Beyond the Notes: What I’ll Be Listening For at the WMBBA Solo & Quartet Contest
Updated: Sep 3
Even though I play for a Yorkshire Brass band, I was born in the West Midlands, UK and brought up on brass banding in the West Midlands. It is naturally an area that I follow and always like to support. For example, last year I was a guest soloist with the City of Birmingham Brass Band. You can check out a video from that concert - HERE!
I am very excited to be the adjudicator for the WMBBA Solo contest this year (2026) which is soon approaching and I can't wait to continue to support the hard work they do for brass bands and communities around the West Midlands. My involvement at the event is being sponsored by Sterling Music Instruments.
In this blog post I will give you some insights into my musical experiences and what I will be listening for at the contest. So, if you're entering, hopefully there will be something here that helps you prepare.
All the event details can be found on the poster above and also on their website. There are a wide variety of categories, including ensembles and percussion. Plus every age range can take part. Why not enter as a soloist and with an ensemble from your band?
Entries will still be accepted for one more week so get moving. The more entries there are the more exciting the contest will be.
A Little About My Perspective
There has been a lot of chatter online recently about the qualities, skills and experience that we expect a brass band adjudicator to have. While this isn't the National Finals, it is still an occasion where musicians expect to be judged fairly and honestly, by someone they can trust. I will be taking this job very seriously but why am I a good person for this?
Firstly, I know what it feels like to be a soloist and yes I still get nervous.....every time! I perform as a soloist with Grimethorpe in almost every concert and I demand the best of myself every time. That's because it means so much to me and reaching your potential is one of the highest goals in life, whether in your career, personally or as a musician.
If you are reading this unsure about whether to enter, feeling scared about entering, or making excuses that are stopping you from entering, then those are all very valid reasons why you should enter!
I have been surrounded by music all my life and that has naturally put me in an adjudicator's seat many times. Whether at an official event or just as an examiner, or moderator, I am confident in my abilities. One of my favourite times I was in this position was in Singapore when I got to hear all the degree students performing concertos.
What will I be listening for?
All of my advice here will apply to soloists, duets or ensembles, any age and any ability. Judging musicians is tricky, because sometimes the things that are easy to judge might not be that important. That being said, it is easy to contradict yourself, for example, it could be easy to judge brass players on how many notes they split. However, what if a player doesn't split any notes but plays them all out of tune. Which is worse?
I certainly won't be counting splits but accuracy of performance will be up very high on my priority list. The best way to play accurately is to practice performing at home, so when you come to the performance for real, you have already performed it many times.
The piece of music you perform can also greatly help or hinder your success. I would rather hear someone perform a piece of music with suitable challenge perfectly, with excellent control and musicianship rather than hear someone play the hardest piece in the world but make lots of mistakes.
This is a tip I wish I had been given when I was in high school. I always used to try and play the hardest pieces and genuinely had some awkward moments on stage when those tricky bits didn't come off.
Another example of this can be seen when I once came second place in the old British Open Solo Competition. I played an easier solo than most other players and was rewarded. I felt horrible at the results because all the other players were far better players than me, but looking back now, I just feel proud and learnt a lot from it.
Probably the biggest thing I want to hear, is a quality sound. A player that can make a lovely sound at all dynamics will always be rewarded. Those dynamics are very important too because that is how you put emotion and excitement in your performance. Overdo them so they can be clearly heard by everyone in the room.
Lastly, I just want to hear a bit of the X-factor. What sets your performance apart from everyone else's? Whenever I have entered a competition, I try and find a way to make sure that I am doing something extra, not just playing the right notes. This is the hardest part to explain, and even harder to teach but when you hear a magical performance, you just know.
So, to sum up, I will be looking for musical communication rather than simply technical perfection. I will be ready and waiting for those hairs on the back of my neck to tell me that I am witnessing something special.
Most Importantly... Enjoy It!
Remember that everyone taking part has already achieved something simply by getting up and performing. Yes, it is a competition, and of course everyone wants to do well. But competitions are also fantastic opportunities to perform, challenge yourself, learn from the experience and enjoy making music.
If you have any questions about the event, message me or email: Contact@wmbba.org
I wish you the best of luck!
Thanks for reading! ❤
Mark Glover
02/9/26
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