Last Saturday, March 9th, our concert band went to contest.
Contest: where concert bands from around the area perform three pieces of music, one of which was on a required list that the band director could choose from, in front of an audience and three judges. These judges give you a rating of 1-4, 1 being the best, 4 being the worst. After performing, the band goes to another room (usually another bandroom) and does another performance in front of one judge. This is sight-reading. We play a piece of music that is two steps below what we normally play. (Bands are ranked in different "classes" such as: Class AA, Class A, Class B, and Class C...Class AA is very difficult and advanced, Class C is easier and usually smaller concert bands are ranked as Class C.) So, my concert band is a Class C with 42 performers. Back to sight-reading. The band goes in, and music that we haven't practiced or seen before is handed out to each section, then distributed among the performers. The band gets four minutes to discuss the music among the sections (i.e. I'm the French Horn section leader, so I say "Hey, look for accidentals, we're in the key of concert B flat major so don't forget F naturals and B flats, don't get too loud here, decrescendo there..." and my section can ask me questions like "Hey, what's this rythym, can you sing it to me?"). After those four minutes, we get four more minutes where our band director tells us things and goes over the music as quickly as possible so that we get everything he wants us to watch.
So, last year we got straight one's from the judges. A two in sight-reading (which is pretty good.) This year...we got: 3, 3, 3, and a 4 in sight. It was unfair. So unfair. We had to play in a gymnasium with a shell (which made everyone in the back...percussion, low brass...louder!!!) and everything was so messed up! We deserved at least a two, and I'm not saying that just because I'm in the band. The four in sight was deserved though. But the music we were given was a lot harder than it should've been. -_- So, yes, I thought I'd share this with you. (Needless to say, we aren't going to the State contest like we got to my freshman year...)
If you read this, thank you so much for listening to my informative rant.
Love you all!:)