Editorial ~ 2007 April

Only a few days before the Australian National Championships begin and for most, the few minutes on stage which has cost huge amounts of rehearsal time, family disruption, lots of $$$, to name a few, will all be over.

Why do we do it?/Is it Worth It?

At this time before a National Championships, tension is enormous for many.

Thousands of dollars are being outlayed, family routines are thrown into chaos, huge sacrifices have been made - all for what?  A brass band contest.

Are we crazy?  Why do we do it?  Is it worth it?

I have never actually been able to answer this question. 

A conclusion I have made, however, is that those of us involved year after year  have enormous egos and are very selfish.  Harsh you may say?  How else would you explain the demands we put upon our loved ones?

Tell us what you think:
du.comments@4barsrest.com

Marching

No matter how hard I try, I can't get out of it this year!  (Even in my privileged position!)

Players go to great lengths to get out of marching - a torn cruciate ligament, fractured wrist, torn ITB are some of the injuries players have sustained all in the past week.

Our UK friends look at us and laugh.  Why in your right mind would players march down a street of unknown undulation, blowing the loudest they possibly can, without adequate warm-up, only hours before a stage performance they have worked months for?

Tell us what you think:
du.comments@4barsrest.com

Invitational Slow Melody

Nominations are being called for the players for the 2007 Invitational Slow Melody Event as part of the NZ Nationals.

Each year there is one position available for the public to nominate who they want to play in the event. 

Voting then takes place by way of an email system where upon the player gaining the most votes gets to play in the event.  In the past, the process has been abused by many in different ways.  For example, by way of mail servers which generate multiple addresses for the one domain name.  This is still within the rules, yet realistically, there are not separate individuals posting the vote.

If the intent is for the nominee to be that person most respected by their peers, and therefore legitimately gain the most votes by people within the brass scene, then such a system must surely be flawed.  Or is it a case of, this is the system, how can we make the most of it and manipulate it to our own personal gain?  Is this necessarily a bad thing?

Tell us what you think:
du.comments@4barsrest.com

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