Contest and Concert and Road Marches?!

U

ukdrummerboy

Member
Hi,

With the Whit Marches coming up, I conduct a young(ish) village band and we always do the Whit Marches every year. Every year we also play the same march and so I feel its time for a change. Something i'm not clear on though, is which marches qualify as "Contest" marches to be played in the ring after the road march? Is there a special list or something? There are your obvious ones such as Honest Toil, Knight Templar etc. (but they're well beyond the technical capabilities of my band). I have thought of certain marches, but i'm not sure if they're usable for the contest part of the march!

Anyone know how to find out?
 
Roger Thorne

Roger Thorne

Active Member
ukdrummerboy said:
Something i'm not clear on though, is which marches qualify as "Contest" marches to be played in the ring after the road march? Is there a special list or something?
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Taken from the following website:

http://www.whitfriday.brassbands.saddleworth.org/intro.html

Each contest sets its own rules. Bands are required to play a published March, an unmarked copy of which should be handed to the Contest Steward on arrival at the signing-on point. Normally, no more than 25 players may play the contest piece, plus the conductor.
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;)
 
SteveT

SteveT

Member
March for a Young Band

I always recommend Senator for younger bands. Shaw youth took my recommendation last year and won about 9 prizes I think. Give it a go!

BTW I am one of the Adjudicators on the circuit, so I speak with some experience and obviously I wish you the very best of luck.

Stephen Tighe
 
U

ukdrummerboy

Member
Thanks for all the quick replies,

Just one question still, the following comment

Roger Thorne said:
Bands are required to play a published March
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Does that qualify ANY published march as acceptable for the contest part of the march?
 
Roger Thorne

Roger Thorne

Active Member
ukdrummerboy said:
Thanks for all the quick replies,

Just one question still, the following comment



Does that qualify ANY published march as acceptable for the contest part of the march?
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I guess so.

;)
 
SteveT

SteveT

Member
Published Marches

Where did you see that published!? Let me reassure you that it would be extremely unlikely that you would be dissqualified for playing a non published march.

The spirit of the day tends to overide everything else.
 
Chris Sanders

Chris Sanders

Active Member
maximus said:
I always recommend Senator for younger bands.
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Senator would be a great choice, because although a less experienced band would be well capable of playing it, many bands throughout the sections have played it over the years...

A great piece...

That is the thing I love most about whit friday, any band can compete with anybody from youth bands, scratch bands, unregistered bands right up to bands the calibre of Brighouse and Leyland, it is more about the atmosphere and pleasure than winning prizes... (however you'd be a fool not to try)
 
PeterBale

PeterBale

Moderator
Staff member
I would suggest looking for a march with ample opportunity for contrast, both in dynamics and playing style: the more there is for you to show off, the more impact you are likely to have. You're better off with an easier march that you can play well, rather than over-stretching yourselves and ending up struggling.
 
brassneck

brassneck

Active Member
Considering it is a youngish band, why not consider Invincible by Samuel Cope? Nice and catchy and not too much out of instrument range to sound convincing.

... or even Battle Abbey by George Allen? Has enough originality to draw attention to itself on the street and playable.
 
U

ukdrummerboy

Member
Aidan Geary said:
Why don't you play 'Victory Club'?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Aidan mate I did mention they were a YOUNG band didnt I? ;-) I can just see them now trying to play it, and of course march down the road at 160bpm :-D
 
eckyboy

eckyboy

Member
Ali said:
I have always found that "the Cossack" suits younger bands.
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Great march but not that easy in my books (or maybe thats just me). March of the cobblers and Death or Glory are probably the easiest for a young band.
 
bruceg

bruceg

Active Member
This might have been suggested already (too lazy to look) - Slaidburn. Like Alec, I think The Cossack, though a good enough march, might be a bit tricky for a junior band.
 
R

RichardCookson

Member
You are generally allowed to play any published march. Bear in mind though, that if you play one that is not well known you may be 'shooting yourself in the foot'.

Only the solo cornet/conductor copy is passed to the adjudicator so they will have to 'guess' whether you're playing what's written on all the other parts correctly, unless they have some knowledge of the march.

I have heard an adjudicator comment on this at a contest in the past where one of the top bands had played a newly published march and the adjudicator simply said he couldn't judge how well they'd played it because the trio on his copy (horn solo section) was just bars rest!

I guess this is less of a problem in the lower sections but if you're aiming to win prizes I would pick something reasonably well known.
 
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