Best programme for an entertainment contest

[Phoenixhorn]

I was just wondering what everybodys favourite entertainment programme is. Also what is your fav format for a entertainment contest do you like a march, up tempo piece, solo and big finisher??? Please any thoughts would be great!!!

 

[Jordan]

yippeeee

Me Thinks that format is the one to go for, biggish opener, solo, slow piece and a big finisher, we did to win porthcawl, Laudes Domini, Hedwigs theme from harry potter, the prayer of st.someting(sorry forgot the name of the saint guy) which is a principal cornet sol, and finished with the fugue from Graduation Day. Worked pretty well.

 

[Vickitorious]

I used to be in a youth band and we always used to win the entertainment side of the contests. The best programme that we did was.....

Sign of the swingin cymbal
La Danza
The way we were- Flugel solo
Light as air
Jazzey-B- Novelty item.
Each year we used to get an entertainment piece written for us by an old friend of the band. We put narrating, dance and acting to it to make it entertaining and it always used to go down well with the audience and adjudicators!!! :lol:

 

[neiltwist]

hmmm, we once did a 'proper' entertainment piece, and the adjudicator for entertainments pulled us up because we didn't sit down at exactly the same time!

the organisers were upset, and now the contest doesn't allow such entertaining dress up pieces!

oh well


blackpool is a good entertainments contest!

 

[neiltwist]

that's the youth action entertainment contest sorry

 

[Phoenixhorn]

That is a point, how many people at entertainment contest do these pieces where you stand up and do silly things like messing with the conductor ect trying to entertain by putting on a show or how many entertain with the music?

 

[Vickitorious]

We always used to win the entertainment at Blackpool, thats the best entertainment contest to go to! At Tameside which is coming up in a few weeks is where we always used to win best perc. and i hope they do this year 'cus my bro is playing perc!!!!!

 

[neiltwist]

That is a point, how many people at entertainment contest do these pieces where you stand up and do silly things like messing with the conductor ect trying to entertain by putting on a show or how many entertain with the music?

how about both?

 

[lynchie]

We did an entertainment set a couple of years back that was a load of percussion based music with lots of visuals, moving round the stage, etc... unfortunately, with it not being 'traditional' brass band music, a lot of people didn't get it! I think with entertainment contests it's better to play interesting music and have some sort of visual value, but whenever I see a piece where they just dress one of the little kids up and make them dance around the stage i have to cringe!!

Also, I don't see why marches are always given an award at entertainment contests... they're not entertaining!!!

 

[lynchie]

oh yeah, and windows on the world is really good for ents. There's loads you can do with it!

 

[leisa]

weve tried to do enetertainment with the music rather than messin round but i think messin round works better. we usually do march-hymn-solo-novelty item!

 

[Roger Thorne]

I think a lot of bands put far too much effort into the 'gimmicks' and don't really concentrate on the musicality of their programme. I always judge a band on the 'basics' and choice of programme before I consider who has the best silly hat and false moustache!

:wink:

 

[PeterBale]

I think a lot of bands put far too much effort into the 'gimmicks' and don't really concentrate on the musicality of their programme. I always judge a band on the 'basics' and choice of programme before I consider who has the best silly hat and false moustache!

And the best bow-tie :?: :wink: :lol:

As to the question of marches, if it is a good, brisk foot-tapper, it can help get things off the mark, and the public in general usually do like to hear a march if it is well-played.

 

[Steve]

Really shouldnt reveal all this to potential 'rivals' but as its one big happy family its only fair I guess!!!

Check what you can get points for at an entertainment contest. Blackpool youth contest for example you get marked for walking on, sitting down, clean shoes, matching trousers/skirts, smiling, hair do's, conductors appearance, picking instruments up etc etc etc These alone can win you the entertainment side of things!! Deportment is key!!!

The programme is often judged by a 'blind' adjudicator so no matter what you play it has to be challenging and well delivered. We (Youth Brass) did a set of Norwegian music mentioned by Lynchie but although the visuals were great the music was very samey and teedious to someone who couldnt see what we were doing. I think a programme with a theme linking the pieces works well and shows it has been thought about, however when we won everything 2 years ago it was a very standard programme. Anything you can do - Amazonia - Concert Gallop - Eternal Father - Cry of the Celts (Victory & Breakout)

GOD MY POSTS ARE LONG!!!! Sorry.

 

[Di]

As far as I can remember, Blackpool has a list of categories for their scoring and some separate prizes are awarded and then points totalled to give overall champs.

Musicability

Deportment, (walking on and off stage neatly, dress appearance etc)

Overall entertainment value

Best novalty item, (so they really do ask for the dressing up and larking
around stuff at this one)

 

[floral_dance]

we never do gimmicky stuff but rely on the music, probable why we don't win :lol:

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

As an audience member, I LOVe the gimmicks, as a player I find them quite humiliating, and hard...sometimes fun....

For example, a good gimmick:
We played the Stripper, the trombone soloist (female so it explains were she aquired the gimmicked product) had a lacy red bra attached to her slide, as 2 percussionists (a young dancer, and an older man good for a laff) pretended to put on a show.

An Interesting gimmick:
I once saw a band claim they paid big dollars and got Tara Fitzgerald in to do the Aranjuez flugel solo.....The nose gave it away as a former gladstone boy, and a good friend of mine....well the nose and a crooked embouchere, which we had trademarked!

A bad gimmick:
Swan Lake, performed by the tuba section. A plumber, an Electrician, a gardener, an engineer and a music teacher.