NATIONALLY ACCREDITED QUALIFICATIONS IN PIPING AND DRUMMING
HEAR THE BEST IN THE SOUTH WEST
Focus
RSPBA’s NEW MUSICAL APPRECIATION AND PRESENTATION COMPETITIONSPreparations are well under way for the introduction of the RSPBA’s new Musical Appreciation and Presentation (MAP) format of competition for Grade 4 and Novice Juvenile Pipe Bands at the 5 Major Championships in 2006. The new format will also be used at the Ulster Pipe Band Championships and the English Pipe Band Championships in 2006. It will involve a two-stage competition. In Stage 1, bands will compete in heats of no more than 15 bands, when they will be required to play two 2-parted 2/4 Marches selected from a list of 14 pre-described tunes. They will be adjudicated on the basis of a pre-determined “style and interpretation” (defined as “spirited and lively”) as well as on overall musical effect as a collective “pipe band”. Successful bands will progress to Stage 2, a Final in which they will play a medley of quick march tunes within a time span of 2¾ and 4½ minutes under the normal competition and adjudication rules. Advice has been given to RSPBA member bands and Affiliated Associations on how to prepare for the new competition in the form of an education pack and associated DVD. Seminars were also held during October/November 2005 throughout the UK and in the Republic of Ireland to explain the education pack in greater detail. Arrangements are now in hand to conduct workshops to ensure that the RSPBA’s Adjudicators are fully prepared for the new competition format. The key objective of the project is to improve pipe band performance in the lower grades. The intention is to conduct a full evaluation at the end of 2006 to assess whether the objectives have been met. |