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RE: North west Area 4th section

Hi Jayne,

Although I didn't see the message you replied to, I presume you are talking
about the comments made by Gareth Thomas, who adjudicated the fourth
section, which I read about in the "Bandsman" this week.

I carried out my assignments with Gareth for my LDBBA diploma, and I can
honestly say that during the two years I met with him for adjudicating
assignments, (Pontins, Yorkshire regionals [twice]), he never once showed
any outburst such as the one at the north west areas. Perhaps it was just
over-exuberance at being chosen as an adjudicator for the regionals....... I
don't know, but it seemed totally out of character to me.

I know that adjudicators have received a lot of bad publicity recently,
either for the results they have produced, or the comments they have made,
but an analogy I have used in the past to my players at contests is, how
many good footballers have made a success in football management in their
first stint at a club on retiring as a player.......very few, (unless they
manage Grimsby Town FC of course, then they are forgiven)!

In my opinion, (and this is just my opinion), far too many adjudicators are
chosen these days because they were top players and top names during their
playing career.

There is more to adjudicating than being a good player. The adjudicator
should have an in depth grounding in the theoretical aspect of music, as
well as the practical. A very good knowledge of harmony, compositional and
arranging ability, an acute musical ear and conducting experience. Being a
top player alone is (in my opinion), no qualification for being a good
adjudicator.

Also, I know it's difficult, but bands in general, seem to want a full and
extensive summation of the thoughts of the adjudicator on their individual
performance, which is very nice to see, but adds pressure on the
adjudicator. Have you ever tried writing about a passage of music whilst
listening to a totally different passage, then remembering your thoughts of
the previous passage to write about in a different passage. It can be done,
yes, but when strange results are announced, in some cases,
(adjudicatorial), I am not at all surprised.

My band has been subjected to a result that I can describe as no less than
scandalous. We played in the regionals in Bristol last year, the adjudicator
was one of the most respected in the country, we played an excellent show,
got a standing ovation from all the other bands-people in the Colston Hall,
(of which there were many), and they were coming up to me in the bar
afterwards (as I was having a lemonade, [see the Guernsey Concert Band
website]: "guernseyconcertband.org.gg" saying, "you're in the frame with
that performance", etc., and I had to agree, (to myself of course). I
listened to the final fourteen bands, (of which, five of the six placed were
playing), and thought there were none to compare with our performance.

After twenty-four bands, (with two comfort breaks for the adjudicator), the
adjudicator mounted the stage, and when it came to his speech, he opened
with, "Well this has been a long day, which means I'm gagging for a pint".
We were placed tenth, which was a travesty of justice in my, and members of
other bands opinions, (perhaps he should have been given pints throughout
the day, his thoughts may then have been on the music [but he would have
probably have required more comfort breaks {or maybe used the bucket like
the rest of us}). I collected the remarks of the adjudicator, collected the
recording of my band's performance, made by a follower, locked myself in my
hotel room, listened and read and thought, "He was listening to a different
band!"

The only way to give a fair, (and accurate), summation, in my opinion, is to
write in shorthand, (not really feasible), or, employ a short-hand
secretary, (definitely not really feasible if the bucket comes into play),
or more sensibly, have a sheet marked off, with letters/numbers, bars etc.
and dictate into a Dictaphone........."horns, tuning "A6" (deduct one mark
on the sheet), etc. etc., then give a total deduction mark, and let the
concert secretary and regional chairman calculate the marks awarded and
placing. At the end of the contest, each band would then receive a cassette
tape of it's performance, with the remarks of the adjudicator over the top
of the playing, a marks deduction sheet, and would then be able to see where
the marks were deducted, and hear why.

By the way, the trip to Bristol cost my band 14,000, and during the trip
back, the handling agents for our airline caused twenty four thousand pounds
worth of damage to our instruments, (four basses damaged, [two unplayable],
a trombone, a euph, a bari, and a cornet), a worthwhile exercise.....I don't
think so.

I apologize for the length of this e-mail, but at least I have managed to
get it off my chest at last.

In closing, I believe that the brass band movement in Britain is the
greatest, and something that should be cherished, so to preserve it, the
authorities should be listening to what the bands want, and not deciding
what is best for them.

With very best regards,

Simon.


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