core band attenders

[smaca]

There have been many debates/discussions on the downward trends with regards to competing bands in Scotland, as well as dwindling amount of players. Even the "bigger " bands in the UK, are now constantly guesting players at contests and bringing in deps for concerts. I believe in recent years guests allowed changed form 2 to 4 to help ensure bands would participate in contests.

Based on the above, I am interested to know what other bands have in terms of the amount of core players they have at each rehearsal. I realise most bands will have probably the 25 brass players signed,but what is the average attendance at each rehearsal? I personally find the situation is getting worse, to the point now it,s nearly impossible to have an enjoyable musical rehearsal due to the amount of empty seats.

[lauradoll]

Last night we had:
3 solo cornets (1 seat vacant)
No sop- working away this week
Rep, 1 second (one vacant seat) 1 third (other third on holiday)
No flugel (vacant seat)
Solo horn (1st on holiday, 2nd ill)
No euphoniums (1 vacant, 1 on holiday)
2 baritones
4 trombones
1 Eb (one ill)
1 Bb (one vacant)
2 percussion

When I looked around at the rehearsal last night I was pretty disheatened but when you acually write it down like that, there were reasons why people were missing. Obviously the vacant seats are a problem (5 seats in the band) but people being ill, at work or on holiday really can't be helped. We've got a big miners gala down here at the weekend and since every band in a 30 mile radius is doing the same gala then getting deps has been a nightmare. (Any Euphoniums and Bb bass players not doing anything on Saturday, fancy a trip to Durham??) I think that this year especially, rehearsals can become a chore, (it's nice outside, really warm in the bandroom, people missing, something on the TV you quite fancy) so it's easy to become a bit aggrived or disheartened but also think that if you know why people are missing, it's fair enough. If people aren't turning up and not contacting anyone to let them know why they won't be there then this is a separate issue. I was missing from both rehearsals last week because of work but let the band know. Things like that are unavoidable but people simply not turning up without a reason aren't. That's simply bad manners.

I was talking to someone in another band I was depping for recently and we had a pretty similar conversation as the first paragraph above. He is of the "old school" player but was also saying the same thing, as he can remember the days when it was 1. Band 2. Work 3. Family, but people's priorities have changed, including his own.

Anyway, enough from me!

[smaca]

Hi Laura, Thanks for input. I agree on the work/ill/family situations, but with me being the cynical type, I believe these are excuses frequently used which sometimes are not genuine.(I have caught people out using one of the above and found out they went to a football match/party/ night out with their friends).

I also agree on the bad manners bit where people simply don,t show with no phone call prior to rehearsal.Thats very disrespectful to others in the band who have turned up to try and enjoy rehearsal.Hope miners gala day goes well.

[trmbboy]

We kinda have the same problem at the moment, I have to agree with Laura that this time of year really doesn't help. I think I have heard every excuse in the book now.

Sometime I think I must just be really sad putting band before other things i.e pub/tv/ill... but I still cant find it in myself to miss a night off.

We have tried all sorts to improve numbers but at the end of the day I don't think its possible as people have different priorities in life.

[lauradoll]

We HAD a rep player who had 5 burst pipes or water leaks in 4 weeks. He is no longer the rep player........

[James McFadyen]

As a family man now, and not really one to nip down the pub, Band is my regular me-time, we all need it.

Band numbers rise and fall and yes, there's the core players who are always there (that's me!) banding is a hobby and perhaps it needs more public awareness or probably more to the point, public appreciation. Will numbers rise then?

[Naomi McFadyen]

jamesmcfadyen said:

banding is a hobby and perhaps it needs more public awareness or probably more to the point, public appreciation. Will numbers rise then?

No, lol.


....People need to realise that yes, banding is a hobbie and other things *do* come first; family; work; uni etc.... Remember not so long ago about a certain well known dude conductor man who left his band because of low numbers....

Cest la vie people! No band is perfect.... well, from the exception of Dyke.... I guess.