What is a fair way to determine a bands grading

[johnmartin]

I started this rant in another thread but it's such a big subject I thought it needed a thread of it's own. I talk specifically about Scotland as that's the region I am most familiar with. Perhaps other tMP'ers from other regionjs could add their views too. Excuse the grammar as I've just cribbed it from my earlier post.

What really needs looking at is a fairer way to determine a bands grading than the present method. What I would like to see is grading determined by performances at three contests in any given year. I would like to see a new Scottish Championship contest and to keep the existing regional qualifier as a separate contest. These two results could be used along with that from the bands own area association contest to determine grading. In this way the bands have three chances with three different adjudicators and a variety of test pieces or an entertainment programme. Doing this might go some way to a fairer system and it would also ensure support for area association contests as bands would know that their grading was at stake.

 

[BigD]

Would love to see a contest find the BEST band. We could take a lesson from some other contests. I'd like to see:

1) Test Piece
2) March - Where bands have to actually march! (As in NZ)
3) Hymn Tune
4) Entertainment Programme
5) Sight Reading - The T.A. Bands used to have to do this in their contest!
6) Scales - The T.A. Bands used to have to do this in their contest!


This would sort them out! Might take a while though!

The current system is not ideal, but cant see a much better idea happening as it would cost bands too much.
If the prize money went up..........................................

 

[Borfeo]

I've always been for a three contest format, incorporating the contest ideas we normally use.

Set Test piece (Scottish)

Own choice.......Something like Carnegie or the now defunct Forth Valley, (Which I think was the biggest mistake SBBA ever made, dropping it from the calender)

Entertainment (Whitburn?)

I know that this would more than likely be completely unworkable, but I really liked the Welsh band of the year format and I think it would be cool up here.

Plus as David says. money talks, and it's crippling enough up here at the moment.

 

[Railybobs]

i tend to agree with you Mark...........

it has been interesting to watch the rapid promotion of Wire Brass.

Start at the bottom and work your way up.

 

[CaharleyFarley]

I just love to hear good brass band music.........I don't really care where that band stands in a "league table".

 

[BeatTheSheep]

I What I would like to see is grading determined by performances at three contests in any given year. Doing this might go some way to a fairer system and it would also ensure support for area association contests as bands would know that their grading was at stake.

This already happens in the North West Counties association. Pity it doesn't count towards the area. It does ensure support for local area contests.

 

[Di]

I would also like to see three contests in the format mentioned above, set test piece, own choice test piece, entertainment but with one more addition - another judge. We all rely on one mans, sorry, one persons, opinion once a year to determine "how good a band" we are. If his idea of interpretation doesn't match yours, thats it, down you go.

 

[JTKBrass]

The three contest format sounds good, but the only real way to grade a band is with a level playing field .. set testpiece ! Well chosen testpieces and programmes can add points onto performances .. i've been at a lot of contests where the best (performing) band hasn't won the contest because their programme is far removed to what the adjudicator classes an 'entertaining' programme, even though their performance of the music is clearly superior on the day. That's easy to accept if it's a one off contest with ( <cough> for example :twisted: ) Alan Hope in the box and nothing riding on the result, but if it's the third contest of the year and that bad result relegates you, that's harder to accept !

 

[KennyC]

I've always been for a three contest format, incorporating the contest ideas we normally use.

Set Test piece (Scottish)

Own choice.......Something like Carnegie or the now defunct Forth Valley, (Which I think was the biggest mistake SBBA ever made, dropping it from the calender)

Entertainment (Whitburn?)

Mark, you should know that SBBA never never dropped the Forth Valley. It was always organised by ECBA (Edinburgh Charities Band Association) who up until very recently had almost ground to a halt as an organisation. I believe it is the new committee's intention to re-start the contest in 2004 but have no idea when or in what format.

I think using the Whitburn Contest as part of the Scottish Championships is a great idea as long as we still get to run it and pick the adjudicator.

Kenny
Whitburn Band

 

[JTKBrass]

Kenny .. who's on the new committee ? Hopefully they'll stick with the own choice piece and we'll get back to the contest it used to be, with most of the top section there !

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

Would love to see a contest find the BEST band. We could take a lesson from some other contests. I'd like to see:

1) Test Piece
2) March - Where bands have to actually march! (As in NZ)
quote]

You guys don't have to march at a contest???????

**Packs his bags and books a ticket to the UK**

Here in Oz, we follow fairly much the same outline as our Kiwi counterparts.

We have our National, and our State, as well as some semi-formal regionals, but these always appear to be open to anyone.

Events for States are:
Test
Own Choice
Hymn
Stage MArch
Street March (they scrapped Diagram marches a few years back)
Concert/Light Entertainment (which for our A Grade bands, turns into our Gala concert with ensembles, guest bands and the Champion of Champions)


There is no Light entertainment at Nationals, and no test/own choice at regionals.