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Lighten up please

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Lighten up please
From: Philip Anderton <P.Anderton@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 1998 13:58:14 +1000
In-reply-to: <3.0.3.32.19980311112854.007d1980@194.66.95.40>
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

	I read with interest but some dismay the flying flames about adjudication,
contests etc. To a certain extent I think you are all right. There is no
point in having a heart attack about it.

	In some ways I agree with Norm Harris that contests can lead to an inane
obsession with technique, tempos and tone and loss of any sense of musical
appreciation. At the same time, some kind of organised, ongoing and
challenging process of peer review is essential for progress of the
movement, and musicality should rate high on the list of things to be
adjuducated (along with technique, intonation, etc).

	In comparing bands and evaluating contest results, IMHO one should not
concentrate exclusively on a single contest result. The only valid numbers
are those averaged over, say 5 - 10 adjudications. Contest results are
always going to be partly luck, depending on the musical tastes and
idiosyncrasies of the adjudicator. In 1989 we played "Four Little Maids" as
an Own Choice Test in  our first venture into C-grade. We were scorched by
the adjudicator - OK - but in his notes he called it "Chocolate Box Music"
- so part of the reason for the poor result was the fact that this person
did not like the piece. How are you supposed to deal with that? Easy, just
accept that sometimes the adjudicator is going to be bit of a d*** h****.

	Perhaps we should use the list to form an international group to "rate"
test pieces for their music quality in some way, and ask contest organisers
to stay away from the low quality pieces. Maybe the options should be
broadened. Why not use some of the better transcriptions of Classics
sometimes? How about setting-up an annual "best brass band composition"
competition with a significant prize, the winner to be used in the
following year's competition? 

	In any case, please lighten-up everyone. I would prefer to read some
constructive comment about brass bands, their music and perhaps alternative
methods of peer review.

Philip


Philip Anderton			Phone: +61 2 9316 8301
Warringah Concert Brass
Sydney, Australia

Web: http://www.optom.unsw.edu.au/public/other/wcb.htm
Email: P.Anderton@xxxxxxxxxxx


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References:
- Doyen's website
  - From: Angela

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