It seems brass bands are currently capturing the attention of not just of writers in the broadsheet newspaper media, but also publishers of academic research in higher education.

Following Ivan Hewett's recent article in The Daily Telegraph that looked at some of the contemporary issues he felt arose from Prof Trevor Herbert's recent book, 'The Brass Band Story', comes in an article on the Wonkhe website written by its Deputy Editor David Kernohan entitled, 'What brass bands can tell us about REF reform'.

Wonkhe, looks at current issues in the UK higher education through articles offering what they say is "expert analysis, debate and insight" which offers ideas about the sector that can be utilised by institutions, policymakers, businesses and public bodies.

Research Excellence Framework

REF stands for Research Excellence Framework — currently underpinning REF 2029 which is the UK's system for assessing excellence in higher education and helping to determine further research funding.

Having picked up that the Government's new Science Minister Chris McDonald was a passionate supporter of brass banding, Mr Kernohan offered his own, 'expert analysis and insight' into the banding world.

However, he soon framed it in offering the usual cliched stereotypes — depending he said on whether "on your disposition and heritage either makes hairs on the back of your neck stand up or is somewhat cloying, leaden and sentimental."

Firmer ground

Thankfully, he seemed on firmer academic ground in trying to explain how the assessment of the music played at competitions was in his opinion, fundamentally, "a way of sharing out a limited resource, with more going to the most deserving or the most proficient."

He added: "Money is what it often comes down to, but esteem and profile are also very desirable. REF, in universities, is used to allocate some funding, but it is equally seen as a means of departments and researchers demonstrating their prowess to people they want to work with."

on the one hand you have a niche activity accreting an enormously complex assessment process that can obsess people to an unhealthy extent... and on the other hand you have the world of the British brass bandWonkhe

Not a perfect comparison

It was however he said, "by no means a perfect comparison"- not perhaps helped at his attempt at a humorous misdirection punch-line in saying, "...on the one hand you have a niche activity accreting an enormously complex assessment process that can obsess people to an unhealthy extent and can even act as a detriment to creativity and innovation... and on the other hand you have the world of the British brass band".

More constructively though he added that whilst he felt the method used by the banding world in peer review adjudication became "an industry or community talking to itself", he did feel it did essentially "support everyone in becoming the best they possibly can."

To read:

https://wonkhe.com/blogs/what-brass-bands-can-tell-us-about-ref-reform/