Here's my question: Where do we judges factor in "goosebumps"? It's hard to achieve, especially when one sees band after band... but sometimes you get them!
Today, most competitive bands design their first 60 seconds to include 10-second technical bursts from woodwinds, brass, and then percussion (usually in that order). Shows seem to be moving more in the direction of technical achievement.
Recently I was fortunate enough to attend a shared concert by two of the best brass bands in the world, the Cory and the Black Dyke Band, while visiting in the UK. Their commissioned, required competition pieces remind me of our modern marching programming -- notes flying off the page, within a very short performance window of time.
When judging, I usually get goosebumps from expressive lyrical playing, sometimes very loud, sometimes very soft. So... what about those goosebumps?
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