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Re: Contesting

-----Original Message-----
From: Glenn McGowan <mcgowan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 03 August 1999 10:34
Subject: Contesting



Glenn wrote:

>These are interesting ideas.  I have thought for a long time that brass
bands need
>to escape the 'cloth hat, ditties in the park' image and concentrate on
quality
>concerts.  That is, try to establish brass bands as a respectable musical
form in
>its own right, just as legitimate as orchestras, and other ensembles.  One
factor in
>this is to do away with the military-style uniforms and just wear concert
gear, eg
>black and white or dinner suits etc.  Another is to dispense with cruddy
music.  I
>know we have to please audiences, but we are not rock and roll bands, and
we should
>accept that.  We are our own musical form.  Let's do what we do best -
entertaining
>concerts playing music of nearly every description and style.  That is,
brass bands
>are amongst the most versatile musical mediums there are.  This should mean
we can
>appeal to the widest possible cross-section of musical tastes and
audiences.  Why
>don't we?  Often we lower ourselves to the lowest common denominator
(musically) and
>do jobs we shouldn't because we need the money.
>
>Speaking of money, in Australia there is virtually none of it about for
brass
>bands.  In England there is quite a lot, at least for the top flight bands
(maybe a
>dozen at best).  We all know that those bands sell themselves to sponsors
and
>potential sponsors by reference, amongst other things, to their rankings in
>contests.  We know sponsorships have been lost because of contest failure
of a
>protracted nature.  But some sponsors are not so obsessed with contests.
My feeling
>is that the promoters of the Grimethorpe tour wouldn't give two hoots about
whether
>Grimey had won a contest or not.  They were a salable item because of the
film and
>made the promoters a lot of money (not much for the band members though!)
I can't
>help thinking that the interest of sponsors in contest results is largely a
function
>of the interest of the band in such results.  If the sponsor wasn't
constantly told
>how wonderful contest results were, they wouldn't think twice about them.
How many
>orchestras contest?  Even private orchestras don't contest.  The crowds at
the big
>contests are all 'bandies'.  Even at the Albert Hall they are virtually all
bandies
>or former bandies.  How many brass band novices are to be found at any
contest you
>like to name?  In my experience the only type of band contest which
attracts general
>public members are the entertainment type of contest -eg Spennymore, and in
>Australia we had one in Melbourne called 'Untamed Brass' which attracted
huge crowds
>while it ran.  It also raised quite a bit of money.  There were no rules
except time
>limits.  Who won seemed quite unimportant.  All concerned would say it was
the most
>entertaining evening they had been to for years.  Bands can do it.
>
>As you can tell, if it were up to me I would abandon contests and
concentrate on
>concerts.  But I am only one voice.
>
>Glenn McGowan
>Principal Cornet
>Kew Band
>Melbourne, Australia
>
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