Success in competition provides self-affirmation for the students and director. Competition can place too much emphasis on a single performance. Every group occasionally has a bad performance. Preparation for competition requires extensive rehearsal and can reduce the time available for other musical objectives. As with time, the money used for competitive events becomes unavailable for other worthwhile activities.
Competition brings extra stress and pressure to students and directors.
The criticism provided by some judges is too harsh and discouraging. The scores and ratings do not always reflect the quality of the ensemble. Competition may sometimes place too much emphasis on winning. Lack of success in competition frequently results in finger pointing. Students, parents, directors, and administrators blame one another for the apparent lack of success.