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Re: Yet more comment on contest/non contesting bands

just to add to steve's comments (which are copied below this posting    sorry 
nigel)

i have (if you list members have been paying attention) the privilidge to 
stand in front of two bands on sat 17th april who will be taking part in a 
massed band concert at ripley in debyshire (see steves "adverts")

one is my own band (Riddings) and the other is Melbourne Town Band (steve's 
band)  Riddings contest Melbourne do not contest

so i feel (at this moment) having rehearsed both sets of players, able to 
comment on the differences between the two bands

it is very simple	there are no differences at all.

both bands are made up of people who play a brass instrument for the love of 
it (a hobby if you will)  both sets of players are equally keen to play to 
the best of their abilities and both bands are always wanting to improve 
their standard of performance.

nuff said

john davis

ps  we would love it if some list members could be there to support us in our 
music making  if you do  please come up and say  Hi       

In a message dated 12/04/99 10:25:17 GMT Daylight Time, 
larwood@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

<< 
 And some bands work very hard to put in a quality performance, but dont
 feel it necessary to contest.  And they do park jobs and the like
 because its the same bread and butter stuff to them as the contesting
 bands do.  And I agree, not putting in a quality performance does drive
 people away.  But that is not just the prerogative of the non-contesting
 band.  Some contesting bands are also well capable of driving people
 away.  Some test pieces and other highbrow musically stimulating (for
 the bandsman - no matter how well executed) as a bit of mental
 masturbation in front of a Park audience that wants Souza, Bidgood,
 Rimmer, To a Wild Rose, Acrobat, Blue Bells et al are extremely good at
 this. (Driving people away).

 I dont say whether contesting or non-contesting is good or bad. 
 Bandsmen are generally speaking all from the genus:amateur musicians and
 they come in concientious and non-concientious flavours.  And you get
 both types of bandsman in both types of band.   And I think it silly to
 argue one or the other when such generalisations are in play.  Each to
 his own - you like contesting?  Then contest!  If not?  Play parks and
 the like.  We are all "Brass Bands" to the punter.  As the Arabs say,
 all the fingers of the hand are not the same length.  But to infer that
 contesting bands care about the quality and non-contesting bands do not,
 I think is unfair to the 50% of Brass Bands (out of all Brass bands in
 the UK) that dont contest, some of which are excellent.  What about the
 SA for example?

 Steve Larwood, Euphonium, Melbourne Town Band
 http://www.mtb-brassband.com
  >>


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