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The Sydney Olympics

To: Brass Band <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: The Sydney Olympics
From: Richard Luckhurst <rickl@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 20 Sep 1999 09:55:00 +1000
Organization: IPS Culgoora Solar Observatory
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi All

It seems that no one wanted to take up Nigel's offer to explain the
Sydney Olympics issue to the non Australian audience, on the list. Even
though I am an Australian I would like to just let the list know what
the issue was actually all about. I would like to do this without getting
into the emotional issues of Marching Band training. I also do not have
an opinion of whether or not the decision, regarding the Band, was right
or wrong.

When Sydney was awarded the Olympic Games Rick Birch was appointed to
develop the opening and closing ceremonies. He had previously worked
on the Atlanta Olympics and a number of other major events. As a part
of the ceremony he was developing he chose to use a large marching
band. The band he had contracted featured a large number of American
and Japanese students. 

The Sydney media were stirred up and the fact that there were not
many Australians in the Band became public. For a few weeks this issue
ran hot in the Australian media. The New South Wales (Sydney is the
capital city of NSW) Government, in a hasty reaction, cancelled the
Band. This started a lot of messy legal action as contracts were
being breached.

A compromise was worked out, just as the whole issue was being dragged
into court, and a new Band was formed. The new Band is supposed to be
an International Band with up to 20 countries, including the original
marching bands, represented. As far as this issue is concerned things
have gone very quiet in the Sydney media. It seems that the public
out cry has been satisfied and people just want to get on with the
Olympic Games.

I would like to add my own comment that I agree with Nigel closing
the thread as it was becoming very messy. I applaud Nigel for running
this list as a hobby and the band movement should not take advantage
of this and abuse it with personal abuse.

I hope people are now a little more aware of what started the whole issue.

Regards

Richard Luckhurst
(BBb Bass Narrabri Shire Band)


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