Editorial ~ 2007 August

This month we consider the upcoming Victorian and NSW State Championships; and urge your support.

Vic and NSW State Titles

The Victorian and New South Wales Championships take place this month.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment of  these two contests is the lack of entries at the Victorian titles – only 14 brass bands will compete with only 1 in A Grade and 1 in B Grade.  Last year 23 bands competed.

Now we know that Kew Band Melbourne have decided to give its players a break after a gruelling 2 years of competing including 4 National championship contests.  Darebin similarly have been busy contesting at both the OZ and NZ Nationals this year.

One could be forgiven for thinking, though, one of the highest priorities in a bands agenda should be to represent itself at its own State Championship.  The expense involved is minimal given Ballarats close proximity to most bands; the new venue is superb; there is a new VBL regime and all that goes along with this change….  OK – perhaps the change in date proved to be a bit of a hurdle for some?  Or is there some other factor, for example, a lack of respect for the competition itself?  This is genuine confusion.  Fill us in, please.

As for NSW – this year will be good.  This year 22 brass bands are entered, down 4 compared to last year which hardly seems a significant downturn.  Plenty of attention will be on the A Grade event where Waratah Brass and St Mary’s both have guest conductors in the form of Ken McDonald and Jason Katsikaris respectively, where these bands are the first two to take advantage of the recently changed conductor by-law.  

The BANSW have chosen all Australian works as test music for this years Championships – a positive step towards the promotion of local talent, but one which is receiving mixed reactions.  No doubt more will be said about this in the coming weeks.

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

Support for progress

It would seem that support for each other and general apathy is not a problem experienced only Downunder.  At the Proms concert in the UK last week, the absence of  genuine brass band supporters, players from other bands and administrators was apparently obvious if you read this months 4BR editiorial.

So how does this all work then?  Do we want the movement to move forward, do we want better crowds at our concerts, do we want to earn more money, do we want to be respected as worthwhile musical artform? Yes you say.  Then ask yourself this, are we really doing all we can to support those who are striving for these very goals?  Perhaps, perhaps not.  

Events occurring over the next couple of months will be good indicators of the support we have for each other.  There are multiple visits from international guests at the top of their game occurring around both countries – David Thornton, Russell Gray, Shaun Crowther, Mnozil Brass, Rex Richardson, David Childs to name a few.  Organisations and individuals have invested time and $$ to get these performers to us.  These events NEED support from players in other bands and representatives from other brass banding organizations and indeed the organizations which control the various National and State bodies.  Do we care?  Gee – let's hope so – please, show that you do.

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

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