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Re: North American nationals

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: North American nationals
From: Andrew W Blackwood <blac0092@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 24 Jan 1998 12:06:49 -0600 (CST)
In-reply-to: <24.488787.5@pcohio.com>
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On Sat, 24 Jan 1998, John Fisher wrote:

<--snip-->

> Well I think the band and all the members have to belong to the NABBA
> but I never have really heard anything to indicate a band outside of
> North America would be restricted from joining.  Brings me to another
> thing I am wondering about.  Do Canadian bands (sometimes/ever/always)
> come to the NABBA?  Do they have contests of their own as well?

Yes, in order to compete, all members of a band must be NABBA members. 
The North American championship was, indeed, won by an Australian band a
few years ago (I forget who and when just now).  Canadian bands do come to
NABBA, although not absolutely every year.  Canadian bands _host_ NABBA
every once in a while as well.  When Canadian bands host, some Canadian
bands compete when they ordinarily don't, and many American "regulars" 
will forego the competition due to the expense. 

> >There is a solo competition, with three sections (Youth Slow Melody,
> >Adult Slow Melody, and Adult Technical). There is also an ensemble
> 
> I knew of the Youth part but was unaware of the two adult classes.
> Are there required pieces or lists to chose from?  Gonna have to
> borrow the detailed information from our director...

No.

> >competition for groups such as sextets, quintets, etc...
> 
> Are the compostions of the groups standardized or anything goes?

The only requirement is that they be made up of instruments found in the
standard British-style brass band.  Last year's competitors included a
quintet, a sextet, a group that I did not hear, and an absolutely
brilliant tuba quartet which, inexplicably, did not place. :p

> > there are currently efforts being made to estabilish a system of
> > regionals and qualifiers (which, IMHO, would destroy the whole
> > concept of the NABBA championships).
>
> You may be right about that, but I think something has to be done to
> offer something to Bands in the Western States as I hear all the NABBA
> championships are always in the Midwest or Eastern states.

And consequently the only bands that compete are from the midwest and the
east.  We sometimes miss the competition when it is too far east, and many
"regulars" missed this year's competition in Pretty Red Wing MN because
it's too far west for them.  I really haven't heard anything about these
efforts towards establishing regional competitions, but it might be good
to get more bands involved.  OTOH, I and others in my band find our
current schedule somewhat taxing, and I don't think we're really looking
for more reasons to take big, expesive trips, such as for a midwest
regional. Is there sufficient interest to warrant regional competitions? 
The North American competition attracts something on the order of fifteen
bands from all classes.  How many could you get for a regional?  Would we
have all of the different classes for a regional competition?  There would
be one or two bands in some classes!

<--snip-->

Cheers,

Andy Blackwood
Utility Tuba
Sheldon Theatre Brass Band
Red Wing MN USA

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References:
- North American nationals
  - From: John Fisher

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