SCABA Entertainment Contest
One of the more popular contests with the band is the SCABA Entertainment Contest, which is held each year at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley, Surrey. In this contest each competing band plays a 24 minute selection of pieces designed to excite and enthral.
It's not just the music that wins points - expect movement, colour and the unexpected. The scoring is normally split into 3 parts - 60 points for musicality, 10 points for deportment and 30 points for entertainment value. This is the only contest where the adjudicator sits out in the open so that he (or she) can see and hear the whole spectacle.
In previous years our band's themes have included pastimes and circuses, which as well as the music has included clowns, jugglers, jesters, roller blades, tigers and bears. On some rare occasions the whole band have even been known to put down their instruments for a short period to practice their vocal skills. As the years have gone by the entertainment has begun to get even more over-the-top, with dancing Irish girls, and even a panto horse trotting out on stage!
Each adjudicator has their own views of entertainment contests with some being more expectant of visuals than others. In 1998 the band come equal first on overall points, but the award for first place went to the band with more musicality points.
We did not enter the contest until 1997, but we certainly have made an impact with our mixture of music and visual entertainment. SCABA have now become expectant of a call from BAHCB prior to the contest checking on rulings re lighting, movements, entry points, props, etc ! In the first 3 years of entering, the band finished in the top three on three consecutive occasions. Competing in a class against higher section bands makes these results even more remarkable
| Year | Section | Conductor | Theme | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | A | Estelle Flood | The Musicals | 2nd* |
| 1998 | A | Estelle Flood | The Circus | 1st* |
| 1999 | A | Estelle Flood | Pastimes | 3rd* |
| 2000 | A | Estelle Flood | DID NOT ENTER | - |
| 2001 | A | Estelle Flood | The Monopoly Board | 6th |
| 2002 | A | Estelle Flood | Around the World in Music | 2nd* |
| 2003 | A | Estelle Flood | The Americas | 6th |
| 2004 | A | Estelle Flood | Around the World | 6th |
| 2005 | A | Martin Buss | Radio Show | 3rd* |
| 2006 | A | Matthew Hackett | (No overall theme) | 2nd* |
| 2007 | A | Matthew Hackett | (No overall theme) | 4th*# |
| 2008 | A | Matthew Hackett | Whit Friday Marches | 3rd*@ |
| 2009 | A | Matthew Hackett | London Tour | 7th |
*Higest placed 1st section band
# Winner of March Prize
@ Winner of Soloist Prize - Martin BussRecent Contest Results
- London & Southern Counties National Qualifying Contest
- SCABA Spring Contest
- SCABA Autumn Contest
- Regional Contests