And so it proved. Selkirk Silver (Colin Kemp): 1738. 14) The Kirkintilloch Band | David Roberts - Cloudcatcher Fells (John McCabe). Sandy's 'radar' (a point made about a form of GPS musical intuitiveness) also picked up the signs. Behind them came other performances of merit; led by a confident Coalburn Silver in fourth, ahead of the more muted pastel shadings of Newmains in fifth and a passionate Bathgate in sixth. Caribbean Holiday is deliciously rowdy to open, whoops and whistles aplenty. Recent News All the Latest RSPBA NI News More News Latest Events Click Here to view all our events Principal Funders Funders An opening which isnt entirely secure from Elland Silver - and big, big, big, especially in the percussion department. Bandstand Boogie is measured as musical director, Stuart Black, guides his young charges through every twist and turn. Bubblewrap Boogie sees Laura Carter take the baton, with maestro Fernie moving on tuba. Dalkeith & Monktonhall (James Chamberlain): 188*3. Jayne Murrill turns the corners of this intriguing score gracefully, and the exposed solo passages around the stand are met with an impressive sense of calm. Among the soloists to shine is principal horn player, Andrew McMillan, an unassuming charm to his virtuosity. There was just one piece in the ensemble's programme but this about quality, not quantity. There's a pleasing lilt to the siciliana, with ensemble only occasionally losing its rigidity. A Royal Parade has a suitably noble air, grand melodies nicely shaped and underpinned by well-disciplined percussion. The quality of the sound is apparent from the opening chords of Campbeltown Brass Juniors performance; its well balanced and energetic. A well-rehearsed, well-disciplined ensemble - thank you. Edinburgh Academy 3. March 1 Two iconic names in the banding world have announced a new partnership link. In the Highlands, featuring Highland Cathedral, features the bands solo cornets, who provide the initial statement of the tune before their colleagues join them. June. The familiar strains of Rimmer's march, Slaidburn, open King's Park's programme. Stuart Black returns with his second outfit of the day, in Maroon Brass. Best Instrumentalist: Euphonium, Brass Sounds Inverclyde. There's a delightful elegance to the euphonium playing of Richard Kidd, whose contribution lingers long in the ear in one of the more reflective corners of the piece, before the excitement ramps up again. The Scottish Youth Brass Band Championships, part of the 2022 Scottish Festival of Brass, supported by Creative Scotland November 27, 2022 Perth Concert Hall Mark Good reporting And here are the final results for the Preparatory and Development sections of the championships: 6.55pm Not a learner band. There are 23 ensembles in today's events - good luck, everyone! The composure is admirable, players turning the corners with ease and demonstrating sounds of undoubted quality. The chorale is hushed, though not immune from some rough edges. The other clear Cheltenham qualifier came from Arbroath, as Audrey Bird also led a youthful band in a rendition that captured the character through careful appreciation of tempi and dynamics, super cameo solos and a neat sense of adventure. The maturity of the sounds defy the relative inexperience of the players around the stands with Campbeltown; well done, all. Granny's Bike, meanwhile, features some cycling-related sounds which bring another dimension to an entertaining performance. document.write(' value="11">'); The players work hard to bring the detail out of the music, from the dotted rhythms to the light and shade which is a familiar characteristic of good march playing. Perthshire Brass (George D Annan): 177, Best Instrumentalist: soprano (Campbeltown Brass), Test piece: Facets of Glass (Gordon Langford)Adjudicators: Sandy Smith and Helen Douthwaite-Teasdale, 1. 1) Campbeltown Youth Brass | Katrina Barr. This fledgling group opens with set work Growing Pains, and the potential of the band is clear to hear, with many of the basics secure and in place. Saddleworth OL3 7EW, Friday 10 March Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). document.write(' value="">'); 1) Johnstone Band | Colin McKenzie - The Essence of Time (Peter Graham). Bon-Accord Silver (Adam Cooke):190*3. the cooperation band (Russell Gray): 1894. Russell Gray's lyrical interpretation was pockmarked with errors. Music from Ghostbusters brings down the curtain on a finely crafted programme. Campbeltown Brass hails from the westerly Kintyre peninsula, their geographic isolation turning any competitive outing into a journey of epic proportions: Yet they have now returned from the Scottish Championships crowned a winner on no fewer than five occasions. . In what was a fine contest, the remaining top-six places went to Irvine & Dreghorn's impressive number 1 marker of colour and dynamic engagement, Broxburn & Livingston's brightly charged approach and Jedforest's more considered refinement. Neat and nimble to open from Rainford Band, in a work first chosen as the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain test-piece in 1990. 2023 Scottish Brass Band Association, The duo also spoke at length about what they had been looking for; the keys being transparency of detail, definition, balance and dynamic contrast especially in the middle section where an opening trombone trio played at a piano marking was rarely heard. Kingdom Brass is suitably haunting to open, grumbling basses soon giving way to haunting chords across the band. No one overblew so well done. Perth Concert Series: Scottish Chamber Orchestra - The Dream Dates: Wed 1 Mar 2023 Spend an evening with Mendelssohn the magician in the company of the SCO and Principal Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev. Music from Gareth Bowman follows, in When a Pirate Met a Shark. Oakland University Brass Band Other Results: The Niermeyer Award for Most Entertaining Band - Five Lakes Silver Band Best Individual Performer - Championship Section Robert Miller - Euph - Weston Silver Band Icing on the cake is a soprano cornet sound of considerable refinement. Theirs was a pastoral delight, with 'Best Horn' player Rosie Martin a mellow focal point. Bandstand Boogie is suitably energetic, crisp and with tight ensemble - this is clearly a well-rehearsed group. Knight Ride is bursting with enthusiasm as the band opens its programme with great energy - no doubt inspired by its musical director, as Alan Fernie guides the young players with vigour. The band opens its programme with Alan Fernies Growing Pains, an engaging account featuring a fine contribution from a very hard working horn team. It gives way to a stately march, which is treated with poise. St Ronan's Silver (Simon Railton): 1799. Very healthy numbers indeed in Irvine and Dreghorn Youth Band - and the sounds are equally impressive in Gonna Fly Now, which gets the band off to a super start. Dark, sinister sounds to open from Easington Colliery, courtesy of impressive trombones, in the Bruckner-inspired fanfares. Is something on this page incorrect? James Doyle A Whitburn Band stalwart has been awarded by the Scottish Brass Band Association (SBBA) for his work with. the cooperation band retained the Scottish Championship top section title in Perth Saturday, 07 March 2020 The 125th anniversary of the Scottish Brass Band Association was marked by a fine weekend of competitive action at Perth Concert Hall one that was headed by Championship Section victory celebrations enjoyed for a record 35th time by . Soloists move to their positions too. Charlie Boax and Emma. Cor, Stephen Malcolm is a busy man today, as he takes to the stage to conduct his second band of the day, following an outing with Easington Colliery earlier. Growing Pains, the set work, is tight and crisp, before Kings Park Junior Brass ends its programme with Chitty Chatty Bang Bang, a glint in the eye of its players as they romp to the close. The pieces fizzes and pops along gleefully. Talking of grooves, Bandstand Boogie enjoys a fine swagger as the players of Irvine and Dreghorn Youth Band let their hair down - and in some cases, boogy away with glee! It's spirited playing, as Jordan Fairley guides her young charges through every twist and turn. Hawick Saxhorn (Stuart Black): 1718. Out of sympathy for the family and the band, the details were not announced at the event itself. There's no shortage of commitment from this group, with every single person around the stand giving their all as they embrace their moment on stage. Pirate Adventures, by Gareth Bowman, takes us on a swashbuckling adventure, with good attention to the light and shade in the music. Great Britain Area Contests Great Britain National Contest National Championships Notes Prior to World War Two, this contest existed as a standalone Scottish Championship. We will be live all day Saturday and Sunday with coverage. Now though, they must show they can export that confident swagger of excellence to Blackpool and beyond on a consistent basis. There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world. Apr 5, 2022; 1 min; . There is no shortage of intricate lines in Gregson's work and so much of the detail rises to the fore, including some fast and furious tuned percussion and a magnificent, industrious horn section. Lochgelly (Paul McKelvie OBE): 1818. So too for winners Brass Sounds Inverclyde led by Joshua Parkhill who secured the title with a fine display of all things Hellenic. Prior to World War Two, this contest existed as a standalone Scottish Championship. The major challenges seem to come in 'Green' where the safety first dynamic option found the soprano and especially horn too often submerged in ensemble foliage. Blue Cheese Crumble Blues, also by Fernie, swings with gusto before When the Saints receives a rendition which shows keen attention to the light and shade in the score. There was a new layout of the fields, and it didn't feel like an improvement as it lost the iconic backdrop of the . 4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice. Both laid out their assessments clearly. The band continues with A Whole New World, from Aladdin. The last time the band qualified for the finals was in 1995, and given their youthful make-up you suspect not too many of them remembered that feeling. As it hurtles towards the latter stages of the pieces, the virtuosic soloists of yesteryear float in and out of the musical mist, snippets of well-kent solos bubbling to the fore in fleeting - quality - glimpses. If you're including contest results please remember to include the date, and as much detail about the contest as you can (conductor, adjudicators, set test piece etc.). All this from a town of around 4,500 inhabitants. Lot to enjoy also from the trio of Selkirk, Kirkton Brass Bathgate and Penicuik Silver, but on this occasion, it was Kilmarnock Concert Brass who deservedly triumphed. Add More Here. The percussion section underpins the following piece, Djembe Funk, with similar assurance. Tullis Russell (Ray Munday): 186*3. Quality sounds, individually and collectively, are evident around the stands and David Thornton gives particular care to the lighter, reflective corners of Lloyd's score; a welcome, understated quality when required. The muted colours shine through particularly effectively. 9) City of Bradford Band | Jonathan Bates - The Journey of the Lone Wolf (Simon Dobson). Not so with Granite City led by Bruce Wallace. Clackmannan District (Paul Drury): 1808. That was obvious throughout a weekend that also saw a trio of non-competitive bands in Abbey Brass, Brass Central Strathearn and Clackmannan Youth & Development perform super 15 minute sets. It's a musical melting pot in the opening stages, a variety of colours rising to the fore. Whitburn Wee Band takes to the stage with Growing Pains, the set work in the Preparatory Section. They now head to Cheltenham (a round trip of well over 800 miles) for the third time since 2016 after claiming the title with a wonderfully uplifting rendition of 'The Aeronauts'. Granite City Brass (Bruce Wallace): 1864. *Views and comments expressed are opinions of the reporter and dont necessarily represent those of SBBA. MD Scott Walker is not going to have any difficulty getting his players to come to practice from now on whatever the weather. The intricate trombone section work is neat and although it feels a little frantic elsewhere at times, the playing is exciting. This is a steady Caribbean Holiday, Caroline Farren looking to ensure everything is in its place, before Whitburn Youth Band brings its programme to a close in Gold Rush, by Cameron Mabon. Kirkton Brass Bathgate (Simon Railton): 1729. Fishburn and Duncan Beckley work hard to find the clarity in Lloyds score, cascading semiquaver lines rising off the page to great effect. "It had everything," John said, as their admirably secure performance, full of balanced tonality and uber-confident solo lines (especially their 'Best Instrumentalist' award winning soprano) played with a touch of elan, provided the early marker that wasn't to be beaten. It's not the biggest sound of the day so far - but it's refined and very well shaped from the Merseyside band in its appearance on stage in Perth. The final, climactic moments, are guided with great care and attention by Paul Drury. 1) the cooperation band - Michael Fowles 198, 4) Pemberton Old Wigan DW Band - Chris Binns 194, 6) Easington Colliery - Stephen Mlcolm 191, 8) Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass - Mareika Gray 189, 9) The Kirkintilloch Band - David Roberts 188, 12) City of Bradford - Jonathan Bates 184, 16) Newtongrange Silver - Anne Crookston 179, 17) Bon-Accord Silver - Stephen Malcolm 178, 19) Unison Kinneil Band - Raymond Tennant 176, Neil Philip Memorial Trophy for best euphonium: Chris Flynn, the cooperation band, 4barsrest best soloist: Flugel, City of Bradford. The points were accompanied a trademark smile, but the acuteness of his observations ensured bands knew just what he and Sheona had been looking for in the box. Bravo, maestro Belleville, whose considered programme notes knitted the programme together so effectively. The defending champion is the cooperation band who will be looking to make it three wins in a row. 5) Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass | Mareika Gray - The Journey of the Lone Wolf (Simon Dobson). There are some fragilities which bring the sheen off but it's a performance of great commitment from Kingdom. Growing Pains, the set work in this section, is performed with great enthusiasm before the Hungarian Dance Number Five is suitably fiery and earns a warm reception from the audience. Not everything quite lines up but at full tilt, it's impressive. At full tilt, Kinneil produces a big sound, one which sparkles courtesy of percussion. Neither opted for the full bore approach, although Dalkeith had a true 1960s colour palette vibrancy, and Bo'ness played with a bold sheen of gloss to their dynamic finish. Elsewhere it was encouraging to hear an appreciative respect for Vinter's intentions; the ensemble challenges mostly met with confidence from the kaleidoscopic opening to the ferocious, but only occasionally jugular-blood 'Red'. As was heard in Perth, they certainly present a formidable musical partnership that will be many people's favourites at Blackpool. There was no "smoke and mirrors" about this writing he added. Conductor Charlie Farren ensures a steady pace, with good ensemble. Indeed, the solo trombone playing in the interlude is suitably melancholic, languid in its approach, and the refinement seems to inspire colleagues around the stand, the flugel sounds tender and endearing. This is a terrific piece, laced with catchy tunes and infectious beats and the band seems to enjoy bringing it to the stage in Perth. No doubting just what the duo were looking for then, and no doubting that they certainly heard it with the number 1 draw winner, as MD Scott Walker inspired his players to deliver an account rich in stylish character. An opening of poise from Unison Kinneil, Raymond Tennant ensuring a well-measured account. A Little Prayer sees the programme take a reflective turn before Bandstood Boogie, which remains under control throughout. Tell us what's wrong in the box below and click send. Good morning, and welcome back to Perth for day two of another busy weekend at the Scottish Festival of Brass. document.write('