News Archive
Dame Evelyn Glennie DBE
We are delighted that our Patron since 2003, international percussionist Evelyn Glennie, has been made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in the New Years Honours list. Dame Evelyn has been an inspiration to so many amateur and professional musicians throughout the world, including many children and young people. The Federation offers Dame Evelyn our sincerest congratulations.
CBE for Chairman John Boyington
We are pleased and very proud to announce that our Chairman, John Boyington, has been awarded a CBE in the 2007 Queen's New Years Honours List in his role as Deputy Director General, Health and Care Partnerships and Programme Director, Health and Offender Partnerships, Department of Health. Heartiest Congratulations John
RAW RHYTHM SUCCESS
Transferring what we do on the competitive arena onto a stage is challenging enough, but then taking the show on tour borders on the crazy! But that’s what a team from the Senators did November thru’ February.
As the programme notes recorded, inspiration came from seeing Star of Indiana’s ‘Blast!’; from the Corps first attempt at staging ‘Raw Rhythm’ in 2000; and from a conviction that for the activity to prosper, it must search for new performance opportunities and new audiences. Hence The Federation’s involvement.
Taking ten months to plan, ‘Team Senator’ was supplemented by cast from other corps, with the show opening in Eastleigh on November 24th, just a few weeks after the close of the summer season and the Senators’ triumph at DCE. It was a typical preview show, and in the best of theatrical traditions, the second show in Milton Keynes was more polished. With considerable support from the local media, Dame Cleo Lane and Sir John Dankworth’s world class ‘Stables’ was an ideal venue to welcome a big audience, most of who were local families. The Towngate in Basildon attracted a mainly ex and current activity following, with many ‘old faces’ recognised in the large audience.
The show itself brought together some Drum Corps classics with a successful variety of sets aimed at pleasing a diverse audience. The pace changed throughout, dominated by strong brass scores combined with contemporary percussion and humorous audience participation.
Because of its innovative nature, and the staged workshops, the show was organisationally supported by The Federation with funding from the Corps home town Eastleigh Youth Trust.
Different theatres, with different acoustics, different technical specifications and different audience profiles was a monumental challenge. All who took part are to be congratulated on proving how talented and versatile our activity can be. How many other amateur arts groups can perform on parades, in arenas, on stage and on tour?
ATHLETICS, TATTOOS, X FACTOR, WORLD JAMBOREE
...and much more... Just a brief snapshot of what bands did - North, South, East and West ...
Despite the appalling weather throughout most of the UK during July, our bands kept marching!
Concord in Sheffield...
Flood hit Sheffield saw Concord lead the 2007 Corporate Games parade through the City to the opening ceremony for 6,000 athletes. Later in the month Concord travelled to perform to the 12,000 who attended the Manchester Tattoo. The Corps ceremonial fanfare team also launched the Lord Mayor's welcome to the X Factor judges.
Kingston & Malden at World Scout Jamboree...
With more paritipants than any Olympics, the 40,000 who attended the World Scout Jamboree in Chelmsford were entertained by Kingston and Malden Scout and Guide Band. This was preceeded by the band combining with Lowestoff Scout and Guide Band to lead Bury St Edmonds Suffolk Cententary celebrations. Later this year the band will perform at the O2 Arena.
NTC Bands...
Bands of the Nautical Trainingg Corps hit the streets with TS Implacable, TS Sturdy and TS Intrepid parading in Lancing, Broadwater, Littlehampton and Selsey.
Romford Drum and Trumpet Corps...
Romford Drum and Trumpet Corps celebrate their 50th anniversary this year and in July worked with Havering Music Service at their local Rapheals Park. Over in Battersea they joined celebrities and played at the 'Amazing Great Children's Party', followed by Dagenham's Town Show. Romford have just issued their first CD 'Green and Gold', they travel to Gibralter and Spain in October, and in November will participate in the Lord Mayor's Show and then take part in a joint concert with the prestigious 'Blues and Royals'.
The Senators Juniors Percussion Ensemble...
The Senators Juniors took their percussion ensemble to four local Primary Schools as part of National Marching Youth Music Month. Giving two shows on each occasion, they also encouraged pupils and their visiting sisters and brothers to play the instruments - providing a three hour workshop on each day.
The Band of the Parachute Regiment held workshops...
The Federation heard from The Band of the Parachute Regiment, who held a week-long workshop in early July at the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall in Twickenham. This was attended by musicians from schools and from marching bands. In Bristol, NOVOs dance and Percussion section perfromed at the EDF Energy Harbour Festival, and their 'Queen' production hit the Remix (Youth Music) stage.
Warwick Girls Band and Poynton Commodores Drum and Bugle Corps spent a week 'on the road'...
The month closed with the start of member organisation BYBA's 'South Coast Tour'. Warwick Girls Band and Poynton Commodores Drum and Bugle Corps spent a week 'on the road' and performed at venues in the top the Cornwall and Devon holiday resports. Their shows, and their rehearsals, were watched by thousands of local people and holiday makers. This was a new venture, and it is hoped that more bands will join this tour in 2008. BYBA hope to make an annual feature of their programme. For details of this exhilarating week see www.byba.org.uk
'National Marching Youth Music Week 2008'...
In July 2008 the Federation will again promote 'National Marching Youth Music Week' to help raise the activity's profile and to encourage bands to participate in a wide range of performance opportunities showing how versatile our unique activity can be.
Marching Bands Europe now reaches 38 Countries
In just two years, MBE has developed into a federation that is poised to develop co-operation between marching band organisations in 38 European Countries. As a founding member, the Federation was represented at the July meeting of Marching Bands Europe during the Danish National Championships in Copenhagen.
In the past few months negotiations have been progressing with the long established International Confederation of Music Societies (CISM). Subject to a formal written agreement, it has been agreed that MBE will be CISM's sole body working towards developing and co-ordinating the marching band activity in Europe.
This association between CISM and MBE immediately creates a network of 38 participating countries, with thousands of marching bands of all styles of performance. CISM is a democratic organisation representing all types of international amateur music, and this alliance will strengthen the community based marching band activity in the existing and developing European Community.
The first event under this new alliance will be a symposium of band leaders in The Hague during October 2008.
MarchOn - 2-year Development Strategy
The 14 member organisations of the Federation have published 'MarchOn' setting out agreed objectives for the next two years.
Listed below is a summary of the objectives, and what bands/corps can do to help achieve them.
Download an A4 version of the chart here
'COMMUNITY'
To encourage the sustainable development of bands in their communities so that they become valued contributors to social development
To further develop the role of youth bands as an active contributor to the development of good citizens.
'EDUCATION'
To further improve the performance quality of youth marching bands and of its leadership,
To develop an acknowledgement of our unique performing art within the educational sector
'RECOGNITION'
To develop a wider acknowledgement of the educational and community benefits of the 'marching band' activity
There is no doubt that for the activity to grow in numbers and gain improved recognition, the most important work has to be done locally. Please spend time completing this chart with your team of leaders - most bands/corps will be able to identify new challenges that can inspire and be developed for the benefit of young members, leaders and the activity as a whole.
Music National Curriculum
In responding to a number of requests, The Federation has created a check list for those bandmasters who want to identify the national curriculum attainment levels of their members.
This might be useful for band members themselves, and for bands who intend to try and work more closely with their local schools.
There are clearly some developmental issues that bands may wish to address within the statements, and there are clearly areas where the 'marching band activity' can play a supportive role, particularly in ensembles.
It should be accepted that many young people join our activity because they do not want to be assessed, so if used, this should be carefully managed. It is also is important that bandmasters and leaders seek specialist support when interpreting the statements - for example, it might be accepted that the reference to 'singing' could be substituted by 'instrumental work'. The majority of children would be expected to reach attainment level 2 by age 7, level 4 by age 11 and levels 5 or 6 by age 14. Because of the age profile of the activity, the general expectations of key stage 1 have not been included below.
Last year's National Marching Youth Music Week 2005
Launched in London June 25th 2005
"Evelyn Glennie OBE sent support"
Teachers Union supported week
Teachers Union the NASUWT provided financial support which paid for full colour posters to be printed and distributed to bands throughout the country. This helped bands and corps professionally promote their activities and encouraged greater participation of young people from their local communities
"22 Counties signed up!"
Bands from 22 Counties signed up to take part in the week.
Band / Corps Activities included...
• Dover Castle the venue for workshops with 120 youngsters on July 2nd
• During the preceeding week Concord Drum and Bugle Corps in Sheffield opened their rehearsal doors, visiting schools and taking to the streets on seven occasions - a busy week that started with a City Centre tour!
• The 2nd Hook Scouts from Surrey had a major recruiting day on June 26th, and their local music shop staged a window display all week.
• Stafford Lancers started on Friday 24th June with a secondary school fete, filled the week with two open rehearsals and then staged a finale performance at Blackpool's VE day celebrations.
• Black Knights Cadets from Essex were at a school fete in Kent on the 25th June as their older colleagues competed in Belgium, returning so both bands could perform in Colchester on the 26th. They followed this with three open evening rehearsals and then a parade in Northfleet Carnival on July 2nd.
• 117 Sea Cadets from 19 units met over the first week-end to rehearse together and then took part as a massd bands in the International Fleet review on Tuesday 28th June in Portsmouth.
• New bands NOVO from Bristol and Sandhurst Corps of Drums from Berkshire made their first forays into recruitment and performance - a great start!
Just a taste of what happened in many parts of the country during this special week.
National Conference
Conference discussion paper can be downloaded here
“Collaboration and Innovation” Building on the past to create a positive future for the whole activity
How do we get ... more kids and more bands ... bigger audiences ... better recognition ... better quality shows ... bigger funding ...
Federation praised by 'Youth Music'
The Federation and its member organisations have been praised in a professional evaluation of our last grant programme 'New Millennium, New Generation'. Published by 'Youth Music' the evaluation is a glowing report of the activity's response and makes several positive statements such as '" (the programme) ... devised, led and delivered with a high level of integrity and ability" ".... a significant achievement" "... well thought out and efficiently carried out"
The Federation thanks the task force, member organisations and the bands who took part in the last programme. We hope that bands and corps will actively pursue involvement in the current 'Reaching Out' initiative.
Marching Youth Music Leadership Diploma
As part of the Youth Music grant, by 2005 the Federation should have in place a leadership diploma in youth marching music, accredited by a university or college. It is intended that this will be a ‘distance learning’ practically based modular course which can be used as part of other career related qualifications. It is hoped to pilot this initiative during 2004, and make it available for wider participation in 2005.
Lottery Funding for new 'Reaching Out' training initiatives
The Federation has secured additional lottery funding from ‘Youth Music’ to further support development of the activity over the next two years. Titled ‘Reaching Out’, the £78,000 award will support training for young members and leaders. Member organisations will have the opportunity to fund regional and national training initiatives staffed by professional musicians, with travel subsidies to support young people who could not otherwise take part. Individual bands and corps can also apply direct to the Federation to run workshops with a focus on ‘new music makers’ taking activity expertise to groups of young people who otherwise have little or no opportunity to involve themselves in music. This is where bands and corps can attract new young people into our unique activity.
Issues discussed with MP Bob Russell (LibDem Colchester) – House of Commons
A 90 minute meeting was part of the Federation's strategy on behalf of the whole activity to raise its profile amongst a wide-range of ‘opinion formers’ and ‘decision makers’
Mr Russell is MP for Colchester and Chairman of the 60 strong House of Commons 'Scout Group'. He supported the voluntary youth sectors campaign to waive CRB charges. Mr Russell is a supporter of the Colchester Contest
1. The difficulty for us and like voluntary organisations in obtaining non project related core funding for basic administration and communication
2. Lack of recognition of our activity and its benefits to individual young people and communities, by Arts and Educational personnel/bodies. The inconsistency of support between Regional Arts Boards.
3. VAT on instruments – e.g. schools can reclaim VAT but community bands, of which few if any are VAT registered, cannot.
4. School hire fees for community use, particularly youth groups
5. Charity Commission ‘red tape’ and ‘overbearing’ monitoring of small charities
6. Increase in insurance costs – higher cover now required for events, and increased premium costs for equipment and public liability
7. The manner of many Local Authority Environmental Health interventions on rehearsal/performance ‘noise complaints’
8. World Championships and Music Festival 2004 – International dimension
9. Acknowledgement of the support given to us by The National Foundation for Youth Music.
10. MP’s Support for the activity.
Working Together
A vision and strategy for the future of the whole activity
First Draft
Below is a summary of the discussions held during the meeting at DeMontfort University on February 9th 2002 and attended by forty five representatives of eleven of our twelve member organisations.
It is intended that this draft document be discussed by the respective committees of member organisations so that a final draft can be created at the next Federation Board Meeting on August 17th 2002. From this stage we will hopefully consolidate the following and be in a position to publish the strategy in a more readable and structured format. This timeline is essential if we are to make notable progress and achieve our goals.
Having identified what our vision is, and what we could do about achieving the goals, we will need to identify priorities - and most importantly how we proceed - together.
Responses from Individuals involved in the activity are welcome.
It was clear from discussion group reports that using the 2004 World Championships as a focus for realising a number of our visions would be a creditable option.
VISION (Criteria to measure progress/success to be added )
By 2010 the activity will have achieved:
• A sustained increase in bands and young people - all towns to have a ‘marching band’
• Recognition by the educational sector
• A working relationship established with statutory youth and community bodies
• Improved status of the volunteer leader
• All areas of the activity strengthened by working together towards agreed goals -
• Established regional structure for support
• Leader training routes established
By 2005 the activity will have achieved:
• A reliable annual census of participating units and young members
• 50% more bands than currently identified
• More recognition from schools, colleges, universities, Department of Education and Skills
• More recognition from the Arts and Community sectors
• More recognition by policy makers within uniformed national youth organisations
• A voice in consultation at national, regional and local levels
• More media coverage - international, national, regional and local
• Improved communication between member organisations
• Improved communication throughout activity - members / leaders / organisations
• A system of identifying appropriate funding sources at any one time
• Involvement of bands in more community celebratory/ cultural / educational events
• Regional support structure in place
• Leader training courses identified
Strategies:
1. All member orgnaisations to undertake a survey of their membership by July 2003 so that a reliable assessment of our success can be measured. This survey to identify age/gender profile and location plus numbers of new members joining.
2. Targeted meetings / presentations with local, county ,regional and national educational / arts / community bodies and authorities. Member organisations to undertake an agreed quota on an annual basis
3. Beacon bands/corps. Key ‘development’ teams identified in regions of the UK to co- ordinate / activate agreed activity-wide policy. These may be individual or joint bands/corps with a pedigree of good administration and performance to act as ‘beacon’ units (Being classified as a ‘beacon unit’ could ‘incentivise’ as suggested is necessary)
4. Work with other youth orientated bodies to raise the credibility and profile of the
volunteer leader
5. In order to improve communication, an agreed pattern of meetings, social and performance events between member organisations to be held in addition to the current Federation meetings.
6. The Federation to establish a ‘Marketing Team’ to address ‘awareness raising’ issues. These to possibly include touring groups, static display stands at major events,the media, umbrella orgnaisations and corporates,and to establish a voice in regional/national consultations. Bands/Corps to advise annually of high profile events.
7. The Federation to establish a ‘Leader Training’ team to investigate and publish the various ‘external’ leadership qualifications available. To also identify specific needs relating to the proposed strategy e.g training in presentational techniques for those tasked with raising awareness with external bodies
8. The Federation to establish a ‘Funding’ team to identify and update bands re. ongoing funding opportunities - both revenue and capital
9. The Federation to establish a ‘search and find’ team to help bands and corps identify ex- members who may be persuaded to offer occasional support
10. Bands and Corps to be encouraged to both perform in one more public event than
is usual each year, and at all events to promote the whole activity. Tto be further
encouraged to identify different venue opportunities and major events in which to offer their services creatively throughout the year.
11. Community dynamos. Bands and Corps to be encouraged to be pro-active within their wider local communities, not just in respect of performances. To invite significant decision makers to events
12. To identify and develop strategies for increased parental support for bands and corps
13. To be continually aware of how new technologies may support administration and
promotion of the activity
14. To encourage each band/corps to establish a small team of instructors who could, on request, visit other new or existing units to offer short term support (see also 5)
15. To identify and support training opportunities for young band members both for individual units and for joint master-classes / work-shops
16. To develop a support programme to further encourage the formation and retention of bands within the national uniformed youth organisations.
17. Each member organisation to identify the performance strengths of their bands/corps at any one time in order that on request competent units can be offered for performance opportunities that arise.
Please remember that this is a first draft, and that the critical stage will involve identifying individuals and teams who can move our collective vision forward.
For a pdf version of this article please click to download.
Note: to view the pdf file you will need Acrobat Reader on your PC - available to download from Adobe.
Charity Registration
The Federation has negotiated a Charity Commissioner approved 'model constitution' for youth marching bands, show bands and drum corps. This will enable fast track approval by the Charity Commission. All units have to do is complete a few handwritten additions relevant to them, complete two simple C.C. forms and then send it all off for almost immediate acceptance. There are a number of benefits associated with charitable status, and there is a requirement that organisations register if annual income exceeds £1,000.
Send an A4 s.a.e to the Federation for your free copy and accompanying notes.
