Adjudication, Assessment, and Contest – Oh My!

A special thanks is extended to John Venesky, retired band director from South Range Jr.-Sr. High School (OH), for his valuable contributions to this article.

Whether your state calls it adjudication, assessment, or contest, preparing a concert band or wind ensemble at any level for these kind of events requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a focus on artistic and technical skills. For some directors, this process and the resulting ratings play a part in their evaluation as a teacher, and can help bolster the school’s perception of the quality of the band program. With so much to do, the path to the performance can be daunting. As the performance dates loom closer on the calendar for the ensemble, here are some reminders and perspective to put students in the best possible position for success.

Choosing Repertoire – While many directors have already selected their repertoire for their ensemble before January, some might still be deliberating as their adjudication/contest opportunity is later in the spring. Early returns from rehearsal may have some directors thinking twice about their selections. Many state lists have hidden gems that can match up to an ensemble’s strength, and minimize exposure to developing sections of the group. Seek out those pieces that challenge their ability to grow and develop as musicians. Even if a nearby school played the piece the year before, directors should make music first decisions that are in the best interest of their own students.

Long-Term and Daily Rehearsal Plans – Map out a weekly plan to help students budget practice time. If students know in two weeks the rehearsal will be focused on measure 35-50, there might be a better chance they prepare those measures ahead of time instead of after the fact. Breaking down rehearsals into focused sections (e.g., warm-ups, technique, sight-reading, and full ensemble work) provides students structure. It is also helpful for the percussion section to know what gear they will need and in what order. The process of advanced decision making on what to rehearse and how much time to spend on that section can alleviate some of the pressure for rehearsal flow management during the school day. It also makes sure that enough time has been budgeted to rehearse all sections of the work appropriately and thoroughly.

Prioritize Fundamentals – “Don’t skip leg day!” Continually emphasize tone production, blend, balance, tuning, and rhythmic precision. Intonation can improve over time with use of tuners, drones, singing passages, and unison long tone exercises. Listening is another fundamental that can improve as students actively listen across the ensemble for blend, balance and intonation. A couple of other small techniques that can add variety to this process include:

1. Listen before you play – Ask students to listen for four beats before entering
2. Make a Smoothie – Using a four bar melody or a simple octave scale, have small groups of students on different instruments play and ask the rest of the ensemble to evaluate how the balance needs to adjust or how the articulation needs to be unified so the group can hear a smooth, musical phrase. Encourage constructive critiques and observations.
3. Metronomes and Tuners – Check rehearsal tempos against the tempos in the score as often as possible with a metronome. Set goals for increasing tempos over time if executive/technical skills are still developing. Make tuners available for students to check pitch during rehearsal – if the school permits use of technology, some students may be able to utilize their phone for something other than updating their socials!

Focus on Musical Interpretation – Incorporate elements of expression into the warm-up and connect them to important moments in the repertoire. Using simple scales, experiment with the ensemble by asking them to interpret the expressive gestures they see in the baton (e.g., dynamics, tempo, and articulation). Give the ensemble an easier work to sight-read and ask them to apply their musical expression skills in a situation that matters. Provide recordings of the pieces being rehearsed that have excellent interpretation for the students to reference outside of the rehearsal hall.  Other ideas to help students take ownership of interpretation include might include:

1. Record the Group – Take a moment at each rehearsal to record a specific section that was/will be the focus of the current/next rehearsal. Allow the students to self-evaluate (identify what improved, or what they need to work on) for a minute at the next rehearsal or even utilize the class management platform (e.g., Google Classroom) and have them do it as part of homework.
2. Challenge Student Leaders – Ask top chair students to model or interpret to set a clear standard for other students to aspire. When possible have two or more students perform together for their peers.
3. Who is Voice 1? – During rehearsal, ask students to identify specific parts of the texture like melody, countermelody, harmony, motor rhythm and create a numbering system they can include on their part to remind them of how they are contributing to the overall texture of the piece. Melody is always 1 – other areas of interpretation can be discussed and experimented with based upon the instrumentation of the group.

When Rehearsals Get Tough – When rehearsals get difficult through the process of preparation, there are alternatives that directors can utilize to break up the monotony and allow the ensemble to get a new perspective. Some of these ideas include:

1. Slow Is Steady – Adjust the tempo to something more manageable for the ensemble, string smaller sections together, and loop it back up to tempo. Slow is steady, steady is smooth, and smooth is fast.
2. What to fix first – Develop a personal hierarchy of elements and address the most important issue for the ensemble first. Ask the students for feedback about what aspect of the music is challenging them. Encourage students to be honestly analytical about how and where they need assistance from their director.
3. Change the Approach – Taking the instruments out of the equation, the band can utilize singing, buzzing, “air-play”, and clapping to isolate an issue without having the instrument on the face.
4. Work Backwards – Start rehearsing a piece or a section of music from the last measure. Start the ensemble at a destination moment (e.g., an arrival chord or section) and build backwards towards the beginning rather than starting at the very beginning or start of the section.
5. Compliment/Critique/Encourage – Thank the students for their effort and improvements that were made, provide additional constructive assessment of where they still need to grow, and encourage students to make that adjustment on the next repetition they have. At times, the overuse of error-detection that points out seven different mistakes can be overwhelming for young musicians to process.

Simulate the Adjudication Experience – Many college and university colleagues and retired band directors would be willing to visit a daily rehearsal and provide feedback. Invite guest directors in so students can get a different perspective on their progress. Directors should never be intimidated about this level of collaboration – many guest directors want to see students and bands succeed and their perspective comes from a place of care and encouragement. These guest visits are helpful at any point in the process – sometimes the earlier the better! When possible, recreate the assessment environment by rehearsing on a different stage or in a large space. These opportunities are also a good time to remind students about performance etiquette, including posture, stage presence, and focus.

Logistics – Ensure students understand the schedule, travel details, and required materials (music, instruments, accessories). Be sure to communicate with administration, other teachers, and parents regarding any time that students will miss from school to attend assessment/adjudication/contest. Engage student leaders to assist with pre-performance instrument, music, and uniform (where appropriate) checks.

The important aspect to remember regarding assessment/adjudication/contest is that for the clinicians and judges it is a small snapshot of the rehearsal pedagogy and process an ensemble is put through. Emphasizing quality repetitions, incremental improvement, and encouraging students to give their best effort are daily aspects and interactions that point groups along an upward trajectory. The data – both scores and comments – can be helpful to give a school administrator a better understanding of the rehearsal process that the band utilizes. Not every comment a group receives from a clinician or judge may be valid or fair, but directors are encouraged to accept them with full awareness of the unique context in which they teach and carefully consider about how it can help the band improve. In the life and seasons of a band director, there are always times in which to begin again and the season of adjudication/assessment/contest provides a great opportunity to move the band towards excellence in preparation and performance.