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Re: Australian Nationals

Hi All,
-----Original Message-----
From: Gillian Laughton

>Glen,
>While I can understand your frustration at this time slot,
>now you know what the lower grade bands cop much of the time.

I agree that the lot of the lower grades is often a more miserable one.  I
wonder if there is some way of overcoming the time problem.
 The last time the nationals were held in Adelaide (1991?)they had the
commendable idea of running multiple venues.  Unfortunately, the acoustics
of ours were such that the echoes from the performances are probably still
reverberating around the room.  Nevertheless, the concept was a good one, in
my opinion.  I suppose the cost of hiring venues is prohibitive.
Does anyone have any bright ideas about how to make contesting a more humane
activity for all concerned?

Regards,
Wendy Spencer
>
>One year (1996) at Tanunda my band had to lead off the Street march at
9.00am,
>the same time as we were supposed to be signing on to play Hymn and Test
>on stage at 9.30am. They were late starting the march, so by the time we
had
>completed the march, we had about 15 minutes left to catch our breath,
>walk back to the hall, put away march paraphernalia, sign on and get on
>stage.
>No warm-up room ever at that hall, no opportunity to check tuning after the
>march,
>just straight on stage.
>We had no audience in the hall apart from our couple of supporters,
>as the street march continued outside right through our session on stage.
>
>They would never ever ask a higher grade band to do this,
>but apparently it is OK for a D grade - who in reality have a harder time
>coping
>as their skills are not as honed, and put just as much time and effort into
>preparing their music.
>
>It was refreshing to see the D and C grades given the better time slots for
>once
>at the Nationals.
>
>Regards,   Gillian
>
>
>>Then there was the idea of putting the 'A' grade on Friday morning, in our
>case
>>playing our first contest note at 8.30am.  We had to be there at 7.30am
for a
>>sound check for the benefit of the ABC which was recording it.  Again,
>this is
>>crazy.  First because no-one was in the hall.  (This is supposed to be the
>>premier event and no-one was there).  Second, it was unfair to us.  I
>spoke to
>>David King afterward about it.  He said we sounded like we just got out of
>bed.
>>He was right.  No-one can play their best at that hour of the day.  Once
>again,
>>the bands spend large sums of money to get their bands to the nationals.
The
>>least the orgainsing committees can do is give them a fair chance chance
>to play
>>at their best.
>>Glenn McGowan
>>Principal cornet
>>Kew Band
>
>Gillian Laughton,
>Secretary & 1st Baritone
>Para Hills Brass Band
>PO Box 299, Salisbury SA 5108
>ph (h)8255-1514, (w)8303-9123
>Do visit our Web Page http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Choir/3167/
>
>
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