Comments ~ 2008 February

National strategy needed; Junior Brass crisis; A bass tuba is a bass tuba; Apology to Mr Jarman; Planning Success; Concert bands displaced; Showcase to raise $$; Why do we need a brass band?; Congratulations - but disappointing.

National Strategy Needed

In my opinion Emily Hansen is absolutely correct. The crisis has been discussed at various times on Spitvale resulting in a diverse number of opinions and facts that range from acknowledging there is a crisis, to stating reasons why it exists and how it can (or why it can’t) be solved.

It’s a topic that justifies holding a national conference to table the various points of view and develop strategies to rectify the situation.

I call on the National Band Council of Australia (NBCA) to do exactly that. As a preliminary it may be appropriate for them to call on each State Body to conduct surveys, gather facts and identify problems that need to be addressed and strategies to overcome them. 

These comments are my own and not necessarily those of BANSW or any members.

Geoff Moore, 
Secretary BANSW

Junior Brass Crisis

At this year's Australian Nationals (2008) there are only five junior brass bands entered. This is a major problem as it reflects how few juniors there are.
 
Competing not just with the bands but at solos is decreasing.  The juniors are the future of the brass banding world and without them there will be no nationals or state or any brass banding activity in the future.
 
If something is not done now things in the banding community will collapse, even if people believe that too much emphasis is put on nationals and 'that there are other ways for bands to improve'. This is true but Nationals is a main event and is good for children in many ways.
 
The Nationals is good for children as it gives them a chance to hear the top players, it allows them to see that other people play brass instruments and it allows them to see their progress and the bands over the years.
 
Brass bands generally have limited funding and it is very expensive for those bands that have both Junior and Senior bands. It's hard to get both bands to competitions and generally bands will sacrifice juniors as they can be put in with the seniors.
 
There are many ways to overcome the lack of funding. Fundraising is the main way to get enough money to go to nationals and other competitions.
 
Some fundraising ideas are: A chocolate drive in. Children like selling and eating chocolates and they tend to be easy to sell.
 
Carols at Christmas, try to get involved in carols by candlelight, or organise small groups of 5-10 players from within the band who take turns in going and playing simple carols at a busy place, busking.
 
Busking can be done any time of year individually or in groups.
 
Selling raffle tickets, and asking parents and local businesses to donate prizes.
 
 If individuals sell many raffle books half the proceeds could go to the band and half could go towards their personal travel expenses, encouraging people who don't want to pay to sell lots of raffle books.
 
Well advertised concerts, with proceeds going to the band.
 
Having things on special days of the year, e.g. Melbourne cup parade and lunch. Clothes for the parade being borrowed from local stores.
 
As a member of a band from a small town, our committee raises funds to take our band to both State and Nationals, last year it cost approximately $22,000 to go to Melbourne.
 
Our band is also in the position of having to travel to every competition that the band attends and we have no advantage of a home competition which means organising accommodation and travel expenses.
 
Having an organised and committed committee with people suited for their jobs, i.e. the treasurer should be able to spot where the band is losing money. Don't pay the committee people.
 
Getting Parents involved with the band, having them involved with the committee, fundraising and having them come along to concerts and competitions.
 
Getting the local schools involved and developing relationships with the schools and going to Primary schools and conducting the band during appropriate times.
 
Encouraging the children to get their friends involved and starting children at about the age of eight or seven, when they get their permanent front teeth, also encourage the primary schools to encourage children to join the band.
 
Encourage high school music teachers to run a brass band and/or concert band.
 
Leading up to competitions practise twice a week for good results, for better results hold a few weekend workshops. You could even invite a guest conductor to run your band through your pieces.
 
Places that have only a senior band, try to encourage young players to join, and try to start a junior band.
 
Encourage children to compete in solos at State, Nationals, Hunter and any other competitions that are run like eisteddfods. Competing in solos helps build technique, confidence, sound quality and other things which will also help in band playing.
 
There used to be a youth state band, this should be started again. People would audition by tape or by other means, and the best players would be selected from around the state. This band would then meet for a few weekend workshops, then go on tour and hold concerts around the capitals and in regional areas where the bands are based.
 
Juniors need to increase in numbers otherwise there will be no band world no competitions and no brass bands in Australia. People need to act now and help find a way to keep brass banding alive.

Emily Hansen

A bass tuba is a bass tuba

With reference to the recently announced tuba solo test pieces for the NSW State Championships, I again raise the point that the music should be chosen for the instrument - not the clef.

F and Eb tubas are bass tubas
C and Bb tubas are contrabass tubas

Why are we so fixated on whether a particular instrument is played in a brass band or a concert band or whether the sheet music is in treble clef or bass clef?

The test for the "Eb" tuba section is Vaughan Williams' Concerto for Bass Tuba - isn't there a small hint there? I'm sure that Ralph didn't write this work in treble clef for Eb bass players in brass bands! No doubt it was written in bass clef...for the bass tuba...and, I would hasten to add, that he probably didn't concern himself with the type of band the soloist chooses to play in.

Much tenor trombone solo music has been performed by trombonists reading treble clef or bass clef. Try specifying treble or bass clef for trombone if the test is Stojkowski's Fantaisie. It has clef changes throughout. Why are tenor trombone tests not segregated by clef in the same way that tuba solos are?

What is a concert tuba? Is this an attempt to provide for tubists who play in concert bands? Why bother?

Let's get serious about this stuff. A bass tuba is a bass tuba, and a contrabass tuba is a contrabass tuba. Hands up those Eb and Bb tubists from brass bands who can't read bass clef. Just set the test piece (preferably a piece composed for tuba) and let the soloists work out the clef. There are many works out there that are published in both treble and bass clefs.

By the way, the same should apply to euphoniums (tenor tubas) - just set the piece (preferably a piece composed for euphonium) and let the soloists work out the clef.

Chris Bowman
Southbank, Vic

Apology to Mr Jarman

I wish to apologise to Mr Jarman, I spoke incorrectly. 
 
The point I wished to make was that brass band players' noses were out of joint for not having a real brass band at the Nationals.  I was highlighting the fact that the Nationals is not just a brass band event, and as such, no-one is obliged to just put brass bands in the gala concert.
 
However I feel, and not just by the tone of your comments, that the opinion is concert bands get the wrong end of the stick at the Nationals.  I wish I could do something to aid your plight. 
 
If you have any ideas you wish to discuss, please feel free to hunt me down in Brisbane.  I'll be only too happy to listen, discuss, debate et cetera.
 
Regards
Chris Allen
BBb Bass
Capricornia Silver Band (Look for Royal Blue coats with bow ties!!!)

Planning Success

Quote: Chris Bowmen’s “Carl Riseley is a clever choice. Congratulations on being in touch with today. (I wouldn't be surprised to see - and hear - dozens of teenage girls in the audience)."

Re: absence of a brass band - would it be more realistic to suggest most competing bands especially A Grade Brass Bands might be intending to rehearse the night before the contest, especially bands that are traveling from interstate on the Friday. Most bands like to have that last final full band rehearsal. Thus in this years case not attending the Gala Concert let alone required to perform at one.  Having said that then, it is a very smart move on before of the organizing committee to have organized the well credentialed performers they have.

For example, this is first time my non Brass playing 21 year old daughter has expressed the thought of even attending a Nationals Gala concert.

My prediction will be at least 50% or more of the audience will attend that may well not have attended because Carl Riseley’s on the bill.

The planning sounds like it will be a great success to me.

Steve Ford
Kew Band Melbourne

Concert bands displaced

In response to Chris Allen’s comment, I am a member of a Concert Band and am disappointed that the gala concert will be showcasing "Brass Ensembles" this year. No doubt it will be an entertaining event for those attending but yet again Concert Bands are being "displaced".
 
The National Band Championships is an event for both Concert Bands and Brass Bands. We (Concert bands in general) work just as hard, rehearse every week, sometimes twice in the weeks before the big day, and have much as fun at the pub too!.
 
Last year our band was the only Concert Band to march in the street march. We were even inspected and apparently scored for our music but yet we didn’t get a mention and no score!
 
I will be attending the Nationals this year and look forward to listening to the Concert Bands and Brass Bands (Especially A Grade).
 
Please go and watch the Concert Bands before the Gala concert because I’m sure you’ll be entertained.
 
Steve Jarman
Unley Concert Band
SA

Showcase to raise  $$

Any State Body that organizes a Gala Concert during the Nationals should be aiming to ‘showcase’ a particular line up of artists with the objective of attracting a particular audience to raise some dollars.

In my opinion, the 2008 concert has a terrific line up of artists and I hope the QBA make a huge profit from it. They deserve to.

However, holding a Gala concert with the aim of drawing an audience to the main event /attracting an audience to the contests is expecting the near impossible. In saying that I make no criticism of those who think that there is a link between holding a Gala Concert and attracting a audience to the Solo and On-stage events, but it is basically as crazy as the idea of holding a compulsory Parade of Bands to promote the rest of the events. The concepts are flawed. Very flawed and in fact wrong.

For example (as a comparison) it can be asked: which company / business (ignoring the concept of switch selling) would promote one product to gain sales of another? For example promote a particular brand of motor vehicle aiming to sell both cars and tyres. Sure every car needs tyres but the ‘target market’ for new cars (complete with tyres) is different from the ‘target market’ for tyres. Watch an ad on television for toothpaste and ask: ‘What are they aiming to sell?’ The answer is not tooth brushes.

If a State Body is going to attract a decent audience to the On-Stage events or to the Parade of Bands, then they have to develop marketing strategies to achieve those objectives. Running a Gala Concert won’t do it for them although an audience may be attracted to advertising for a concert and then see the contest information. But people standing on a street corner watching a parade of bands won’t rush off to buy tickets to a solo contest (which in all likelihood took place 2 days earlier!) and they won’t be rushing off to the brass band events that afternoon (if that is when they are being held).

Maybe the NBCA has to sit down and work out ‘what they are trying to achieve’ and develop some marketing strategies that will actually achieve the objectives of attracting an audience to all National events.

Geoff Moore, Secretary
BANSW, 
however, please note that these comments my own and are not necessarily those of BANSW Committee or members.

Why do we need a brass band?

Just seeking a clarification -
 
Why are we so adamant we need a brass band feature in the gala concert this year?  I thought the Nationals was a BAND contest - brass and concert bands???  So Brass ensembles featuring trumpets and horns surely be a problem. 
 
Also - Brass bands played in the gala concert last year....  how were the concert band audiences involved?  What about the year before?  I attended that one myself - damn fine show, but no concert bands!!!
 
Finally - Carl Risely is a brass band musician - even if he isn't playing in a brass band for this gig, I don't think it's gonna be a bad show!!!
 
So at the end of the day, I think this year's gala concert isn't the traditional gala concert, but it's doing the job it's meant to - are you NOT going to be entertained????

Chris Allen

Congratulations - but disappointing

If the aim of the Gala Concert is to promote our movement to the public, and hopefully draw them into the "main event", then concert producers need to present the diversity of our movement to maximum effect. Long gone are the days when Joe Public will pay money to sit and listen to two hours of just brass band music.

Carl Riseley is a clever choice. Congratulations on being in touch with today. (I wouldn't be surprised to see - and hear - dozens of teenage girls in the audience).

Having congratulated the producers for taking this progressive step, I feel that the absence of a brass band is disappointing, and somewhat ignores (snubs?) the majority of those participating in the Championships.

Chris Bowman
Southbank, Vic

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