Jorijn

Sunday 20th September 2009 - 09:09:42

Hello mr. Mead,

I love your new CD Rococo Variations.
Thank You.

Withe Greeting,

Jorijn van Hese
Drenthe, the Netherlands

BBB

Wednesday 16th September 2009 - 14:09:28

You've hit the nail on the head - and these are exactly the reasons I gave up playnig in contesting bands 30 years ago. I have continued playing, still to a high standard, in big bands & jazz bands and the enjoyment factor is 100 times more. No more arguing after bad contest results, which can split bands down the middle and acuse much bad feeling. Good luck in you campaign - it's long overdue.

mark

Tuesday 15th September 2009 - 20:09:43

Steve. Your comments have clearly attracted attention from many areas of the brass band world. We live in a constantly changing world and the vast majority of successful organisations review their relevence and effectiveness on a regular basis. The brass band movement in general has traditions that are held on to very tightly by those who will resist change at all costs. The exodus of players from brass banding needs
to be reversed and open sensible debate is needed to survive. Mark

XY Part 1

Tuesday 15th September 2009 - 11:09:57

Dear Mr Mead

In some ways you’re right but don’t forget that i.e. at the National in London the men in the box got chosen by the bands. The problem is that most of the skilled and potentially competent adjudicators are conducting at most of the contests. The biggest Problem of UK-Adjudicating is that they don’t allow foreign adjudicators in the box. This is ridiculous protectionism of the adjudicating movement. Why not allowing Belgians, Dutch, Austrians, Germans, Swiss etc… ......

XY Part2

Tuesday 15th September 2009 - 11:09:57

I also think the old men are just blowing their own trumpet and are very proud of themselves. But what they did 50 years ago is nowhere near what players and conductors have to deal with today. On the other hand, I’ve played at a contest where you were in the box and I couldn’t understand the results either. And guess who won the soloist price that day, a rubbish euphonium player. I suppose you wanted to encourage him because he was nothing special at all.

Xy Part 3

Tuesday 15th September 2009 - 11:09:33

If Whitburn would have come 9th you probably wouldn’t have written that article. In someway it’s entertaining because people now probably start thinking about these old men in the box again but in the end nothing is going to change, this is Great Britain!!!!!!

David

Monday 14th September 2009 - 23:09:27

Well done Steve, all true words, very brave but probably suicide as far as banding goes for you. What I've found is that it's not the old farts you have to be worried about but the 1000's of young farts who think that the status quo and paying 'due obedience' to the old guard is the secret to 'keeping the traditions of banding'. You simply have to read the majority of posts on 'The Mouthpiece' to see what you're up against. Enjoy playing your euph then join Howard in exile in France! Best wishes

Martin

Monday 14th September 2009 - 19:09:12

I used to play trombone years ago with Whitburn in the early '80's.Back then we had amateur musicians ,with no pedigree ,adjudicating contests where there were far better musicians on stage having to put up with their poor adjudications.I've been out of the band scene now for 25 years having become a professional orchestral player.It beggars belief that after all this time you still have the same old duffers in charge,making the same old adjudications,based largely on audience applause and bias!

Phil

Monday 14th September 2009 - 10:09:15

Hi.They should go back to the same system they had at the All England Masters when the three adjudicators were sat in separate boxes where they couldn't compare notes! See http://www.4barsrest.com/results/details.asp?id=245&Submit2=Go&comp=1 It does expose the differences in opinion which I think we need to see although the winning band wasn't placed 1st by any of the judges. I think the system has potential if the worst placing were disregarded..YBS would have rightly won!... I was there

GAMK

Sunday 13th September 2009 - 22:09:06

I have read your article with open mouth. I think the timing of your article is terrible - would your response to a brilliant result for your band be different? As an adjudicator yourself can you honestly say with hand on heart every musician has agreed with your own subjective views on their music making? I doubt it. Has your placing been spot on with every competitor happy? I doubt it. Can we have a contest small or large where every musician is happy with results? I doubt it. subjectivity???