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The Judge's Box |
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Question: Are the bands restricted to any
particular type of music, or can they use whatever they wish as long
as it falls within the parameters of time usage? And how does music
selection impact the judges? |
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Answer: The one great thing about this activity
is the diversity of styles. Bands are free to choose from
classical, pop, Broadway, ethnic, Celtic, hip-hop, country, opera,
wind ensemble, heavy metal . . . the list is ENDLESS! The one thing
that always surprises me as a judge is bands that take a piece of
music that has been “played to death” in previous years but present
it using a fresh approach. I was fortunate to be on the panel last
year at the Florida State Championships. Choctawhatchee HS
performed a program the titled ‘Flip Side’ and used ‘Both Sides Now’
as their ballad. Yes, the title of the song was a perfect fit with
their show title, but they took it to another level. During the
entire piece, the winds played first to the front side, and then to
the back (utilizing “both sides”). They even changed playing
directions (going from one end zone to the other) during some of the
key passages while they were on the move. Subtle nuances such as
these very often can give an older piece of music a “fresh new coat
of paint”. Judges may have a personal preference for one style over
another, but we are trained to “check those biases at the door” when
judging a competition. We don’t care what musical style you choose
to perform as long as you perform it well. |
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for
the Staff, Students, Alumni, Parents and Fans of
Kentucky School Bands. |
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