The Scottish Brass Band Association (SBBA) has announced the establishment of its new 'Passport to Adjudication' programme.

Members of the SBBA executive committee recently voted unanimously in favour of embracing the scheme following a presentation by Nigel Durno, Bruce Fraser and John Mabon — all of who have considerable experience of working with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) — and were responsible for its development.

Passport to Adjudication

The 'Passport to Adjudication' programme will take effect from the 2016 Scottish Championships, and is designed to provide both bands and conductors with an unprecedented amount of evidence detailing how each adjudication has been arrived at.

It also aims to widen the pool of adjudicators, equipping them with the skills and experience necessary to judge other events in Scotland and beyond.

Criteria based system

The criteria-based system involves using a booklet which requires two adjudicators to reflect on every aspect of a band's performance.

These will include tuning and sound quality; tightness of the ensemble; rhythmic accuracy; dynamic content; articulation; musicality and the quality of soloists.

Tick boxes

Under each heading, judges choose from a wide spectrum of quality indicators to show the extent to which a band's performance did or did not satisfactorily meet the necessary criteria, ticking the appropriate boxes.

There is also space in the booklet for adjudicators to write any additional comments they may feel beneficial.

To determine the score received by a band, the adjudicator's marks are added together and divided by two. That figure is added to 120 to give a score out of 200.

As part of the 'Passport to Adjudication' programme, competing bands will also receive one quality stereo recording of their performance with a voiceover adjudication to offer detailed, insightful and real-time feedback.

Training

To ensure adjudicators are comfortable with the scheme, they will also take part in a training event prior to the Scottish Championships. For the 2016 event, the adjudicators have already been booked with those responsible for the Fourth Section already asked to attend the course.

In future years, it is expected that the adjudicators for sections using the programme will be chosen from those who have taken part in the training day.

The event will enable participants the chance to become comfortable with all aspects of the adjudication booklet and the voiceover adjudication process, after which they will receive an award to say they have completed the SBBA Passport to Adjudication programme.

Implementation

The Fourth Section will make use of the new system in 2016 while it is anticipated that it will be used for the Third in 2017 and the Second in 2018.

Nigel Durno, who helped develop the Passport to Adjudication progamme told 4BR: "With little or no change to the system of adjudication used at brass band contests over the past 100 years, a change that brings about greater transparency and a more objective approach is long overdue.

Applications will be invited from suitably qualified people (brass band conductors and instrumental teachers) to attend the training day in January 2016.

Here, the delegates will learn to use the new system working with scores and recorded live performances of the 2016 Fourth Section test piece.

What better preparation can there be for adjudication?"

With little or no change to the system of adjudication used at brass band contests over the past 100 years, a change that brings about greater transparency and a more objective approach is long overdueNigel Durno

Different versions

He added: "The SBBA Passport to Adjudication team has developed versions of the system that are appropriate for solo and quartet contests, entertainment contests as well as the traditional set test piece competition

Performers get a very detailed snapshot of how their performances unfolded on the day. With the yearly step by step delivery of the programme combined with annual reviews, it is anticipated that this new system will rapidly gain widespread acceptance across the whole brass band world in the foreseeable future."

Delighted

Meanwhile, SBBA President Carrie Boax added: "SBBA is delighted to announce the exciting 'Passport to Adjudication' programme, which I firmly believe will offer bands the chance to receive invaluable comments to help develop and improve performances.

SBBA already supports voiceover adjudication and I am proud we are giving bands the opportunity to benefit from constructive, immediate feedback which pinpoints precisely the aspects of a performance which excelled and suggests areas of improvement while that performance is being listened to."

Opportunities

She added: "SBBA is also keen to provide training opportunities for its members and we aim to produce a strong pool of adjudicators from the Passport to Adjudication programme.

As we strive to be even more transparent with the invaluable input from Nigel Durno, Bruce Fraser and John Mabon, we believe this innovative adjudication process will be welcomed by brass bands in Scotland who are always keen to receive quality, written feedback and hear their actual performances analysed.

The Passport to Adjudication promises to make the contest experience better for everyone involved."