Tone

• Excellent tone quality
• Sound always focussed
• Wide range of tone colours

• Good tone quality
• Sound generally focussed
• Good range of tone colours

• Competent tone quality
• Sound not always focussed
• Reasonable range of tone colours

• Tone quality is limited
• Sound occassionally focussed
• Tone colours need further exploration

• A well tuned performance
• Intonation is generally excellent

• Majority of instrument are well tuned
• Intonation is generally good

• Some lack of control with tuning is evident
• Intonation is generally competent

• Tuning is good in parts
• Intonation is generally variable

Balance & Blend

• An excellent sense of balance is demonstrated
• Soloists are accompanied sympathetically
• Sections blend well together

• An good sense of balance is achieved
• Soloists are accompanied well
• Sections blend well together for the majority of the performance

• An competent sense of balance is achieved
• Soloists are generally well
• Sections blend well for a good portion of the performance

• Balance is adequate some of the time
• Accompaniment requires a greater degree of sensitivity
• Sections and individual tend to dominate

• A wide range of dynamic variation is evident
• Dynamic contrast handled effectively

• A good range of dynamic variation is evident
• Good control of dynamic contrast

• A competent range of dynamic variation is evident
• Competent control of dynamic contrast

• Dynamic range tends to be limited
• Some control of dynamic contrast is evident

Rhythmic Accuracy & Ensemble

• Rhythmic accuracy is excellent
• Pulse and tempo changes very well managed
• Performance shows a high degree of cohesion

• Rhythmic accuracy is generally very good
• Most pulse and tempo changes are managed effectively
• Band and sections mostly well co-ordinated

• Rhythmic accuracy is generally good
• Some pulse and tempo changes are managed effectively
• Band shows reasonable coordination

• Rhythmic accuracy is inconsistent
• Tempo and pulse changes disturb the musical flow
• Co-ordination is shown only in the more straightforward passages.

Articulation & Phrasing

• Articulation is excellent throughout
• Excellent attention to detail
• Phrasing shows a high degree of understanding and presentation

• Articulation is good generally
• A wide range of detail is portrayed
• Phrasing is good and generally precise

• Articulation is competent
• A reasonable range of detail is portrayed
• Phrasing is competent

• A reasonable level of articulation is shown
• Some detail is portrayed
• Phrasing is in need of development

Style & Interpretation 

• The Band responds vigilantly to the conductor's directions
• A mastery of style is evident throughout
• Interpretation produces a highly musical performance.

• The Band responds well to the conductor's directions
• A good range of style is displayed
• A musical interpretation enhanced a good performance

• The Band responds well to the conductor's directions most of the time
• Some awareness of the style of the music is shown
• The musicality displayed some of the time lifts the performance.

• The Band only responds to the conductor's directions some of the time
• The style of the music is not always well characterised
• A basic understanding of musical interpretation is shown

Improvisation

• Excellent skills shown by the soloists

• Soloists display a good range of skills

• Soloists mainly use printed solos, but there is some attempt to free themselves from the copy; or display a basic range of skills

• Soloists only use printed copies; or no soloists used