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Hiring & Firing

To: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Hiring & Firing
From: BigChap27@xxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2000 18:32:20 EST
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I've read the various threads that touch on this theme over the last month,
and was determined not to join in. Having been mentioned by nickname in Mr
Randle's well reasoned email today, now is the time. Although I have well
rehearsed views on this subject, those who know me personally have heard them
all before (particularly over the last 20 months) and those who don't have
read references to them.
All I would add (and I echo a lot of what Mr Wise had to say yesterday (we
have a common bond having bluffed 'Essence of time' together on a rainy
evening in Northampton for Kidlington Brass (sightreading comes no
harder)some years ago) is the following points to consider when hiring and
firing:
i) what will the effect be on other players - brass bands are fragile social
entities. Will the sacking of players lead to the premature departure of
others. In certain parts of the UK (and possibly further afield) players may
be plentiful, but where they are not, is the loss of players driven by the
sacking of a friend a worthwhile exercise.
ii) Will the new player add to the band - if the sacking replaces a Big Chap
with a Nick Hudson or, for that matter, a Colin Randle (or Bruce Jones), fair
enough. But when the sacked player's replacement is sacked within one year,
was it worth it?
iii) don't buy this nonsense that 'all the best bands hire and fire' - there
is a myth that all the best Northern (UK) bands hire and fire all of the
time. In my last band, a senior deluded member of the committee regularly
came out with this line. Fodens won the Nationals this year (not before time)
with a band that had basically been together for 3-4 years. High quality
players, I know, but low turnover. Similarly Faireys have had low turnover
over the last decade (had to mention them Phil, Mr Goaty, as the President of
the fan club) and the core of the YBS band that has succeeded over the last
few years is very stable. I appreciate that a few players have moved around
this last few months but I am convinced that it doesn't change the overall
rule. Players like playing with those that they know.
iv) when you get a new (recently garlanded) up and coming conductor who wants
a group of new players in the band (some or all of which are friends of or
married to him) ask yourself, was the old band so bad before he joined.
If you can honestly address all of the above, go ahead and hire and fire. We
do spend a large part of any year with our bands. I hope that your new band
is one with whom you wish to play/rehearse/drink/celebrate/commiserate.



Big Chap
Bedrock Brass


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