dave
Piano
Posts: 24
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Post by dave on Aug 25, 2006 9:40:37 GMT
Many many years ago when I was with Peebles band we had this idea that if the people would not come to the band concerts then we would take the concerts to them. So, a series of concerts were organised in the surrounding villages. The project was a great flop as very few people attended - in fact one concert got ONE person attending and as the old joke goes "he was waiting to lock up the hall"
This was back in the late 70's but would it be different today ?. Having been fortunate to have played and conducted for a time in and around Yorkshire the two things that are very different to Scotland are these. 1) Bands are far more busy with almost regular concerts and park jobs throughout the year and 2) they are generally well attended.
Now I don't know why this is but I know that most Scottish bands are not as busy as they used to be. Maybe it is time to try and take the mountain to Mohamed again. Why not try organising more concerts and seeing if we can entice people back to listening to live brass bands more. These days we all have decent PC's to print off our own posters and tickets and you can usually find a church hall for very little money so there are no great cost implications to puting on a concert. After all is this not why we do it in the first place, to rehearse and perform ?
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smaca
Mezzo forte
Posts: 66
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Post by smaca on Aug 25, 2006 10:31:09 GMT
With me being a bit of a bore nowadays(not had a drink in 16 years), all I do is listen to bands when I go to contests. Last year I sat and listened to every band at The Scottish Open and thoroughly enjoyed it. I do this most contests if I am not on stage or preparing for going on stage. As said earlier, during these contests it is amazing how few people actually sit in hall and listen to performances.(Hope this doesn,t sound like I am a saint, its just I enjoy doing this)
Contests are also social events, where old/current friends meet up and enjoy talking about old times,which on most instances invloves a wee sherbert or two!How to get people into the hall and out of the pubs for some of the day, I have no idea. I suppose at the end of the day it is entirely up to the individual how they relax and enjoy contest days. It's a difficult one this, and I honestly not sure how to reslove it.
PS
If anyone wants off the bevvy and want to listen to bands instead, give me a shout and I may be able to help!Kirkie I am sure started as a Recobite Band(against the demon drink) so they had the right idea!I believe even today the current players have maintained their founder members principles???
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Post by bruceg on Aug 25, 2006 11:23:57 GMT
PS If anyone wants off the bevvy and want to listen to bands instead, give me a shout and I may be able to help!Kirkie I am sure started as a Recobite Band(against the demon drink) so they had the right idea!I believe even today the current players have maintained their founder members principles??? Not the ones that I've met ;D
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bigd
Piano
Posts: 13
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Post by bigd on Aug 25, 2006 11:29:35 GMT
I've hesitated to reply to this as, as someone mention on another thread, it's not easy when people can't detect the tone of voice you are using when it's in writing. I teach in schools and have done for fifteen years now. (Should be due for parole soon!) It's getting harder and harder to get pupils to attend things as they are being pulled in more and more directions by more and more people. For example, one pupil of mine attends:
One lesson a week School Wind Band School Jazz Band Quartet Regional Brass Band Regional Orchestra Regional Jazz Band Local (Contesting) Brass Band twice a week. NYBBS Courses
This pupil is also doing Standard Grade music, and sits a grade exam once a year. All this on top of his academic studies, and other interests.
The rules are (apparently, I don't make them up) that the pupil must attend one school group and one regional group or his lessons would be stopped. This pupil would, I am quite sure, attend anyway.
He was started on a school instrument, and was encouraged to join the local band when ready. The school also helped the local band out with some old instruments when they were starting up a junior band.
All the above inevitably leads to clashes, and I have to say that the school almost always comes second, although it has improved in the last year.
I haven't counted, but I reckon I have over 20 current pupils playing in local bands.
People who know me would know I will always try to support bands in any way i can, but sometimes my hands are tied. At work I can't bring in deps if someone has another commitment on the night of a concert, we have to go with what we have, or cancel. I also have no choice if a regional concert is arranged for the Thursday before the scottish open. (for example!!!)
Perhaps bands in general should be asking what they can do to help schools, rather than asking why the schools don't support them all the time. Maybe more liason between SBBA and the education community (both ways) is needed?
(I hope if the people involved in the local band I'm talking about read this, they will know where I'm coming from! They are better than most and no slur is intended!)
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Post by bruceg on Aug 25, 2006 11:49:37 GMT
No worries about anyone detecting tone of voice in your post there David. That came across as a straightforward statement of the facts mixed with a little frutration that comes from being stuck in middle of the various factions.
For me it was very refreshing to see how things look from a different vantage point. Since it's mainly banders that are posting wearing their "band hat" the views do become somewhat skewed. Thanks for tipping the balance in the other direction and giving us some further points to think about and debate.
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Post by dafyddapiago on Aug 25, 2006 14:02:41 GMT
One lesson a week School Wind Band School Jazz Band Quartet Regional Brass Band Regional Orchestra Regional Jazz Band Local (Contesting) Brass Band twice a week. NYBBS Courses This pupil is also doing Standard Grade music, and sits a grade exam once a year. All this on top of his academic studies, and other interests. The rules are (apparently, I don't make them up) that the pupil must attend one school group and one regional group or his lessons would be stopped. This pupil would, I am quite sure, attend anyway. Hi BigD, How many of his school activities are in school time? The pupil, like yourself, must be very talented. Also like yourself he must be very gentle and has difficulty saying "NO". He is in 3 regional ensembles and IMHO these are too many for a young man with exams. When is he going to get the time to do his private practice; which is essential for a talented young musician; and revise all his other subjects? There are empire builders in educational music centres as there are in brass bands, and he must learn to say NO to them. Give my love to all the family. Dafydd ap Iago
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bigd
Piano
Posts: 13
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Post by bigd on Aug 25, 2006 14:27:39 GMT
Thanks David.
It's a big worry to me that these pupils are doing too much. Some of them are seasonal and things like the quartet are at lunchtimes etc, but it's difficult to balance it all.
I'm in no way saying schools are always right though. I've known (and know) schools which still see the cloth cap image of bands. My answer to that in my school, years ago, was to get The Co over. It was when I was still playing and was the week before the Nationals and New Jerusalem. I can still remember the almost dazed look on the PT's face at the interval. He couldn't believe a Band could do that! His attitude changed for the better after that. ( As an aside, in the middle of that performance, when the conductor pointed off-stage for 'God' to start, the school bell rang. It was some time before the band could try starting again!)
I think if some of our top bands were willing (perhaps with financial backing from SBBA?) to target selected schools, it might help. Was there not talk of a development officer at one stage?
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Post by dafyddapiago on Aug 25, 2006 14:43:00 GMT
I think if some of our top bands were willing (perhaps with financial backing from SBBA?) to target selected schools, it might help. Was there not talk of a development officer at one stage? That's an excellent idea David, and I'm sure it would get support from some of the instrumental co-ordinators as many of them are brass players or former brass players. Maybe Newtongrange or Whitburn could do the East side and the Co-op or Kirkie do the West side. I suggest this be put to the President of Vice, the right honourable, the Lord Fraser of Milton of Campsie. ;D Dafydd ap Iago
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