Competition provides the opportunity for students and ensembles to receive constructive criticism from non-biased adjudicators. Success in competition enhances the reputation of the ensemble in the school and community. Success in competition breeds success in other areas of the music program. 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.