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Re: Adjudication correct?

David Buckley wrote:

> This is the problem with making contesting the centre of the universe.
> Obviously adjudicators have to have some idea of how the music should go
> and something to judge against. Why hold this against them?

...snip...

> But that's contesting. Brass bands need to forget contests and get on
> with music. A way too much energy goes into writing music never heard
> again in order to test players. Has resulted in great playing standards
> for what are still more or less amateurs but its time to move on.
> Just my opinion.
> Dave Buckley.

Good to see you back on the list, Dave.  If we lost all the music 
that has been composed for contests the world would be a much poorer 
place!  As conductor I'm usually happy to include a serious work in a 
concert programme in order to attempt to achieve a balanced 
programme, and I'm usually very disappointed whenever I go to hear a 
band in concert and all we get is arrangements, solos and fillers...  
In my opinion, many bands seem to fall into the trap of underestimating the 
intelligence of their audiences in this respect.

On the wider topic of correct adjudication some strong language has 
been used, and I don't intend to add to that by discussing 
performances I haven't heard, but:

1) Despite the controversy,  I'd still sooner hear one man's honest opinion
than that of a committee.

2) Bands need to know the basis of that decision.  Adjudicators
must be very clear in their remarks about why a 
band has finished last - no point in writing nice things to cheer 
them up!   If adjudicators were more constuctive in this respect at 
least bands might at least understand some of the wierd decisions.

3) In the British Regional Contests every place matters - not just 
the top two or three since relegation (or promotion) can have 
devestating effects on a band.  Steve Sykes got a big cheer at 
Basildon on Sunday for acknowledging this simple truth.

4) Bands shouldn't go to a contest if they don't respect the judgement 
of the adjudicator.  In reality in Britain there are only thirty or 
so blokes who do it all, so it doesn't take a great deal of working 
out which adjudicators know what they are doing and which don't.
There are three or four that I just won't allow myself to be judged by,
(I shalln't name them here..) and a letter to the organising committee
explaing your band's absence from their contest can do wonderful
things!  This can be a tough decision if it is a Regional Contest for
reasons in (3) above, but its for bands themselves to decide whether 
or not to apply their principles or bite the bullet.  (I know one 
adjudicator who has sight problems so can't read a score properly, 
and another one who is only really interested in the soprano part!  
There was another - now adjudicating in the sky - who regularly fell 
asleep around four in the afternoon...his remarks always read 
something like "I am enjoying your playing so much that I want to 
listen rather than write").

5) The issue of whether a piece is judged as a whole, or if a small 
'sample' is used by which to compare performances, is a complex one.  
One of the reasons we have set test pieces is so that adjudicators can 
make meaningful comparisons between different performances of the 
tricky bits, but for me that should not exclude giving credit for 
general impressions of a band's tone, intonation, style interpretation
etc.  Agreed and published criteria would help the bands prepare.

6) My copy of The Guardian this morning contained vitriolic comments 
by Aussie cricket fans about the decisions of the (English) umpire.  
If Po(h)ms whinge, what do Aussies do???

Tiddly Po(h)m

David 


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