2025 Solo and Ensemble Competition

A New Approach For 2025

Important Note – The Ensemble Contest is not changing, the new judging approach applies ONLY to the Solo contest

For years, the Solo and Ensemble contest has been a cornerstone of the NABBA Championship, showcasing soloists of all ages across numerous categories. However, with the significant growth of our community and the escalating costs of organizing such events, the board faced a critical decision regarding the solo contest’s future. The traditional format had become financially unsustainable, costing the organization thousands annually.

To address these challenges, we have revamped the solo contest for this year:

  1. Online Adjudication: We’ve introduced multiple rounds of online competition. This year, members of the United States Air Force Ceremonial Brass will adjudicate, with plans to include high-profile European brass band artists in future years. These judges will select winners in each of the 20 categories, advancing a select few to the semifinals.
  2. Semifinal and Final Rounds: A new panel will then review these semifinalists’ performances to determine who will perform live on April 4, 2025, in Fort Wayne.
  3. Grand Champions: We will crown grand champions in Adult, Youth, and Senior categories, enhancing the contest’s prestige by celebrating top soloists across all instruments.
  4. Cash Prizes: Starting this year, we will award cash prizes to the top three adult finalists, with $500 for first place. Youth and Senior categories will introduce prizes in subsequent years as the contest evolves.

 

This restructuring aims to:

  • Increase Participation: More individuals can now participate without the constraints of physical attendance.

  • Reward Exceptional Artistry: Cash prizes serve as an incentive for outstanding performances.

  • Flexibility in Judging: By not being location-bound, we can engage a diverse panel of esteemed judges.

  • Financial Sustainability: This model significantly reduces costs for NABBA, ensuring the contest’s longevity.

 

The Ensemble contest will continue as before, and we encourage everyone to participate in both events. Good luck to all participants!

Deadlines

  • Registration opens Dec  1
  • Solo contest registration closes Jan 15
  • Ensemble contest registration closes Feb 15
  • Semi-finalists  announced Feb 2
  • Finalists announced Feb 16
  • Finalists compete on April 4, 2025

 

The rules for the 2025 Solo and Ensemble Contest are available here

The Process

ROUND 1: Quarter-Final Round – Online submission 

  • 7-minute music limit 

  • Live – no editing 

  • With piano or without 

  • Judged by one person per category

Judges pick the top three from all 20 categories.  Judges will use a system where they can make short comments that can be sent to the players after the adjudication. 

ADULT –  judges will select three players in each ADULT category and determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.  

YOUTH – judges will select three players in each YOUTH category and determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.  

SENIOR –  judges will select three players in each SENIOR category and determine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.  

ROUND 2: Semifinal – taped round (applicants use the same tape for both rounds – no resubmission)

  • Determined by two judges for ADULT category and one for the YOUTH and SENIOR

  • Top performers identified for the live round in April 

Once we have determined the top performers in each category, the judges will then need to determine our 9 finalists for the ADULT competition, 3 finalists for the YOUTH competition and 3 finalists for the SENIOR contest.  Judges will use a system where they can make short comments that can be sent to the players after the adjudication. 

Two judges will be tasked with going through the top two players from each category from 8.1-8.11 in order to determine the top 9 players from the pool of 22 for the live round 

One judge will go through the top two finalists for all the SENIOR categories 8.12-8.15.  From this set of players, the judge will identify the top three finalists for the live round 

One judge will go through the top two finalists for all the YOUTH categories 8.16-8.20. From this set of players, the judge will identify the top three finalists for the live round 

ROUND 3: 

Judges will only make written comments at the live round. These will be made available to the participant after the contest. 

A panel of Judges will select the winner of the YOUTH, SENIOR and ADULT contest in a live round on the Friday of the NABBA contest. 

ADULT will be selected from the top 9 performers in categories 8.1-8.11\

SENIOR will be selected from the top 3 performers in categories 8.12-8.15 

YOUTH will be selected from the top 3 performers in categories 8.16-8.20 

 

Submission Guidelines

Video Content:

  • Record your competition piece in full.

  • Only include what you will perform in the live rounds.

  • If you have a published piano part, it must be recorded with live accompaniment.

Technical Requirements:

  • No stopping, starting, editing, or splicing allowed; the video must be continuous and unedited.

  • The video should be under 7 minutes; if longer, only the first 7 minutes will be considered.

Upload Specifications:

  • Upload your video to YouTube and set it to UNLISTED.

  • Submit the link in the application form by 11:59:59 PM Eastern Standard Time, January 15, 2025.

  • Ensure the video link works and is viewable by the judges before the deadline.

Responsibility:

  • You are responsible for all aspects of video production, uploading, and ensuring it’s accessible to judges.

  • Verify that your YouTube link functions properly before submission.

Tips for a Successful Submission

Preparation:

  • Practice recording to get familiar with your setup, lighting, and sound quality.

  • Ensure your performance environment minimizes background noise.

Recording:

  • Use a good quality camera or at least a high-quality smartphone.

  • If using piano accompaniment, make sure the pianist knows the piece well and records with you in a suitable acoustic environment.

Technical Check:

  • Test your internet connection before uploading to avoid any last-minute issues.

  • Upload your video well in advance of the deadline to have time to fix any problems.

Final Review:

  • Watch your video to ensure there are no unwanted cuts or technical issues.

  • Check the video’s privacy settings on YouTube to make sure it’s set to Unlisted.

Deadline Awareness:

  • Set reminders for the final submission date and time. Time zone differences can be crucial.

Backup Plan:

  • Consider having a backup video or a different recording in case something goes wrong with the primary submission.