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The Future for Bands

Bob Childs said that SA band musicians were as good as those in championship
bands.....which I would take that to mean that SA bands are as good as other
bands.   Please tell us Bob how is this high standard achieved without them
having to take part in contesting.....which, so it is claimed, is so
necessary for the band movement.   At the end of last year someone asked for
views on the future of brass bands in years to come, but not much was
discussed.     In my part of the country one only seems to hear a band at
the local shopping centre at Christmas (and then only a handful of players).
As it is now so expensive to hire a full band (even for a charity event)
people hardly ever hear a band.     SO.....at least to me, after a
lifetime's interest it appears that contesting will soon become the main
occupation.(and why do bands still mistrust the adjucator by
"boxing"? )....leading to what we used to call Bandroom Bands. Is contesting
going to be the main occupation for bands in years to come and if so, where
will the necessary funds come from.? Don't get me wrong I used to love going
to Belle Vue for the Open...and the Granada Band of the Year event was great
but to the general public listening to about 20 brass bands playing the same
test piece can be akin to torture (sorry folks !).   (  As kids
many years ago we knew a band that  week after week rehearsed Weber's Der
Freischutz ....and they played it year after year at carnivals, garden
fetes,...and every
engagement.   They have long disappeared (but maybe not missed).! )   The
other
day when reading a local history book I was amazed to read a paragraph which
recorded that on August Bank Holiday Sunday 1939 (a month before the start
of the last war) "in the evening 15,000 (fifteen thousand) people sang
popular hymns to the accompaniment of the ...........Town Band in the local
park" How times have changed !   O.K. I know there was no T.V. in those days
, but there was still
lots of other attractions.     I would love to hear the views of Bob on the
above subjects.....and many other topics if he has the time . For instance
why did Sun Life (Stanshawe) disappear and is there a danger of this
happening to other great bands.? What happens if the carpetbaggers take over
other building societies and pull the plug on sponsorship?  I am sure
many others on the list would be extremely interested.  Regards.  Dave. (in
serious key for a change).


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