Percussion cheating at Scottish Championships

When I was at the Scottish Championships on Sunday, I noticed that the top three winning bands took their own percussion on stage with them. Now I remember at one band practise that the band was told from SBBA (from a letter) that because the piece (Tristan Encounters) had that much percussion in it, all the bands were to use the percussion on stage supplied.



Now this sickings me in a few ways, the top leading band in Scotland, the Scottish Co-op should be leading an example, also all these bands supplying their own percussion ran over the time limit of 5 minutes to get on stage and start with there first note, and also the president of the band coming in 2nd place Kenny Crookston is a high up member of the SBBA and you would think that this band would follow SBBA's letter or there isn't really a need for SBBA is there? If all the bands on the day done this trick, the contest would have run onto the early hours of the next morning and SBBA would have a big problem. I don't see why one rule applies to one band and not the other. This isn’t the first year this problem has occurred, and a really think it is a bit of cheating, yes we all like playing with our own instruments, but come on.



Well done to all the bands who did what SBBA said.

 

What kind of perscussion items are we talking about here?

 

Well Whitburn supplied everything of there own, including timps.

 

I agree with your comments, I would have preffered to have used my own percussion stuff but because the letter we got said that all bands had to use the stuff provided we just got on with it. As i am not really a tuned percussion player i found it more difficult adjusting to the difference in sizes between my own bands glock and xylophone and the ones that were supplied on stage. I think if every band in the championship section had ignored the letter it would have been absolute cayos. Could you imagine 10 bands each taking five timps and all the rest of the equipment that was needed, it would be mad. :?

 

Thankyou weebongo

 

If you put it that way then I agree with you.

If SBBA sent out this letter saying that it was compulsory for each band to use the percussion provided, then why were these bands not told well in advance of playing on stage that all that percussion gear should go back on the bus? Who is supposed to enforce that? There's various members of SBBA escorting the players through the various stages, surely they are familiar with their own rules. :?

I would think this is an issue SBBA would have to pick up on in future, to be fair to all competing bands

 

Again I agree with Borfeo,SBBA is a load of crap at the moment.

 

Is there anybody from Sbba going to reply to this, I bet you not, or the scottish co-op, or whitburn, or Kirky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Now now, I don't think SBBA are beep.

They are still a relatively new committee, and the ideas they have put through so far have been impressive.
What I think they need to work on is the tightening up of rule enforcing, it seems to be a little relaxed at the moment, this has caused a lot of questions to be asked and a few controversial incidents being picked up on.
If SBBA can be consistent in their enforcement of the rules then I think they will be streets ahead of the old executive.

 

I totally agree with you and I think it is bang out of order (pardon the pun!). I played in the 2nd Section Finals in 2000 at the Albert Hall. We had a fairly early draw and were told categorically that all percussion equipment was supplied and that we would be disqualified if we took so much as a triangle on stage.

This messed me up a bit as I had been practising sticking on an awkward temple block bit for the piece and had my T blocks set up totally differently to those supplied (maybe our faults for not checking the set up of the supplied equipment, dunno if they go into that much detail when sending supply lists out to bands??)

To cut a long story short, we went on, dealt with the situation, played and that was it..................

Until I spotted the bands drawn towards the end not only taking on small bits of their percussion, but all sorts. I was absolutely furious.

I didn't want to make a fuss, especially as it was a one off opportunity for us in the lower sections to play at the Albert Hall. I certainly didn't want to get anyone disqualified as it would have left a bitter taste for all on this special day.

When there are rules all should abide to them without exception. Maybe the fault of the contest organisers?????

 

Thankyou Dan.

 

Hello there.

Strong words aren't they 'cheating'.

Included in the bumf from SBBA regarding percussion at the contest last Sunday it clearly stated that a band's own equipment could be used providing that the band members themselves were to to bring it on and off the stage. Perhaps, if you feel so strongly, you should call Alan Mclaren for further clarification.

 

No worries, I think this is a very good thread and tMP is an excellent place for highlighting issues like this. Hopefully someone will take notice as sometimes I feel that we percs are really just ignored and overlooked.

Let us know on here if anything comes of it!

 

I wouldn't call that cheating... just breaching rules, assuming it said that all the equipment had to be used.
I heard that in the Yorkshire Area, bands were doing the same... plenty were taking their own stuff on...
So what?
If the supervisors were that bothered about it, then these bands would not have been aloud to bring their equipment on stage in the first place (well, thats what we would have thought, anyway :roll: )...

At the NW area, I assume, all of the bands stuck to what the sheet that had been provided said... half we had to use, the rest was optional... the section finished half an hour ahead of schudule... whoo!

Be interesting to see how many times the percussion was mentioned in the comment sheets... cos ours got one mention throughout the whole thing...
Rules are rules, yes... I do agree with your comments here Jim, but would it have changed the result?! ... I doubt that very much.

;-)

 

Naruco, you never know it could have.

 

What is the point in having rules in the first place for then?

If it was the case that the supervisors weren't bothered, maybe it would be ok for a band to saunter on stage with 27 or 28 players. (edit!!!)

Would it be ok then if one band managed to get away with that?

 

No, it wasn't in the rules. You could take your own equipment on providing the band took it on or off.

 

That bit about bands taking there own percussion stuff with them only if band members took it on and off stage themselves must've been in a different letter to what i got, The letter i had said that bands were to use all large stuff provided but could use there own smaller items.

 

jim219, i definately see your point here! although i have to say that at the north west areas which i attend, there is a letter that goes out and says what is provided, and what is compulsory to use and what you can use if you want. perhaps the brass band federation (or woteva it is called) should make it very clear wot the rules on this are! i dont know these as i am only 14 and have only ever done 3 area competitions. but it sounds to me that they need to outline specific rules for percussion and make sure that the percussion section is checked for what they use. (hope that makes sense)

 

hi weebongo,

I've just been on the phone to SBBA and they confirmed it to me.