A new contest with an ethos of ‘relaxed support’ is to be organised by former Redbridge MD, Jeremy Wise in Milton Keynes on 30th November.

Breaking down barriers

The Milton Keynes Open which will be held at Stantonbury Campus hopes to reignite interest in local contesting by breaking down barriers to performers and listeners alike, with Jeremy telling 4BR that although he was not looking to reinvent the contest genre, he was hoping to help return it to a more inclusive, enjoyable experience for all concerned.

"I just think we have lost touch with why we wish to make music for other people’s enjoyment — even on a contest stage.

This will be a more relaxed, informal contest approach, although the commitment of the bands to produce top quality music making remains.

The guidelines, not rules, will be there to encourage rather than prohibit. We want to make things supportive, transparent and ultimately more enjoyable for players and listeners alike."

Own choice

The day will open with a ‘B Section’ event that will see Second, Third and Fourth Section bands perform their own choice test piece selections, whilst the ‘A Section’ for Championship/First Section bands will see them perform a march, feature a soloist and play an own choice test piece in a set that should take around 25 minutes.

The contest will have two ‘open’ adjudicators, with introductions about the works, the bands and soloists being made before each performance to give the audience much more information about the competitors.

Little things

Jeremy added: "It’s the little things that can add so much to the enjoyment.

We want to encourage that feeling of ‘relaxed support’, so the bands will be given 30 wristbands to allow players to come in and listen for free, whilst we will only be charging a few quid to the general public.

If people have a good idea about the contest I would love to hear about it.

We will have two outstanding adjudicators and there are excellent facilities at the campus site, but we hope that the approach will encourage more people to sit in a comfortable hall and enjoy the performances with the judges, instead of just making a dash for the bar."

No registration rules

With no arcane registration requirements or prize money incentives to encourage needless mercenary ‘deps’ to be signed up for duty, bands will instead play for pride, constructive adjudication analysis, and hopefully, decent sized audiences in the hall.

Seven top flight bands have already signed up for the A Section event with a good response already received for the B Section contest.

I think everyone wants to enjoy a good contest day, so hopefully this will be the start of something that will work to everyone’s benefitJeremy Wise

Need

"I think there’s been a need for a contest like this for some time, following the end of the old Watford, Reading and Milton Keynes events," Jeremy concluded.

"We have already received support and help, and that will enable us to give the bands an opportunity to show what they have to offer in competition, but to do so in a contest environment that fully understands and encourages their efforts.

If bands want to give it a go, then get in touch. I think everyone wants to enjoy a good contest day, so hopefully this will be the start of something that will work to everyone’s benefit."

Find out more:

If you wish to find out more about the Milton Keynes Open, please contact Jeremy on: jeremy23361@yahoo.co.uk or give him a call on 07887 763438