Visual Performance vs. Visual Effect: What’s the Difference in Marching Band?
This weekend, I’ll be heading to Belleville, Illinois, for the Greater St. Louis Marching Band Festival, where I’ll be adjudicating Visual Effect.
What makes this assignment particularly interesting is that just one week ago at the Geneseo Maple Leaf Classic, I was evaluating Visual Performance – Ensemble.
Same activity. Same kinds of performers. But a very different perspective from the press box.
Visual Performance: How Well Is It Being Performed?
When evaluating Visual Performance – Ensemble, much of my attention is focused on how well the students are performing the visual responsibilities they have been given.
I’m looking at things such as timing, technique, consistency, control, form, coordination, posture, movement, and overall ensemble achievement.
If the design asks performers to accomplish something visually, how consistently and successfully are they doing it?
This is also where fundamentals become incredibly important. Feet, posture, instrument carriage, body control, timing, and awareness all contribute to the clarity of the ensemble.
Visual Effect: What Is It Communicating?
With Visual Effect, my perspective changes.
Now I’m looking beyond simply how well something is being performed and considering what the visual program is communicating to the audience.
Does the staging direct our attention toward the right place?
Does what we’re seeing support what we’re hearing?
Are important moments developed and communicated effectively?
Is there contrast and variety?
Does the production build, release, surprise, develop, and create memorable moments?
Are the performers communicating the character, emotion, and intent of the production?
Most importantly, do the musical and visual elements work together?
Difficulty Alone Doesn’t Create Effect
A visually demanding moment can certainly contribute to effect, but difficulty by itself doesn’t automatically make something effective.
Sometimes a relatively simple idea placed at exactly the right musical moment can communicate far more than something significantly more complicated.
Likewise, adding choreography simply because there is an opportunity to add choreography doesn’t necessarily improve a production.
There should be purpose behind the choice.
Why are we doing this?
What should the audience see, hear, or feel at this moment?
Those questions can be just as important as asking whether students can successfully perform the responsibility.
Performance and Effect Need Each Other
Although Visual Performance and Visual Effect are evaluated from different perspectives, they aren’t completely separate concepts.
A great design idea still needs performers capable of communicating it.
At the same time, outstanding performers need a design that gives them meaningful opportunities to communicate.
That’s where performance and effect begin working together.
When strong design, intentional staging, musical understanding, and confident performers come together, we get those moments where an audience doesn’t need someone to explain what just happened.
They understand it.
They react.
And sometimes, those are the moments people remember long after the final score is announced.
A Different View From the Press Box
That’s one of the things I enjoy about adjudication.
One weekend I may be asking:
How well are the students performing this?
The next weekend:
How effectively is this communicating?
Different captions require different perspectives, but the goal of my commentary remains the same—to provide students and directors with useful information that can help them understand what is working, what may be limiting the performance, and where opportunities for continued growth exist.
I’m looking forward to another weekend in the press box and seeing what the programs at the Greater St. Louis Marching Band Festival bring to the field.
Interested in bringing another perspective to your marching program?
Through CK Marching Services, I work with programs through clinics, visual instruction and coordination, drill design, consultation, and educational evaluation.