Brian Buckley, Secretary of ABBA, returned home during Easter weekend having completed an intense three weeks visit to Hong Kong, where he completed 35 adjudicating sessions at the prestigious Hong Kong Colleges and Schools Music Festival.

Lead adjudicator

Brian was the lead adjudicator in the competitions for wind bands and percussion, as well as being a member of the Panel awarding the Festival's Major Scholarship for Woodwind, Brass and Percussion Instruments.

Dynamic and rhythmic control, coupled with well developed musicality was key to the success of a wide range of combinations of instruments where quality sounds not noise were always well to the foreBrian Buckley

Coveted award

To compete for this much coveted award, the soloists were required to perform, from memory, a 20 minute recital of three contrasting works-one of which being performed unaccompanied. The overall standard of performance was extremely high,with the three prizewinning performances in the Final being truly outstanding.

Percussion ensembles

Brian told 4BR: "The Percussion Ensembles varied in size from 25 to 40 players, with most ensembles playing short programmes from memory, using a wide range of tuned and fixed pitch instruments. Dynamic and rhythmic control, coupled with well developed musicality was key to the success of a wide range of combinations of instruments where quality sounds not noise were always well to the fore!"

Wind bands

There was up to 75 players in the Wind Bands. Playing programmes of up to 35 minutes duration-to include a fixed test piece and usually one other major work for this genre.

The standard of playing was quite phenominal with the own choice music including major works by Philip Sparke (The Year of the Dragon); Stravinsky (Firebird Suite); Jan de Haan (Earthquake) and Stephen Bulla (North Bridge Portrait).

Breathtaking

Brian added: "The speed with which the stage was prepared for each performance was almost breathtaking-different sizes of ensembles, mostly exceeding 50 players, a range of seating patterns and the inevitable percussion positioning was managed with ease, usually well within 3 minutes with all percussion equipment being brought to the stage by each competing Band."

User friendly

He concluded: "Of course, the backstage facilities were far superior and more user — friendly than most of the contest venues I have experienced in the UK.

My visit was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and I will shortly return in an advisory role. Temperatures between 25 and 30`C on a regular daily basis have much to offer and there is too, the music!"