Since the early 20th century, the role of music competitions and festivals has been integral to the growth and development of school band programs , and alongside this role has been the discussion about the function of competition in these events. In a study of the first national concert band tournament, Holz (1960) asserted that "[The competition] provided the opportunity and reason for the fusion of musical, educational and commercial efforts in a common cause - the simultaneous democratization and artistic improvement of instrumental music. music at school. Joseph E. Maddy, the first full-time music supervisor in Rochester, New York, spoke favorably of the early band competitions; “The radical changes in instrument manufacturing, orchestral publications, and improved performance standards that occurred would have taken a hundred years without the competition movement” (Fonder, 1983). Despite Holz and Maddy's positive responses, Birge (1966) reports: "Early in the competition movement, educators felt that the factor of intense competition diminished the educational value of the events." Music educators of this period were also critical of (1) the competition format, (2) eligibility requirements, (3) selection procedures, and (4) emphasis on "winning" (Payne, 1997). . The positive and negative features of these early group competitions have been reported by many (Burdett, 1985; Moore. 1972; Hansen, 2004; Holz, 1960; Humphreys, 1981; Whitehill, 1969; Yarberry, 1979), but the role of competition and contests continue to philosophically divide the music profession and serve as a catalyst for debate when discussing their place in music education. At the beginning of the 20th century, singing was still the fundamental activity in schools, and...... middle of article ......A: MENC: National Association for Music Education.Moore, JE ( 1968). The National School Orchestra competed in competitions from 1926 to 1931. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Michigan, 1968). Retrieved March 1, 2007 from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text database. (Publication No. AAT 3250254). Payne, B. (1997). A review of research on intergroup competition. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 33(1), 1-21. Yarberry, G. A. (1979). A look at the past, present and future of the band movement in America. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 14(2), 1-9.Whitehill, CD (1969). Sociological conditions that contributed to the growth of the school band movement in the United States. Journal of Research in Music Education, 17(2), 179-192. Zorn, J (1989, November). The changing role of instrumental music. Music Teachers Journal. 76(3), 21-24.