We were delighted to be awarded 7th place in our section (Fourth Section). We hope to continue to build upon this, attract more players and be in an even stronger position for next year.
If you are not familiar with the banding world, you might wonder how it is that Bands can compete.
Bands from across the region come together annually to compete at this contest because it will determine their position in the league tables for the forthcoming year. There are several leagues, much like in football, except that in Banding the positions are determined not over an entire season of games but by this is one performance, at one contest, on one day. A contest for which many hours of home practice and rehearsal time will have been spent in perfecting the performance of the chosen test-piece for that year. Each band plays the same piece and this is selected and announced a few months in advance of contest day.
It can be a very exciting and also a very nerve-racking experience for both conductors and players alike and everything depends on the opinions of the two adjudicators who determine the placings. They are situated within a small curtained area so that they cannot identify which band is playing and they listen to each performance before ranking the bands in the order in which they believe reflects how well the band played.
Not only did we come away with a very pleasing result but it was also a great day out and one of the first times, other than for a drink in the Band Club after practices, that we have been able to be out and have a bit of social time as a Band.