Post by lauradoll on Oct 13, 2006 19:53:13 GMT
Trophies aside, I'm going to look at it from another point of view (hides behind baritone to protect from the barrage of abuse).
If it costs a band say £400 for the coach for the day, plus at least £200 for random expenses in the run up to the contest (conductor, deps etc) and you're only going to win maybe £200 at the most then I personally would think "why are we going?" If you also look at the other contests happening for top section bands at the same time of the year; the finals on 28th October(Co-Op and Kirky), Brass in Concert, 19th November (Co-Op and Whitburn) then obviously these bands are going to have considerable expenses already, not to mention the Scottish Open.
Trophies are all very well but when you have to report back to trustees/ treasurers/ sponsors with accounts of money paid out and prize money won, some will also ask the question "why did you do that contest?". Our band went to the local contest in November last year, 3 weeks after performing in the finals in London and it cost us over £400 to go counting conductors fees and a mini bus (local job) and won- 3 trophies (yeah) and £75 (woo) but also had to justify why we went to our trustees.
Local contests need local support, I agree with that but I don't agree with people complaining that not enough bands go- yes it would make the competition better and more high profile but some contests do take precedence and money is a big issue in that, no matter how many trophies are up for grabs.
Dear me- what a spiel. Hope it makes sense. Good luck to all the bands competing tomorrow, I'm sure those trophies will look lovely in the winners' cabinets and the beer drunk out of them won't taste like polish........
If it costs a band say £400 for the coach for the day, plus at least £200 for random expenses in the run up to the contest (conductor, deps etc) and you're only going to win maybe £200 at the most then I personally would think "why are we going?" If you also look at the other contests happening for top section bands at the same time of the year; the finals on 28th October(Co-Op and Kirky), Brass in Concert, 19th November (Co-Op and Whitburn) then obviously these bands are going to have considerable expenses already, not to mention the Scottish Open.
Trophies are all very well but when you have to report back to trustees/ treasurers/ sponsors with accounts of money paid out and prize money won, some will also ask the question "why did you do that contest?". Our band went to the local contest in November last year, 3 weeks after performing in the finals in London and it cost us over £400 to go counting conductors fees and a mini bus (local job) and won- 3 trophies (yeah) and £75 (woo) but also had to justify why we went to our trustees.
Local contests need local support, I agree with that but I don't agree with people complaining that not enough bands go- yes it would make the competition better and more high profile but some contests do take precedence and money is a big issue in that, no matter how many trophies are up for grabs.
Dear me- what a spiel. Hope it makes sense. Good luck to all the bands competing tomorrow, I'm sure those trophies will look lovely in the winners' cabinets and the beer drunk out of them won't taste like polish........