Marching bands from Round Rock and Cedar Ridge high schools will compete at the Nov. 8 University Interscholastic League (UIL) State Marching Band Contest, both vying for the top spot among bands across Texas.

Hundreds of marching bands from Texas competed within their UIL area and region to advance to the state contest. The UIL Music Region 26, which consists of high schools across Central Texas, held its marching competition Oct. 29.

“All of our bands at the area contest were outstanding,” said Lisa Roebuck, Round Rock ISD director of fine arts. “We applaud all of our programs for their hard work and are proud of their performances. They represent the musical talent present at Round Rock ISD which was made possible through the support of our staff, student, parents and community.”

For the preliminary portion of the state competition, Cedar Ridge will perform at 3:00 p.m. and Round Rock will perform at 5:00 p.m. The state contest will be held at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

The top 10 bands will be selected following the preliminary performances and finals will begin on Nov. 9. The contest will be live-streamed on the UIL website.

The Cedar Ridge Band will perform its show “Stellar – On The Works of Frank Stella.” The show’s four movements musically reflect the artwork and artistic expressions of Stella’s career.

“This is an amazing opportunity that only about 10 percent of bands in the state get the opportunity to experience,” Cedar Ridge Band Director Nolan Loyde said. “We are honored to be representing our campus, district, and community on the state level.”

The Round Rock band will perform its show “Triptych,” which showcases the different stages of winter and how each aspect of the season varies.

“The UIL State Marching Band Championship is the premier state marching contest in our country,” Round Rock Band Director David Mobley said. “Bands in Texas are phenomenal and we are honored to be among the very best.”

Both bands have been practicing to reach the state level of the competition since Aug. 1.