Mike,
To become an adjudicator you normally have to be a recognised conductor, who has demonstrated success at band training and experience at the top level of banding. Experience in the classical and other worlds is also useful.... Then you have to wait to be hired by contest organisers.
If you want to do the LDBBA, Initially you submit a cv and then appear in front of a panel of distinguished musicians where you are asked to show skills in arranging and score analysis, there is also a viva voce section. In addition you are asked to adjudicate recorded performances. If you pass this initial assesment you are invited to take further assesments.
I should explain that when I took the exams, there was no "course" as such. It is a series of tests taking various formats, incuding "live" adjudications. So you were expected to have a very high level of demonstrable musicianship, as you would in the end be judging your peers. You will be asked to "shadow adjudicate" at contests and your adjudications are then assesed by normally Roy Newsome and David Read. They look for all sorts of things, even grammar.
A recent development is a "Pre-Diploma" course, which is intended to prepare people for this initial assessment. This is because there have not been that many successful applicants and I think this it to help prepare candidates up to the initial threshold standard. I was only the 4th person to get the diploma (2001).. at the moment I think there are only 6 recipients in total... so more candidates are I am sure ... welcome.
If you wish to become a Licentiate in Brass Band Adjudication and take the "examinations" sponsored by the National Association of Brass Band Conductors & ratified by Salford University, you need to contact Mr. E. J. Howard, 30 Havant Road, Waterlooville, Hants, PO8 0DT. He is the National Sec for NABBC and is in charge of sylbus etc. Tel: 023 9259 8162. or
Thoward34@aol.com However, this will not guarantee that you will be invited to adjudicate.
After all this you have to become a member of Association of Brass Band Adjudicators, and also after a bit of time you may be invited onto the BFBB panel to adjudicate at the National Championships.
The downside is that you will probably lose most of yer mates and be suspected of all sorts of underhand doings.... so beware. You will also have to dye your hair grey and lose your sense of humour!
Hope this is helpful... best of luck. If I can be of any further assistance please ring me... my number is in the professional cards section on 4barsrest.
:lol: