Last Thoughts as You Finish Preparing for Assessment

Logistics

• Check and double-check transportation. There is nothing worse than a last-minute struggle with buses to throw everyone off their game.

• Check the provided equipment list. The more specific you are, the better. Note the kind of timpani, since different pedals can confuse students, and how many are provided. Confirm the size of the bass drum and tam-tam. These details have an effect that is better to plan for than to wing it.

• Check your own equipment to make sure it is in good order. Have a real checklist, not just for percussion instruments and mallets, but for all other gear as well.

• Check the hall. Is it a gym or a stage? How are the acoustics? Any heads-up about reverb time and live spots can be very helpful. Use this information early to prepare the students on how to adjust.

• Have a music check organized. Make sure all the music is physically there before you leave.

• Judges' scores. Be sure they are clearly numbered so that a judge can see the measures easily. If possible, try to have the score large enough to be easily seen. Obviously, you can only offer what the publishers provide, but if you use "e-print" options, make the copies reasonably large. If you have to use a photocopy of a published score, be sure to document that you have permission. A judge will not lower your score just because the music is hard to read, but making a good first impression is always a good thing.

• Plan your warm-up time. Stay close to your usual routine. You may review, but do not rehearse. Especially do not allow the band, or yourself, to get pulled into a repeated failed attempt. This destroys confidence and will likely lead to a similar negative outcome on stage. Handle tuning specifics in the warm-up room, not on stage. While sounding a unison tuning pitch on stage is fine, going person by person only focuses the judges on your weaknesses. It is better to play a short tuning pitch with a nice, warm, full band sound.

Thoughts on the Music

• Wrong notes. This seems obvious, but I have often judged bands where key signatures, accidentals, and accidentals carrying through measures are missed. There should be no wrong notes like this. Perhaps a single student breaking concentration can happen, but even that is a stretch. Certainly, there might be a missed partial or a cracked note, as those are performance miscues, but notes missed due to careless preparation must be avoided.

• Double-check written dynamics. Do not miss any opportunity to adhere to the composer’s marks. Be sure to create sufficient contrast in volume so that even a listener in the audience without a score knows when there is a change.

• More on dynamics. Work to expand your band’s dynamic range. How soft can you play with a great sound? How loud can you play with a warm sound? As you approach the performance, always defer to great sound. Do not play so soft or loud that you compromise the band’s tone quality.

• Plan your phrasing. The earlier you do this, the better. Be sure students know the phrasing, such as whether their line is rising or falling. As with general dynamics, be sure the phrasing has enough contrast to be clear without being over-acted. Be sure to consider all phrasing possibilities, especially the unwritten phrases that are essential for music to sing.

• Plan and practice the balance of every segment. At every moment, the students should know exactly what their role is in the overall picture. They should know what the desired balance and blend sounds like.

• Ensemble rhythm. Be sure that students are watching when necessary, but also that they know who to listen to. Most ensemble precision issues should be solved by listening and being sensitive to the ensemble’s pulse.

• Intonation. Improving intonation is a long-term and never-ending project. In the short-term preparation for an upcoming performance, you can isolate representative spots and work to get the target sound you want. Singing can help, but remember that singing is an essential part of long-term ear training and less of a last-minute quick fix.