Klarinet Archive - Posting 000267.txt from 1997/01

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Contest music.
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 11:32:58 -0500

On Sun, 19 Jan 1997, Edmund W. White wrote:

> My band instructor regularly judges these contests, so he knows
> the rules. He won't be judging this particular event though. Basically,
> he told me that GBTC was not "challenging enough" and that there were
> hundreds of bass pieces that could "demonstrate my mastery of the
> instrument." He added, GBTC "isn't legal". The guy feels that the
> transcription was written without the performer's permission, therefore it
> was stolen. He added, "since Eric Dolphy must have taken the framework for
> his solo from Billie Holiday, this transcription cannot be allowed in a
> contest like this." I truthfully doubt that I would be disqualified
> for playing GBTC, but my band director has withheld my contest
> entry form until I can come up with a more "respectable" piece of
> music.

Unless this is a jazz contest, I believe your director is correct. I do
some work in jazz, having established the jazz program here, and have
directed the top jazz ensemble for 30 years. Also, I regularly judge the
solo and ensemble contests in Indiana, and have judged several times in
Illinois, in addition to 4 years when I was a high school band director in
Illinois and had the experience of preparing students for the contest you
mention.

I agree with your director that there is an issue of suitability of
literature for such a contest, and that the piece you proposed to play
would not really be appropriate. In an earlier message you mentioned your
ability to improvise on the chord changes to this piece. Again, unless it
is a competition specifically for jazz, as impressive as your
improvisation might be, it really wouldn't be a factor in judging your
performance. There are certain specified criteria, and improvisational
skills isn't one of them. You might wish to argue that improvisation
_ought_ to be one of the criteria, but unfortunately, it isn't within your
power to change the rules of the contest to suit your personal
preferences. And, it wouldn't be prudent on your part to play something
which doesn't meet the criteria just to make a point.

As a judge, I would find it very difficult to assess such a performance.
The adjudicator is asked to rate such factors as tone quality, technical
facility, intonation, rhythmic accuracy, phrasing and musicality. If the
material isn't conducive to making a decision about those things, then my
usual response is to rate those factors which can be determined, and give
low marks in those categories which can't be judged. The result would be
a lower rating on the performance than might have been the case if the
solo had been more appropriate. The judge doesn't have the authority to
give you extra "points" for skills which you may have but which aren't
part of the officially prescribed criteria.

The issue actually gets much more complicated, because the criteria for
adjudication which I listed above naturally are of concern to jazz
players, too. However, many of them are evaluated differently for jazz
performances. For example, with regard to intonation, the jazz player is
encouraged to "bend" pitches for expressive purposes, and to adopt a
personalized, perhaps "non-legitimate" tone quality for the same reasons.
So, if you did those things, as attractive as your performance might be as
jazz, it wouldn't be likely that the judge would be able to give you high
marks on those factors. On the other hand, if you _didn't_ do those
things, then the performance wouldn't really have the basic feeling that a
jazz player would want to convey.

So, in summary, if you want to try for a high score in the contest, go
along with the rules and the customary procedures which have been
established for it. If you want to make a statement about jazz
performances and their legitimacy, then be prepared not to be very
successful in the contest. The admonition, "You have to go along to get
along" comes to mind here.

Ed Lacy
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Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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