Divisions
Winds
Marching music ensembles take the indoor floor alongside color guard and percussion — showcasing musicianship with any kind of instrumentation.
Winds in AIA
Winds presents marching music ensembles in the same performance environment as indoor color guard and percussion ensembles, showcasing musicianship with any kind of instrumentation. Two divisions of competition are offered — Scholastic and All-Age (Independent) — and each division includes A, Open, and World Class levels of competition.
As one of the world's largest and most influential marching arts organizations, WGI created WGI Winds to bring exciting competitive and educational opportunities to students in the winds section, in full support of the total band program — giving the legacy of excellence an outlet for a high-quality performance experience. AIA is proud to offer this activity, with students judged by some of the most skilled adjudicators working in the marching arts today under the guiding principle of an educationally sound scoring system.
Look for this color and icon throughout the AIA site — anywhere you see them, you're looking at Winds-specific information, from schedules and results to forms and resources.
Classifications
Winds competes across two divisions — Scholastic and All-Age (Independent) — each offering the same three class levels.
Available in Both Divisions
A Class
Entry-level competition for ensembles building foundational performance and musicianship skills.
Open Class
Mid-level competition for ensembles with more developed technical and musical demands.
World Class
The highest level of competition, for the most advanced and experienced ensembles.
| Class | Concert Band Grading (approx.) | 3-Tiered Solo & Ensemble (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| A Class | Grade 2 to low Grade 3 | Class C |
| Open Class | Middle Grade 3 to low Grade 4 | Class B |
| World Class | Middle Grade 4 to Grade 5 (or Grade 6 in Independent World) | Class A |
Evaluation Format & Captions
Three judges evaluate each ensemble across the following captions. The emphasis and focus of adjudication is on the wind instruments, though all performers and instrumentation are considered as part of the overall performance.
30%
Music Analysis
- Composition — 15%
- Achievement — 15%
30%
Visual Analysis
- Composition — 15%
- Achievement — 15%
40%
Overall Effect
- Repertoire Effectiveness — 20%
- Communication Effectiveness — 20%
Rules & Logistics
Wind groups must have a minimum of ten (10) members on the floor of competition at any time, including the student conductor (optional).
Wind groups may use one optional student conductor positioned in the competition area.
Each wind group, with all competing performers, must remain in the competition area and be judged in all captions for a minimum of four (4) minutes.
All captions are judged until the obvious conclusion of the show, which marks the end of the maximum performance time.
Winds groups may include a playing entrance as part of the performance following introduction, and may choose to warm up before their show, as actual on-floor warm-up time is limited.
Contest Rules: AIA follows WGI contest rules and Timing & Penalties procedures for Winds.
Additional Resources
Winds Timing Intervals
Reference document covering timing intervals for Winds performances.
View DocumentWinds Rulebook & Score Sheets
The full Winds rulebook and score sheets are available in CompetitionSuite, in the Resources section.
Winds Coordinators
Questions about classification, evaluation, or anything else Winds-related? Reach out to your regional coordinator via the Staff and Leadership page.