Contest Piece Playing....

[cornet.kid]

Should people be allowed to play the area area test pieces before the areas (at contests)?

NOTE: this is a personal query to see if people agree with me

Thanks

 

[cornet.kid]

wat does "mod view only" mean?

 

[Jan H]

see http://www.themouthpiece.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=8269

the results can only be seen by tMP moderators... (temporarily)

 

[mikelyons]

wat does "mod view only" mean?

Only moderators can see the results?

I don't think there should be a restriction on when to play an area test piece. I would think that most bands would want to do a 'dry run' on the piece to see where flaws happen in a 'live' situation and I don't think this is unreasonable.

Besides which, if you win or get placed before the actual areas then that gives the band an extra confidence boost.

 

[sparkling_quavers]

I don't think there should be any restriction -bands (or individual players) could have already played the testpiece before anyway. Unless a new piece was commissioned for each area contest you can't guarentee bands haven't seen it before. Preparation for the regionals is down to each band and their conductor- some rehearse for months, some a few weeks, some go to a contest before, some don't! You can't control how people prepare for a contest as it is a personal thing related to the band and it's current situation.

 

[cornet.kid]

How do you get the results then?

I'm against playing the before because you get cases of band playing it for the area adjudicator and being told how he wants it played (eg Michelmersh last year!)

 

[drummerboy]

I agree with sparkling_quavers, in the end it's the performance on the day that matters, so I don't think it's bad to play the piece out before the areas. In fact doing it in a concert before can often be of great use.

 

[sparkling_quavers]

How do you get the results then?

The bandroom - successful contesting is about putting the work in! Bands need to work on the key aspects of playing: intonation, dynamics, playing together. It's the band that does that who wins- music isn't dots on a page! Even the winning band will make a few mistakes (splits etc)- it's the band's sound and style that wins contests (certainly at lower levels anyway)

That is what I think anyway..feel free to pick me apart :shock: :shock:

I'm against playing the before because you get cases of band playing it for the area adjudicator and being told how he wants it played (eg Michelmersh last year!)

yes but any of the bands in the section could have done that- it's open to everyone- if it is there take advantage :wink:

 

[WoodenFlugel]

Hmmmmm I not really sure what you think this would achieve. If there were to be a restriction it would only be relevant if the area piece was newly commissioned, which is pretty rare for most sections.

FWIW I don't think there is any great advantage or disadavantage in playing an area piece before the contest itself. At the end of the day the best band will (should? :shock: ) win regardless of whether they played the piece at a contest beforehand or not.

 

[backrowbloke]

I dont think it matters at all whether a piece is played before a contest & I can't see any real advantage. I've played the same piece in 2 consecutive contests before and which resulted in both high and low placings (the high placing being at the first contest and it was the same adjuicator for both I recall :shock: )

As to whether it should be played afterwards probably depends on how enjoyable / litenable the piece is (are you referring to contests or concerts?)

 

[dgibbons]

... so I don't think it's bad to play the piece out before the areas. In fact doing it in a concert before can often be of great use.

I can't imagine torturing a concert audience with the tuneless wonders that seem to be the norm for test pieces today - then again they may have found Prague funny, I did!

 

[TerryL]

I really don't see a problem with them being played before, it is/should be about making music and enjoying it. None of us should get bogged down worrying about what we can and can't play just in case... It shouldn't have an impact on a contest if the piece is played before or not; since it is about more than theory and practice, confidence needs to be built up by the band and the only way to do that is to practice and perform. We should not lose the fundimentals of why we do this because we worry about adjudication. Feel free to shoot me down for saying that!

 

[Andy_Euph]

It really makes no difference really when you play the area piece as just because you win on it at one contest doesn't mean your going to win the area on it...or that your going to have an advantage on other bands

 

[dyl]

Would be impossible to police anyway wouldn't it. Particularly in the case of 'classics' being used as area tests.

 

[lynchie]

I think the only problem with it is people using at is an excuse for their band not winning... :wink: Seriously though, if a band has relatively little contest experience and they want to take the test piece to competition as a sort of "warm up" then I can't see the problem. Yes the adjudicator might point out things that he would like to hear, but at most levels, these are things your MD should have spotted anyway.

 

[ian perks]

Look at next years areas:

They have all been played before many times over.:-D