Rules & Procedures
Rules and Procedures (PDF)
I. REGISTRATION
A. A band must properly complete and return to the Contest Committee an official Entry Form together with appropriate Entry Fee, which will be non–refundable and non–transferable. Failure to meet the deadline or registration requirements will require approval from the Contest Committee.
II. PERFORMANCE
A. A band member is permitted to play with one band only. Petitions or exceptions must be referred to the Contest Committee no less than 2 hrs. before performance time.
B. A band member may not normally compete with more than one band unless a bona fide member of two separate bands. No special scheduling considerations will be made to accommodate such situations.
C. A band member who derives seventy–five percent or more of his/her income from the performance of a brass or percussion instrument shall be regarded as a professional musician and as such deemed ineligible to participate. A band member engaged in teaching the performance of music shall NOT be regarded as a professional.
D. Total membership of each band will be unlimited, but only a total of 33 instrumentalists plus conductor, shall be permitted to perform at one time. Any personnel changes can only be made between contest pieces.
E. All bands’ performances at the U.S. Open Brass Band Championships shall be recorded and remain the property of the U.S. Open for promotion and fundraising.
F. All entries for original composition or new arrangement shall provide mechanical rights and all other rights for contest organizer’s recording and distribution as mentioned in II.E.
III. INSTRUMENTATION
A. Brass band standard instrumentation is to be: Eb Soprano and Bb cornets, Bb Flugelhorns, Eb Tenor Horns, Bb Baritones and Euphoniums, Tenor and Bass Slide Trombones, Tubas and Percussion as called for in the score. No electronics may be used with the exception of a standard vibraphone. Any brass band which participates in the U.S. Open Brass Band Championships using other than standard brass band instrumentation as listed must make prior application and receive approval in writing from the Contest Committee.
IV. AWARDS
A. The following trophies will be awarded:
1. Grand Champion
2. Special Caption: Most Entertaining
3. 2nd Place
4. Special Caption: Best Performance of a March
5. Special Caption: Best Performance of a Solo
6. Special Caption: Best New Arrangement or Original Composition
7. Special Caption: Best Cornet
8. Special Caption: Best Percussion Section
B. The results of U.S. Open will be announced at the Awards Banquet. Adjudicator's recordings and written comments will be presented to each band, or a band representative, at the Awards Banquet. The adjudicator's decision shall be final on all matters relative to the adjudication. If for any reason a band representative is not present at the Awards Banquet the digital recording and written comments will be mailed to the band on the next business day.
V. SETUP
A. The stage will be set-up in a standard brass band configuration with percussion instruments as will be furnished by the hosts and communicated to all competing bands in advance. Each band will provide a small team to arrange the stage seats to suit the band and to ensure that percussion instruments are in position prior to the band taking the stage. The U.S. Open Committee will notify all contesting bands of the percussion instruments that shall be available for their use. Percussion equipment in excess of that provided by the host is the responsibility of the competing band. However, no additional set-up time will be permitted beyond what is allowed in section VI.B. below.
VI. TIMING & PENALTIES
A. The time allotments are 25 minutes.
B. Bands will perform at 40 minute intervals, thus allowing 10 minutes between bands for setup of the next band and teardown of the preceding band.
C. Upon signal from the Stage Manager, the next competing band will be informed that they have the stage for competition. The performance timing will begin upon the first downbeat following introductory announcements. If the music does not begin within a few appropriate seconds the clock will be started, commencing the performance time block.
D. If a band's program exceeds the maximum time penalty points will be deducted from the adjudicators total at the rate of one point from each judge's score for every minute or fraction thereof by which the time limit is exceeded.
E. Any band that participates in the U.S. Open and plays a program other than that submitted in its entry form shall be allowed to perform its program and receive adjudication, but shall not be eligible for any prize awards, unless the change is authorized by the Contest Committee 24hrs prior to the contest start.
F. In case of physical emergency or mechanical malfunction, the Contest Committee has the sole authority to suspend the timing of a performance. In order to ensure a smooth-running competition and fair conditions for all bands, these instances will be limited to true emergencies that could not have been reasonably avoided by the competing band.
G. The Contest Committee shall have final authority regarding penalties for infractions and appeals to the contest rules.