Contesting with scaba

scaba Contesting and Registration Rules

1. Registration of Players

1.1  Any band registered with an accredited national Registry (viz: Brass Band Players Ltd (BBP), Welsh Registry, Scottish Registry) must use that Registry to enter scaba contests. The band may not use more than one accredited registry unless they comply with the rules governing day transfers.

1.2  Connected bands (e.g. “B” bands or any other subsidiary band except Youth Bands) must be wholly independently registered. The connected bands must both use the same accredited Registry.

1.3  All players competing in the Championship, First, Second, Third and Fourth Sections must be registered no later than the Friday, 9 days before the contest.

2. Registration of Youth Bands

2.1  Youth bands are not required to register their players, whose age must be under nineteen (19) years old. As of the day of their 19th birthday such players shall be deemed ineligible to play in any contest with a youth band except in accordance with rule 6.2.

2.2  Members of a youth band may also contest with the senior band to which it is attached, in which case they must be registered with the senior band.

2.3  In the event of a youth band being attached to more than one senior band (i.e. “A” and “B” band) a youth player may be registered with one senior band only.

2.4  A member of a school/youth band may register with a senior band to which the school/youth band is not attached if the junior/school/youth band has no senior band.

3. Registration of Conductors / Musical Directors

3.1  Bands may engage any person to conduct at any contest. The conductor/Musical Director does not need to be registered with any band.

3.2  A Conductor/Musical Director may conduct any number of bands at a contest.

3.3  Any person may conduct and play with different bands at the same contest in accordance with rules 1, 5.4 and 7.4 and the Day Transfer rules (rule 9).

4. Transfer of players

4.1  Any player may only be registered with one band and one registry, and may only compete with one band except as qualified in Rule 2.2 above (Youth Bands) and the Day Transfer Rules (rule 9).

4.2  National Registry rules apply to all new registrations and transfers effected for scaba contests.

4.3  A transferred player’s registration must have an effective date on or before the date of the event. An incoming transfer with an effective date later than the date of the contest will be counted as a Day Transfer.

5. Contests: Conditions of Entry and Registration

5.1  All bands competing in the Championship, First, Second, Third and Fourth Sections must be properly registered with an accredited National Registry.

5.2  Contest entries must be received by the Contest Administrator by the closing date shown on the Contest Schedule.

5.3  For contest entries from bands using an accredited National Registry, the Association will obtain from the National Registry a printout of players registered one (1) week prior to the contest.

5.4  Ungraded bands, Youth bands and bands using an Overseas Registry must submit a list of players and a declaration concerning bona-fide registered membership of the band, of all players, to the Contest Administrator no later than two (2) weeks prior to the date of the contest.

6. Contest Rules

6.1  A band competing in the Championship, First, Second, Third, Fourth or Ungraded Section may play a minimum of fourteen (14) and a maximum of thirty two (32) instrumentalists inclusive of percussionists and excluding the conductor. A band competing in the Youth Section may play a minimum of fourteen (14) instrumentalists.

6.2  Youth bands may play a maximum of sixty (60) instrumentalists. A youth band may have up to four (4) adult players either from their associated senior band or who are current bonafide tutors to the band. No more than two (2) adults may play in any one section of the youth band and no adult may play in a principal position (cornet, horn, euphonium, trombone, bass section soloists).

6.3  Youth bands attending scaba events must provide chaperones for their members. The ratio of adults:children should be no less than 1:12. Free Chaperone Tickets will be provided, based on the number of names on the players’ list submitted for the event.

6.4  Any Youth/Junior Band may substitute Bb trumpets for Bb cornets if Bb cornets were not available. Bb trumpets may not be played by an adult player.

6.5  A conductor shall not be permitted to play any instrument in any piece they are conducting.

6.6  Competing bands should play in uniform unless permission to the contrary is obtained from the scaba Secretary and Contest Administrator.

6.7  A brass player will be permitted to assist on percussion if required but will not be permitted to play more than one brass instrument, unless specified in the score.

6.8  No instrument cases may be taken onto the platform except on authority of the Contest Controller.

6.9  Only standard brass band instruments will be permitted to be used unless otherwise specified in the score of the music being played, with the exception of Bb trumpets in Youth bands as specified in rule 6.4.

7. Grading

7.1  Bands will be graded as, and compete in, the same Section for all scaba competitions as they are graded for the National Championships of their home country.

7.2  Bands that do not compete in the National Championships and are not in the Regional grading tables or registered Nationally will compete in the Ungraded Section at all scaba competitions. Mixed age, bona fide Training Bands may enter as Ungraded Bands.

7.3  Graded bands may enter higher Sections than that in which they are graded, provided that no Section is omitted between the highest Section entered and that in which they are graded.

7.4  Bands may not enter any Section lower than that in which they are currently graded.

7.5  Bands must perform different pieces in every Section at one contest.

8. Contest Day Procedure

8.1   The Secretary will appoint a Contest Controller to oversee the running of each contest.

8.2  Contests will be pre-drawn. The pre-draw for order of play will be completed after the closing date for entries and at least three (3) weeks before the date of the contest. The pre-draw will be conducted by at least one (1) Executive Committee member and one (1) independent verifier.

8.3  Bands are required to be present at the contest by the time stated in the contest instructions.

8.4  Two representatives from separate bands may escort the adjudicator/s to the place of adjudication and report to the Contest Controller their satisfaction or otherwise with the arrangements for the contest and seclusion, if appropriate, of the adjudicator/s.

8.5  In the event of a player being unable to compete through illness or accidental injury, any band Contest Secretary/Secretary may request the assistance of one deputy only. The deputy shall be the corresponding player of any band drawn to play in the same Section, subject to the agreement of the lending band and the Contest Controller.

8.6  Bands will not be permitted to bring their own deputy to the contest, unless that player is a bona-fide registered member of the band or is being borrowed under the Day Transfer rules.

8.7  In the event of a band requesting a deputy on medical grounds, a medical certificate must be provided. If no medical certificate is available on the contest day (e.g. in the event of sudden illness or accidental injury), a deputy may be permitted at the discretion of the Contest Controller and the medical certificate must be presented within seven (7) days to the Contest Administrator. However, any prize/s that might be awarded to the band using the deputy player shall be withheld and failure to comply with this rule will result in forfeiture of the prize/s.

8.8  Day Transfer of up to four (4) players will be permitted for Championship and First Section bands, and up to six (6) players for Second, Third, Fourth Section and Ungraded bands, in accordance with rule 9.

8.9  In an “own choice” and Entertainments contest, unmarked scores of the test piece/s must be provided for the adjudicator. Unapproved photocopies are not permitted.

8.10  All bands shall be assembled at the appointed time in the designated area. On completion of registration procedures the band may take their position either on the contest platform or in readiness to do so, as directed by the contest stewards.

8.11  No instruments may be played within sound range of the stage, auditorium or adjudicator (except as part of the contest performance).

8.12  Any band or competitor may be disqualified for failing to comply with any instruction or direction issued by the Contest Controller, member of the scaba Executive Committee or a designated deputy.

8.13  A permanent record shall be maintained by scaba stating the order of play, name of each band and piece/s played. The Contest Secretary or Secretary of each band will be required to place their signature against their bands entry in this record.

8.14  Results will be compiled at the conclusion of each Section by the Contest Controller and no less than two (2) members of the scaba Executive Committee, and confirmed by the adjudicator/s. A permanent record will be kept of the results including placings, points if they are awarded, and allocation of special awards.

8.15  Announcement of results and prize giving will be made at the discretion of the Contest Controller.

9. Rules for Day Transfer of Players

9.1  Any registered player may play with two (2) different bands at any one contest. Every player must be registered with a band no later than the Friday, 9 days before the contest.

9.2  Unattached or unregistered players will NOT be permitted to compete except with their own band in the Ungraded Section, in accordance with rule 5.4.

9.3  A Player on Day Transfer for a Contest may play for:

a) The band with which he/she is registered and one other band which has applied for the day transfer and has completed the appropriate form to the satisfaction of the Contest Administrator, subject to these rules.

OR

b) Up to TWO bands which have applied for the day transfer and have completed the appropriate forms to the satisfaction of the Contest Administrator, subject to these rules.

9.4  Borrowed players will be assigned a points value according to the grading of the band that holds their National Registration (the Lending band) and the grading of the Borrowing band:

9.4.1  First Section: up to four (4) players may be borrowed from any Graded section, with a maximum total points value no greater than 45.

Points values:

Player from a Championship section band = 15 points.

Player from a 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th section band = 10 points.

9.4.2  Second Section: up to six (6) players may be borrowed from any Graded section, with a maximum total points value no greater than 60.

Points values:

Player from a Championship section band = 20 points.

Player from a 1st section band = 15 points

Player from a 2nd, 3rd or 4th section band = 10 points.

9.4.3  Third Section: up to six (6) players may be borrowed from any Graded section, with a maximum total points value no greater than 65.

Points values:

Player from a Championship section band = 25 points.

Player from a 1st section band = 20 points

Player from a 2nd section band = 15 points

Player from a 3rd or 4th section band = 10 points.

9.4.4  Fourth & Ungraded Sections: up to six (6) players may be borrowed from any Graded section, with a maximum total points value no greater than 75.

Points values:

Player from a Championship section band = 30 points.

Player from a 1st section band = 25 points

Player from a 2nd section band = 20 points

Player from a 3rd section band = 15 points

Player from a 4th section band = 10 points.

9.4.5  Championship Section: up to four (4) players may be borrowed from any Graded section.

9.5  Players borrowed under the Day Transfer rules may not occupy principal positions unless agreed by the scaba Contest Administrator and Secretary before the date of the contest. Principal positions are defined as Soprano cornet, Principal cornet, Flugel, Solo Horn, 1st Baritone, 1st Trombone, Solo Euphonium, Lead EEb Bass and Lead Percussion.

9.6  Players borrowed under the Day Transfer rules may not play stand-up solos. Borrowed players may play solos within a piece of music, however they will not be eligible for any individual soloist or instrumentalist prizes.

9.7  The Day Transfer Rules do not eliminate the option of borrowing a player due to illness on the day of the contest as defined in rules 8.4 – 8.7.

9.8  All requests for Day transfers must be submitted no later than one (1) week before the day of the contest with a completed Day Transfer form, which can be downloaded from the scaba website.

9.9  The borrowed player’s Registration card must be presented at Registration on the contest day. It is the responsibility of the Contest Secretary or Secretary of the borrowing band to ensure that the registration card of any player on a Day Transfer is valid.

10. Protests and Appeals

10.1  All protests of any nature on the contest day must be made to the Secretary and take the form of a signed written statement, accompanied by a deposit of ten pounds (£10). Protests must be lodged prior to the announcement of any results.

10.2  The deposit will only be refunded if the protest is upheld by the scaba officials present, who shall have the right to demand the immediate attendance of all parties concerned to state their case and produce evidence. The officials shall then notify the parties of their decision.

10.3  In the event of a protest being upheld, any prizes shall be awarded to the band or competitor next in order of merit.

10.4  Any band shall have the right to appeal against any such decision to the full Executive Committee of the Association, whose decision shall be final and binding.

11. Adjudicators

11.1  All persons engaged to adjudicate shall be competent musicians and approved by the Association’s Executive Committee.

11.2  The adjudicator/s shall be provided with an unmarked copy of the score/s prior to the commencement of each Section of a contest and shall be required to furnish a written report of the performance of each contestant.

12. General

12.1  The Association reserves the right to restrict entry to any Section of any contest.

12.2  Additional rules for Solo, Duet, Quartet and Ensemble contests will be circulated with the Schedules for those contests.

12.3  Any query or protest of any nature arising from the use or existence of these rules should be raised with the Association Secretary in writing.

12.4  scaba reserves the right to alter or rescind any of these rules provided that prior notification has been issued to all member bands and the alteration duly ratified by the membership at an AGM or EGM called for that purpose.

The interpretation of the above rules rests with scaba

Rules updated July 2019