PPBSO discontinues quadrant feedback system for more straightforward solo scoresheets

The Pipers & Pipe Band Society of Ontario has dropped its tick-box quadrant feedback system implemented in 2004 for solo piping and drumming competitors in favour of a single option for a judge to check when he or she feels the contestant performed above the standard of the grade.

The change was recommended by the association’s Music Committee, “based on comments from competitors about the lack of detailed feedback on score sheets,” and then approved by its board of directors.

Since 2004, a judge would check “Level 4” on the score sheet for a competitor playing at the top level of the grade standard, with “mastery” of tone, technique and expression; a piper playing at a very good standard, with mastery of two of three essential areas, would be marked “Level 3”; one who needs considerable improvement only one, “a Level 2”; and a competitor not meeting the standard for the grade would be assessed “Level 1.”

“The competitor should have a better understanding of what they did well and what needs improvement.” – PPBSO President Malcolm Bow

The quadrant system coincided with the PPBSO’s replacement of a traditional 0-100 points assignation with a basic ranking of the top six contestants, 1-6. The quadrant feedback system was modelled after a similar feedback method used by Ontario’s public schools. The PPBSO model was reportedly adopted by other North American piping and drumming associations.

The quadrant feedback approach was in part intended to inform players how their performance rated in relation to the event and the expected standard of the grade. In addition, it was meant to enable the association to monitor solo pipers and drummers’ the accuracy of each player’s assigned grade level, beyond tallying prizes.

The organization also requires judges to denote when they feel a competitor performed “above” or “below” the expected standard of the grade on the overall summary sheet for each event. That system reportedly will not change.

“The rationale for this change was that having the judges provide a more in-depth narrative of each category, the competitor should have a better understanding of what they did well and what needs improvement,” PPBSO President Malcolm Bow said in a response to pipes|drums’ request for more information. “This level of feedback was not always the case with the quadrant tick boxes.”

Bow stressed that “there was never any discussion about going back to a points-based system on solo score sheets.”

The PPBSO’s Music Committee comprises these members, according to the association’s website:

• John Cairns
• Alan Clark
• Conor Cooper
• Harvey Dawson
• Jacob Dicker
• Kate Dudek
• Tyler Harris
• Kyle Heaney
• Michael Hunter
• Trish Kirkwood
• Brian McCue
• Jim McGillivray (chair)
• Elizabeth Sheridan