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Brass Band/Player Training Programmes (might be longish ... put the kettle on)

Hello everybody.

New lurker comes out of the woodwork ... new topic to think about over the weekend ...

I play in one of a 'group' of brass bands organised as a 'senior' band, which aims to compete at championship/premier level, a junior band, which aims to provide a setting for younger/learner players to develop, and a training band, which aims to take sta
rters of all ages and progress them to being ready to play in a performing group. More competent players in the junior band are invited to join the senior band as a means of developing further.

Sounds fine so far ... except ... it's not really working at the moment.

To start with, we are not getting enough youngsters into the beginners group, and of these, few stay for long and even fewer progress to junior band level.

Our junior band consists of fewer and fewer younger players as time goes by. Of these, hardly any progress to a level at which they should realistically be expected to play at a 'senior' band level.

The senior band, then, gets very few of its members from within its own organisation, but rather has to date relied on interest from music students at the local university, or other 'itinerants' working locally for a brief period of time and capable of pl
aying at the required level, but not able to commit to the band for years to come.

Of the 'resident' local players available who have come through our ranks and/or played with the senior band, many have moved on and chosen to play with other groups, not to play at all, or not to continue to play a brass instrument.

Clearly, most players who have reached senior band status are not getting enough long-term satisfaction to remain there, and its membership is dwindling.

Our junior band, of which I am myself a member, is filling up with more mature players who are likely to remain there for years to come.

Some, like myself, are capable of playing at the senior band level - and, indeed, several of us have played with the senior band, but for various reasons prefer not to do so now.

Others are eminently capable of entering the senior band ranks, but again choose not to, for their own reasons.

Lastly, we have several mature members who came to brass playing late in life (they started when their kids started) and feel that they will never progress to a high standard of playing and so consider joining the senior band.

The junior band is presently non-competing, and takes on a full program of paid engagements throughout the year to challenge and motivate its players as well as funding its own purchases of music, instruments, equipment and uniforms etc.

It might sound harsh and critical but I think it is fair to say, though, that the senior band currently provides neither financial nor 'training' support to the junior band, which it expects to be a training ground for players who will eventually fill the
ir ranks. If the junior band is short of players for its own engagements, seldom if ever have the gaps been filled by senior band members, even though approached. Rather, other 'competing' bands in the area have often supplied players free of charge.

Personally, I think, it would be unfair to expect our junior players to swell the senior band ranks on occassions where they themselves are short of players as this would require them to play at a higher standard than they are used to.

Also, the senior band has itself often relied on semi-professional players as paid "dep's" for engagements or contests, even as regular members. It is interesting that even former senior band player will not provide assistance when required unless they to
o are paid the going, semi-professional rate.

In the past, various individuals from both junior and senior bands have provided leadership for the training band, but this has very much been individual effort. Again, most of the junior band - even the mature players - are struggling to maintain their o
wn standards of playing, let alone know how to train beginners or to raise a junior to senior band entry level status.

The junior band, then, is practically ceasing to be an active training ground for junior players, but more a non-competing 'community' band, existing in its own right for the enjoyment of its members.

Now, leading members of the senior band are expressing discontent with this situation, and seem to be expecting the mature members of our junior band to remedy it.

However, bearing in mind that it is the senior band who are most unhappy about the situation, and also they who would benefit most noticeably from it working properly by having a constant flow of well trained junior players passing through their ranks, as
 well as a stable core of committed highly competent players, thus enabling them to compete (and occasionally win) at a high level, it is primarily they who need to go about changing the situation.

What advice would any of you give to the band's organisers to bring about their desired situation?

How can they inspire the players in our ranks to feel motivated to work more or their behalf, to their ends not our own?

How does your band organise the training and development of beginner & junior players? Is your orgainsation effective in this? Is our three tier set up common? What happens in your band to make this arrangement effective?

How does your band attract locals - young and old - into your group(s) and keep their interest going while still developing them as players?

What input do the committed players at all levels in your ranks put into developing, motivating and supporting those at a lower level of playing? What is the minimum input required before a thriving organisation can be maintained? What results can be expe
cted if little input is made?

I am primarily concerned with the organisation of such matters rather than specific teaching techniques. For example, does each competent player get allocated beginners to teach or at least encourage and monitor, and in return themselves receive dedicated
 support or advice from a more senior player? Quite how you teach a beginner or junior player is not my concern here, though that would probably be of interest once a suitable organisational structure is in place.

Although, I have related our own situation at length, I think this might be reminiscent of many throughout the world, so any comments could be generally useful.

Obviously, I myself have many view on our own situation, but I am trying to paint an impartial picture for anyone to comment on.

Any thoughts, ideas, comments ... ?

Peter.


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