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2015: April

This month we give our opinions on the costs of quality judgement, improving Ball skills and in praise of the rules...

Quality judgement costs

4BR may have had a few gripes in the past about the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators (ABBA), but we have never accused their members of not being worth the money they are paid for providing their essential service to the brass band movement.

However, you would be surprised at just how little many contests value their expertise in pounds, shillings and pence.

So with ABBA now making progressive strides in the future professional development of its members, perhaps the time has come for a formalised table of fees to be agreed between both parties - rather than the current system of ‘ad-hoc’ agreements that currently exist.

It would surely benefit all those who take part in competitions. 

Bands invest so much financial time and energy in their contest preparation that it seems absurd that we seem reluctant to do the same with adjudicators.  If we really want to improve all our standards, then we should be prepared to pay a proper professional rate for a highly professional job. 

ABBA has shown its desire to justify its value to the future of contesting in the UK, so perhaps it’s time for the rest of us to do the same.

What do you think?
Send an email to: comments@4barsrest.com


Improving Ball skills

It has taken a while, but the true brass band musical genius of Eric Ball may finally have been revealed - via the compositional pen of Peter Graham.

The damaging effects of our headlong pursuit of mind boggling technique came to roost around the country on ‘The Torchbearer’ - as far too any bands and conductors found themselves unable to coherently translate a musical language that seemed almost alien to them.

The subtleties of dynamic, tempo, balance and texture - the hallmarks of the great man’s writing, were rarely heard. Instead we got the pulp fiction approach - visceral blood and guts splashed all over the place. 

What required skill and understanding was replaced by blunt-witted special effects. 

However, what may be saddest outcome of all is that it remains debatable whether bands have now lost the ability to showcase those once inherent Ball skills for good...

What do you think?
Send an email to: comments@4barsrest.com


In praise of the rules

There must have been one heck of an increase in Google search engine traffic in the past two weeks looking at how to spell schadenfreude in a grammatical Yorkshire accent... 

Black Dyke’s disqualification from the Regional Championship in Bradford and subsequent qualification confirmation for the National Final was met in equal measure by surprise, bafflement, anger and wry smiles of puzzled delight.

However, what it also showed was that very few people (including a Band Secretary or two around the UK) pay more than scant attention to their understanding of both National and Registration rules.

Black Dyke’s disqualification may have done us all a favour then.   

What do you think?
Send an email to: comments@4barsrest.com



Enderby Band - The Melton Band

Sunday 24 September • Melton Theatre, Asfordby Road, Melton Mowbray LE13 0HJ


The GUS Band - The GUS Band 90th Anniversary Celebration Concert

Sunday 24 September • Northampton High School,. Newport Pagnell Road,. Hardingstone,. Northampton NN4 6UU


Boarshurst Silver Band - Eagley Band

Sunday 24 September • Boarshurst Band Club. Greenbridge Lane. Greenfield. Oldham OL3 7EW


Dobcross Silver Band - Unite the Union Band

Sunday 24 September • Dobcross Band Club. Platt Lane. Dobcross . Saddleworth . Oldham OL3 5AD


Luton Brass Band - Masterclass with David Daws

Wednesday 27 September • St Augustine's Church, Luton LU3 2JR


Harlow Brass Band

September 22 • Seeking a MUSICAL DIRECTOR - We are a friendly, non-contesting band who play to a good standard. We hold our own Spring and Christmas concerts and provide entertainment at various local events throughout the year


Chinnor Silver

September 22 • Chinnor Silver Band (2nd section National finalists 2023) are looking to strengthen their ranks. We require a Bass player(either flavour) Bass trombone and percussionist. We are a friendly band with a good mix of Concerts and Contests planned for 2023/24


Easingwold Town Band

September 21 • We are an enterprising, forward-looking, inclusive 4th Section band with vacancies for soprano cornet, front-row cornet and Eb bass. Enjoy a friendly welcome at our bandroom in Easingwold, 12 miles N of York (postcode YO61 3DB). Come for a blow!


Alan Fernie

DRSAM, Dip.NCOS
Arranger, composer, adjudicator, conductor


               

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