Chair of the Performance Portfolio, Paul Cartwright, hosted the BYBA’s Pre-Season Conference in Leicester, England for Contest Directors, BYBA Referees, and invited support staff and said, “With a number of new and returning bands and corps for the 2007 season and most Contest Entries confirmed, this really demonstrates that BYBA is in great shape, as the UK’s premier marching Association.”

By comparison with 2006, 44 units competed of which 38 were in full BYBA Platinum Members. For 2007, we already have 41 units who have declared that they will compete in BYBA shows, of which 38 are full members. It is anticipated that at least a further 5 units will join the BYBA circuit.

The Commodores, in their 34th year as an organization, would like to launch their new-look website at http://www.commodores.info, and through this media, announce the 2007 productions for both senior and cadet corps'.

The Senior Corps production is entitled "Squares of the Mind" with the Cadet Corps performing a show called "Friends".

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The European drum corps organizations are currently working towards using the same judging manual from 2007/08. In addition, a working party will be set up to investigate the possibilities to create uniformity in the rules and regulations of all competitions, and to create a European Committee of Judges.

It is hoped the current DCE Manual will eventually be adopted as the standard Manual. The objective is uniformity in assessment and training of marching units and Judges across Europe. The Judging Manual will start to be adopted when appropriately accepted by their members by BYBA (Division I and Associates Division), DCUK (all classes), DCN (all classes), DCG (all classes) and DCF. Judges will be invited to clinics to learn and discuss the ins and outs of the European Manual. The system will work with eight Judges (plus Timing and Penalties) including Effect, Ensemble, and Field Captions.

Firstly, I would like to express thanks on behalf of Christine and I for the invitation from Pauline Ingram, Carl Harris and Dave Brown (and BYBA’s Midlands Region) to attend the Midlands Musical Miscellany. We missed last year, and were pleased to be able to support the 2007 event, which didn’t disappoint.

Whilst the event has an element of “Preview” for the forthcoming competitive summer season, it always manages to include broader performance opportunities for our young people.