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Re: New Grading System

Rob,

>You have got me thinking ! (no mean achievement!)

The sound of gears whirring (or should I say grinding) is almost deafening
:-)

>1) Results from 3 years ago shouldn't count because a bands standard of 3
>years ago is nothing like the bands standard now.

Agreed, if a band is in the process of rebuilding, what's the point of
penalising them for their period(s) or disarray

>2) The more contests that are counted the better - I suggest 2 grading
>contests per year over 2 years instead of 1 grading contest a year over 3
>years. I think this would give a better indication of a bands "form" while
>also smoothing out "chance" results.

Again a good idea although some may baulk at the thought of all that extra
work on a test piece!  Perhaps another contest format would be a better
gauge of a band's overall ability.  Could one of the contests be and "own
choice", entertainment-style event but without some of the strange things
that sometimes go on in "Entertainment Contests".  This would facilitate an
overall assessment of a band's ability to perform music that they feel shows
them off and reduces the burden of working on the test piece.  The only
problem I can see here is how the adjudicator is going to distinguish
between the fourth section band that attempts "Variations on a Ninth"
(probably badly?) and one that plays "Hollyhedge March" well.  Certain
criteria for adjudication may well be needed to bound the "scores" in order
to avoid excessive anomolies from creeping in.

>3) National finals to be sped and the formation of a nation-wide
>superleague which takes place on the same weekend as the areas and has
>promotion and relegation to the areas championship section. (it is a bit
>unfeasible for lower section or indeed any bands to fork out 5 or 6 grand
>to get to the national finals).

I can see your point but are you suggesting that it is only Championship
Section bands that can benefit from National competition?  For some lower
section bands the only point of contesting is the possibility of
quailification to play at a really top venue (like the Albert Hall?!) as
they would otherwise never get the opportunity to perform on such a grand
stage.  I like the "super-league" analegy but wonder whether there could be
some way of increasing the concept for lower section bands.

I assume that the word "sped" should have read "sc-rapped" but that there is
some sort of swear-word remover in your e-mail system - be interesting to
see what would happen if you ever had to e-mail someone about Scunthorpe :-)

Like you, I'm not looking for a lynch mob but think you have the basis of an
excellent system which could well prove "fairer" than the current system.

Chris

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