Directors and Adjudicators: Be Realistic, Be Fair and Be Excited
By Daniel Galloway, TMAA Marching Band Vice President | Tuesday, October 02, 2012 1:15 PM
As this marching band season unfolds, I find I have the unique opportunity to reflect on this activity from three different points of view. First, as a director of a competitive marching band program; second, as an active adjudicator for multiple contests; and finally, as a parent of a student in a marching band program. And, wearing these three hats has tempered my perspective as a director and as an adjudicator. It all boils down to being realistic, being fair and being excited.
As a director I truly believe that setting achievable, educational goals is essential. One must be realistic about the learning curve that will be required to refine the content of a show. All too often I have watched a band attempt to perform a 7:50 show and fall short of a superior rating when a better executed seven-minute show would have easily been rated a Division One.
Designing and developing shows that are attainable by the band as a whole is imperative. This is not to suggest that you do not challenge your students. However, there is often a fine line between a realistic challenge for students and a goal that is unattainable.
Many times, we allow outside forces to drive decisions pertaining to show design and our expectations. Then, when we do not attain the appropriate achievement levels, musically or visually, the blame falls on our students. Remember, it is you, the director who is with your students every day. It is you, not the outside show designer and drill writer that realistically understands what your students can master. You must challenge yourself to be vigilant in determining realistic expectations for your individual students as well as your program as a whole.
As judges, we also need to have a realistic perspective. Sometimes, I believe we think that perfection is the only acceptable level of achievement. Perfection can be the ultimate goal within the UIL rubric system, but it must not be the only criterion for adjudication. There must be a balanced approach to the judging process. The conference being judged can and will define parameters for performance expectations, not in the sense of a lowering of standards, but via an understanding of realistic expectations in programming.
For example, in our smaller school conferences it is unlikely bands will rehearse eight hours per week; thus, it is unrealistic to expect their shows to be as long or as complex as bands competing in larger conferences. This mindset does not mean that judges should apply a lower standard. It does; however, challenge judges to frame the judging process in context with the conference and marching style of each band in the competition.
The term “be fair” has many connotations for both directors and judges. We need to be fair in our expectations of our students, as stated above, but also be fair in our expectations for ourselves. Too many directors (myself included) fail to take a break and step back from from the grind of marching band to freshen our perspective. Doing so will help each of us cope with the stress of the marching season and with the demeanor we exhibit in our dealings with our students.
Judges need to be fair and judge each group objectively and with consistent reference to the UIL rubric. Such factors as show style, size and reputation should not come into play. Whether the group has 30 students or 300 students; or, marches corp style or military style should never be a factor. UIL judges must provide a fair assessment based on the prevailing UIL performance standards.
In the end, we need to “Be Excited.” We need to be excited for our students, for their progress and for their achievements. In many cases the director’s acknowledgement of a “job well done” means as much or even more than the decision rendered by the judge panel.
As an adjudicator we must challenge ourselves to “Be Excited” as we watch and critique each band’s performance. It should not be “another day at the office.” Students are giving the adjudicators their very best and it is critical that the judges respond in kind. Comments should be positive, informative, constructive and praiseworthy.
We all want the marching season to be positive, educational and rewarding in practice, in performance and in competition. With the mantra “Be Realistic,” “Be Fair,” and “Be Excited” that goal is attainable.