Judges biased towards some corps

[crfrey71]

I've heard about that and am still plotting my vengeance. It will be terrifying and awe-inducing. Stay away at least 500 feet.

"Dance of Vengeance" perhaps?

[WOOHOO]

You don't think most of the the DCI music and brass judges have a bias in favor of older Classical Music over newer music genres like( say) Rap Music, Alternative Rock, or Country and Western Music ? Of course they do. The judges don't leave their preferences and biases behind when they put on their judges attire. That would be naive to think such a thing, imo. We All have biases and preferences.... judges included. They re as biased as the rest of us. The key is whether or not the judges can set those biases aside when judging a show that is not played to those natural biases and preferences the judges have. Some fans think yes.... some fans think no.

You mean, music of higher quality compared to 15 minutes of fame?

[Tusayan]

Could you elaborate? Allowing, of course, for the problem of a given audience having a disproportionate number of home fans for any one corps, why shouldn't the opinions of those who pay to be entertained by the shows be given more consideration?

If that was the case then the Bridgemen and Velvet Knights would have won a bunch of championships.

[skevinp]

When a judge, regardless of the particular caption theyre assigned on a particular night, tanks a particular corps (and by that, i mean, assigns a score much lower than any other judge has- so you've either got one judge getting it wrong or several getting it wrong), and you can see this happen throughout the season whenever a corps encounters a judge, they just might be biased against the corps, regardless of how well they meet the criteria on the sheet.

And yes, id be willing to bet most corps can identify a judge or judges that will do this to them.

They just might be biased "against the corps," yes. But they might just be interpreting the judging criteria differently from other judges to the greater detriment of a corps whose typical style has characteristics that don't do as well under the criteria applied. One judge might be harder on jazz and another might be harder on classical simply because of their own interpretation of the judging criteria or even their own biases about musical style. That doesn't necessarily mean one dislikes the Blue Devils and the other dislikes Phantom, even if they appear to "tank" them every year, though it remains understandable they would groan when they see their name on the panel.

But yes, they are human, and people can have biases even without malicious intent. What we sense with our eyes and ears is processed by our brains before we know what we have sensed. I just suspect that there is not as much intentional, organizational bias as people often suggest there is.

[skevinp]

You don't think most of the the DCI music and brass judges have a bias in favor of older Classical Music over newer music genres like( say) Rap Music, Alternative Rock, or Country and Western Music ? Of course they do. The judges don't leave their preferences and biases behind when they put on their judges attire. That would be naive to think such a thing, imo. We All have biases and preferences.... judges included. They re as biased as the rest of us. The key is whether or not the judges can set those biases aside when judging a show that is not played to those natural biases and preferences the judges have. Some fans think yes.... some fans think no.

You mean, music of higher quality compared to 15 minutes of fame?

If WOOHOO is a judge, your question has been answered.

[walshinsurance]

I thought the judges NAILED IT this year.

With the exception of BD, I think you are spot on. I would have Cavies 1 and BD 2....IMO.

At least from a listening perspective....BD is a hard listen....so Cavies get the overall nod.

[Kamarag]

You mean, music of higher quality compared to 15 minutes of fame?

No, he means quality music that the music judges, who are mostly band directors, may not be familiar with. All music judges have a responsibility to become comfortable and familiar listening to music beyond what they are used to. In the case of band directors and music teachers, that means reaching out into unfamiliar territory for many.

Thankfully, corps seem to be moving beyond classical repertoire or whatever the latest wind ensemble fad is. There is an amazing amount of music screaming to be played in the drum corps idiom, and that includes rock and pop, as well as music from video games, television, etc.

Am I suggesting a corps fills eleven minutes with Britney Spears or 50 Cent? No, but there is some great music out there that's "new". Taking from my own corps, the music of Dream Theater is every bit as legitimate as the latest Hazo band chart, or anything Shostakovitch ever wrote.

[WOOHOO]

No, he means quality music that the music judges, who are mostly band directors, may not be familiar with. All music judges have a responsibility to become comfortable and familiar listening to music beyond what they are used to. In the case of band directors and music teachers, that means reaching out into unfamiliar territory for many.

Thankfully, corps seem to be moving beyond classical repertoire or whatever the latest wind ensemble fad is. There is an amazing amount of music screaming to be played in the drum corps idiom, and that includes rock and pop, as well as music from video games, television, etc.

Am I suggesting a corps fills eleven minutes with Britney Spears or 50 Cent? No, but there is some great music out there that's "new". Taking from my own corps, the music of Dream Theater is every bit as legitimate as the latest Hazo band chart, or anything Shostakovitch ever wrote.

That's fine. I am just expressing my opinion on this, guys. I'm not a judge, don't claim to be, it's not really important. I don't really hear anything happening right now in the pop scene that would be worthy of top-level drum corps. I certainly don't find Hazo to be that great either.

[gotCHOPS12]

also you must remember that the judges are not sitting where you are at the show, they are all over. if i do say so myself, that the judges were right on this year, aside from the blue devils winning again with in MY OPINION a semi-boring show all around, but that is MY opinion and everyone is entitled to their own

[Todd Tanji]

You don't think most of the the DCI music and brass judges have a bias in favor of older Classical Music over newer music genres like( say) Rap Music, Alternative Rock, or Country and Western Music ? Of course they do. The judges don't leave their preferences and biases behind when they put on their judges attire. That would be naive to think such a thing, imo. We All have biases and preferences.... judges included. They re as biased as the rest of us. The key is whether or not the judges can set those biases aside when judging a show that is not played to those natural biases and preferences the judges have. Some fans think yes.... some fans think no.

You didn't read my statement clearly.

The judges are the LEAST biased people at a drum corps show.

That means LESS biased than the fans, staff, members, parents, alumni, homers, etc.

Edited August 18, 2010 by BDUFLS