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Re: City of Oxford Travesty -Reply

On 19 Mar 98 at 11:03, Edy Van Asch wrote:

> Phil Green wrote:
> >>
> The NCC is made up of the same people who pick 
> Bill Relton to adjudicate at the Nationals every year, that shows
> how much they know about current banding. 
> >>
> 
> Wow Phil, you seem not be very pleased with Bill. Why? And why you
> mention 'current' banding? Is current banding better or different 
> then banding from say 15 years ago (as Bill was there too those
> times). I feel the reason Dyke was indeed superior 15 years ago
> would still count today (although they've currently lost those
> reasons, sorry again Dyke fans). Indeed, we all notice (also
> international) that the boxes are always made up of the same names:
> Bill Relton, David Read, James Scott, Geoffrey Brand and some
> doubtfull (ex-)PJ- members (there we go again Monkey).

I personally don't have a problem with Bill as a person.  In fact I 
quite like the man having known him now for some 7 or so years.  My 
point was that the NCC is run by men who are not involved in banding 
anymore at a playing level and so are out of touch.  Hence, the 
adjudicators they chose for contests are from their playing era.  I 
have been contesting for twenty years in the Championship section and 
can not remember any of the names you mention above as players.  Yes 
they *were* fine players and in their day very fine conductors (JS & 
GB), but have you ever seen Bill Relton conduct ??!!  However banding 
has changed, the sounds of bands has changed, the choice and standard 
of music has increased, music is technically harder.  Whilst I'm not 
saying that these are all good things I am saying that having people 
of a past era choosing adjudicators from a past era has got to be 
wrong.
There is though, as far as I can see, no solution to this.  Players 
are too involved in their own bands to want to run contests and put 
in extra time and all the most suitable potential adjudicators are 
conducting bands at the big contests.
Seeing people like Mr McCann, Alan Morrison, Nick Childs etc 
adjudicate at lower section contests is great.  They know what bands 
can and can't do *now* and so should give a result to the best band, 
not one that sounds how other bands used to.  Unfortunately only Mr 
Newsome is a current conductor who does not generally participate at 
the big contests and is, I believe, quite a popular choice as 
adjudicator.

What would I do ??
Well I'd start by getting the Nationals run by an elected committee 
made up from all the regional committees. 
Then I'd use one adjudicator from the list that you mention to keep 
stability, but would use 1 other from a list solicited from the area 
committees i.e. they poll their bands for names and would use a third 
from the Continent, maybe yourself Edy (;-) .  This way two 
adjudicators could be introduced to the scene, something which has 
been needed for a long while.  At contest after contest we see the 
same names in the box !!

> We might have a problem while maybe the best adjudicators are always
> on stage conducting a band. At the end they know exactly why one
> band is better then another. Although in Belgium we never got Peter
> Parkes, Howard Snell, Richard Evans or other names either in our
> nationals box. WHY ? No idea.
> 
> How does the list feel about putting in the box:
> 1. Brassband conductors

Yes, but there are difficulties here as well.  Let's pretend that 
you have just conducted your band at the area qualifiers, and the 
next week will be adjudicating another area, same section.  Would you 
*without even a second thought* place the best band first, or would 
you, perhaps, think that you should increase your own chances by not 
placing them.  I'm not saying that this happens, but YBS has a pretty 
good case for saying that they should have qualified at the Grand 
Shield when James Watson didn't let them qualify for the British 
Open.  And,from what I hear, Tredegar might have had rough justice at 
the hands of Desfords and Kirkintilloch's Mr Renton.  Like I said, 
I'm not suggesting that it *does* happen, but .....

> 2. Conductors but not from the brassband world, say philharmonic
> orchestras, wind bands,.... (Norway is sometimesy doing this)

Possibly, but a couple of sessions with a good non-contesting band 
(say Enfield Citadal) on the test piece might help.

>3 Instrumentalists (not just brass)

Who would chose ??

>4. Composers

For new pieces definately.

> 5. ...

> Who should be your favourite trio and why? (Enlighten me Phil about
> Bill). I know this issue must have been on the list before, but with
> all the new ones on it who have surely missed it before, it remains
> to be interesting.

Possible trio :-

Bill Relton (might as well )
Howard Snell 
Frans Violet (sp?)

These are my thoughts, not the bands or anyone elses.

Regards,

Phil Green.
Solo EEb Bass
Fodens (Courtois) Band.

"I'm not a musician - just an instrumentalist"


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