NABBA Results?

[David Zerkel]

Any news/reports from Louisville?

[ufoneum]

http://www.4barsrest.com/news/detail.asp?id=2977

- Pat Stuckemeyer

[Tubadork]

WOO HOO!!


Bill

[Steve Marcus]

Congratulations to Georgia Brass Band on your big win in the Challenge Section--at your first NABBA appearance! I was in Prairie Brass Band in 1998 when they won the Challenge Section in their first NABBA appearance, so I can appreciate how excited you are.

It was great to see Andy, Bill and Jerry from GBB's tuba section. Jerry, thank you so much for letting me have a blow on your magnificent 6/4 Holton!

Steve Marcus
Music Director and Tuba, Chicago Brass Band Players

[Steve Marcus]

Anyone who can fill in the missing details, please do:

Youth Solo

1. Ryan Vanaman, Atlantic BB
2. Terri Williams, Triangle Youth BB
3. Ted Oliver, Triangle Youth BB

Adult Percussion Solo

1. Carolyn Trowbridge, JMU (James Madison University)
2. Michael Overman, JMU
3. Daniel Karras, JMU

Adult Low Brass Slow Melody

1. Diana Herak, BB of Columbus
2. Will Hess, Fountain City BB
3. Mark Fabulich, New England BB

Adult Low Brass Technical

1. Lee Harrelson, Fountain City BB
2. Samuel Funkhouser, JMU
3. Brad Say, Chicago BB

Adult High Brass Slow Melody

1. Doug Reneau, Fountain City BB
2. Arthur Myers, Atlantic BB
3. Kevin Maloney, New England BB

Adult High Brass Technical

1. Randall Tinnin (no band affiliation)
2. Alan Wenger, Fountain City BB
3. Brain Appleby-Wineburg, Atlantic BB

Youth Brass Ensemble

1. Triangle Youth Quintet
2. Triangle Youth Tuba Quartet

Adult Brass Ensemble

1. Chicago Brass Band Players, Chicago BB
2. Hotcha McGotcha, Illinois BB
3. Atlantic Brass Sextet, Atlantic BB


Steve Marcus
Musical Director and Tuba, Chicago Brass Band Players

[GC]

When Georgia Brass took the stage, there was something different in the air. It was like something electric; they were so eager and dead-on focused that it was almost palpable. Sometimes a group gets so wound up before a performance that they crash onstage or go out of control. This was the opposite: they were in total control and focused like a laser. GBB is loaded with excellent players, and they played their hearts out.

The point spreads between first and second places in the other divisions were 0.2, 7.2, 9.6, and 9. The 25.9-point difference between 1st and 2nd in Challenge says it all. Congratulations, GBB, you were the standout of the contest.

[P.J.]

The point spreads between first and second places in the other divisions were 0.2, 7.2, 9.6, and 9. The 25.9-point difference between 1st and 2nd in Challenge says it all. Congratulations, GBB, you were the standout of the contest.

Don't get me wrong...Ga BB is very talented and a very good band, but doesn't the 26 pt spread really just mean that they were in the wrong section?

If you look at there score and New England's, they even got more points...whilst that can't necessarily be transferable, both section did have the same adjudicators.

also...you obviously didn't hear it as you would have been in the other auditorium, but at the exact same time James Madison University gave a fine performance. Fountain City and Columbus also played quite well and I think all three were standouts!

[Tubadork]

[quote="P.J."]

Don't get me wrong...Ga BB is very talented and a very good band, but doesn't the 26 pt spread really just mean that they were in the wrong section?



[quote]

We discussed what section to go in for our first competition and we actually had a couple of members bow out of the competition becuase they thought that we should have been up a level. But, the group and director decided that for our first competetion to take it easy and we weren't even sure if we could pull off a win in the catagory we were in. For me, this was my (along with most of the members was) 1st NABBA and for many in our band , the first time they had ever heard another brass band live before. We also has a really good day, we just happen to peak at the right moment. Believe me, we had a couple of rehersals before the competition, where we were thinking we were going to embarrass ourselves. I think the next time we go we will be up a section (although, I only have a small say in all of it). I had an amazing time up there and got to hear some fantastic bands (Like Fountain City, holy crap they rocked!), meet some really cool folks and just have a great hang. I am sad that it's over, because it means that Andy Smith had to leave our band to take a job in Joplin, MO.
Bill

[TonyTuba]

Don't get me wrong...Ga BB is very talented and a very good band, but doesn't the 26 pt spread really just mean that they were in the wrong section?

This was GBB's first time at NABBA, so there really was no way of knowing what section they should be in. Most start competing in the Challenge section first to see where they stand. NEBB won that division twice I think, before moving up to Honors. The rule is, after 3 wins in a section, you are required to move up. So, GBB can stay in the Challenge section for two more years. This will build confidence and enthusiasm as they work towards higher goals. NEBB is a great example of this.

You could make a case for GBB to be in the Honors division, but that really is up to the Director based on the music selected for next year's competition. My congratulations goes to GBB and Joe Johnson.

Fellow Tuba player Kevin Stees directed two bands, both coming in second place( Massanuten in Challenge, JMU in Championship). JMU was solid, and played with a lot of excitement. I was also blown away by Fountain City BB. The Cincinnati Youth Brass was the highlight for me, though. They were spectacular. Man did they have a great sound, and a lot of power. In their third year, they are just phenomenal.

It was a good weekend for brass playing.

[Tubadork]

He is Tony Granados

Sorry,
it was a running joke all weekend with the GBB tuba section,
Bill

[GC]

PJ:

It could mean that they went in too low a class, but first year groups don't know what to expect until they actually compete. They could probably have gone in a higher class, and the post a couple of steps above explains their reasons. I still feel that they did a fantastic job for their first year and were standouts because of the sheer musicality of their performance. Maybe I made too big a deal over the point spread, but I think that's a reflection of the judges' recognition of the remarkable musicianship of the group as an eitity rather than the difficulty of the music. I think that they could have done very well in the next class up, too.

That doesn't mean that I thought that they played better than everyone else. I was floored by the performance level of the four Championship bands that the schedule allowed me to hear, and I wasn't able to hear either of the 1st and 2nd place bands.

Still, I think that for any band to come to their first contest and play like they did made them standouts.

[P.J.]

That doesn't mean that I thought that they played better than anyone else. I was floored by the performance level of the three Championship bands that the schedule allowed me to hear, and I wasn't able to hear either of the 1st and 2nd place bands.

Thanks for the clarification. I have been a Georgia Band supporter from afar from sometime now, regularly checking their website (since I have family in Gwinett county). I even had some nice chats with your MD Joe Johnson this weekend.

Sorry if I seemed out of place with my comments, I just felt my band played pretty well and wasn't yet ready to come back down to earth.

PJ Herak
EEb Bass
BB Columbus

[Steve Marcus]

Robert and PJ,

It was a great weekend. There was so much admirable music making on our brass instruments. GBB and BBC epitomized that. It was also a pleasure to attend a NABBA that was so well organized; thank you and congratulations to the hosts at Indiana University Southeast!

Despite being disappointed with our band's ranking, the president of Chicago Brass Band sent the following message to the members of the band. It truly elucidates the purpose of brass band competition, at least as it now exists in the US:

I'd like to say that I think it was a good day for NABBA.  The
bands are getting better very quickly and the NABBA title is still the most
sought-after prize in American brass banding.  The performances at the
solo/ensemble event was at a very high level.  The contest was run very
well, I thought, and I'm glad that it will be at the same place next year.

My take on the weekend in general is that NABBA is improving, the competition is getting fierce, and actually we are improving, too.  The disappointing result does not mean we're going backwards.  We're not.  As a band we have come a long way from last September, and we've worked really hard.  Our commitment has never been higher, and I'm certain that we all have strong personal feelings about the band.  Every person I talked to at the party had positive things to say about the band.  We all know we did our best, and it was a performance we were happy with for the most part.

There are many musicians, and even entire bands who decide that the struggle to keep improving is just not worth it, that they should accept where they are and just enjoy the view from their final plateau.  Not so with our band. Being a musician in CBB means we never stop trying to get better.  All of our hard work did pay off.  We're a better band for having done it.  Thank you, all of you, from the bottom of my heart.

[P.J.]

I think you folks hit the nail on the head. It was a great weekend and part of the reason was hearing so much good music played at everybody's best level.

I started by listening to the first three challenge section bands and I enjoyed Roman Festival Brass as much as anybody.

Then I listened to the last five championship section bands. It's not often you can here fantastic works (like Masquerade, Pageantry, Paganini, Blitz and Journey to the Centre of the Earth) played well on the same day!!

It was one of our tenor horn players first NABBAs and after every performance his jaw nearly hit the floor!!

[jtuba]

Does this mean I can put GBB on my resume?

Former 2nd/3rd EEb GGB - 2003-4

[Tubadork]

Oh yeah man!
Bill

[chhite]

Does this mean I can put GBB on my resume?

Former 2nd/3rd EEb GGB - 2003-4

Once you're in, you can NEVER leave the family.

RC
BBb Bass - GBB

Thank goodness! From a founding member, it's great to see where the group has come in seven years. My wife and I had a great three years with the group and we're also proud of the current lineup and their recent success. Our then infant daughter spent many an evening at rehearsals and she developed a taste for brass banding and would even furrow her brow when anything but brass music was playing.

Great job GBB as well as the other groups that performed. Maybe one of these days I'll get to experience one of the competitions.

[Louis]

No surprise with New England BB. Their performance of Year of the Dragon I'm sure put them over the top.

I agree - first rate stuff. One of the quickest standing ovations I've seen in a while. Their solo cornet and solo trombone were on fire! Great performance, and that after a solid rendition of "Spectrum" too. I only heard three of the four Honors bands (mine being one), but I couldn't imagine NEBB being beaten after I heard this.

Ken, it was very nice meeting you. Thank you for searching me out and introducing yourself, and thank you for listening to our performance. Sorry if I seemed harried and distracted... It was right after we played when we met and we were all buzzing a little I think.

I think we came away disappointed to score as we did, but certainly the experience overall was a good one and we're already planning to return. I think the band felt collectively good after we completed our playing (we went first), kind of like we had accomplished something regardless of whatever the results were going to be. And the 12-hour bus ride was very nice too - just chatting things up and building camaraderie in the band. An experience to build upon for certain...

Congratulations to all the victors!

Louis DeVizia
(Princeton Brass Band)