucks will park in one area and buses in another
Once your bus is parked, you will check in at the Alumni Pavilion, receive a welcome packet, and meet your band guides.
Facilities to change in and out of uniform will be available in Prather Coliseum
Warm-up areas are designed for you to do a warmup. The space is limited and will not allow for an entire practice field.
Your band guide will assist you with time, so please let them know when you want to be reminded. They will let you know when you have to be at the gate 10 minutes prior to that time, as they will take into consideration walking time
Bands will enter the stadium in the designated area without using a cadence, taps, etc.
Pit/props, etc will use the gates identified for entry. Bands cannot use confetti or other powder-based materials on the performance turf.
All bands will leave the stadium as directed by our sideline crew
At the conclusion of the festival, all buses and equipment trucks will use South Jefferson Street to exit campus.
WANT YOUR STUDENTS TO CONTINUE PLAYING BAND IN COLLEGE?
