100th Spring Festival Success
The 100th British Open Spring Festival took place today (7th May) in Blackpool’s Winter Gardens. 61 bands took to the stage in the iconic venue with the Senior Trophy hosted in the Spanish Hall, Senior Cup in the Pavillion Theatre and the Blue Ribband Grand Shield event took place in the Opera House.
There was Senior Trophy success for worthy winners Unite the Union and their MD Jonathan Beatty. The band’s assured performance of Cyril Jenkins’ ‘Life Divine’ caught the attention of adjudicators Sandy Smith and Simon Gresswell deservedly earning them first place and promotion for 2023. Joining Unite the Union in next year’s Senior Cup are Boarshurst Silver, Fishburn and East London Brass.
Adjudicators Professor Garry Cutt and Steve Sykes had the enjoyable task of deciding the order of merit for 20 performances of Hubert Bath’s ‘Freedom’. Skelmanthorpe, Ashton-under-Lyne and Dalmellington all impressed enough to earn promotion into the Grand Shield next year, but it was City of Bradford under the direction of Jonathan Bates who were convincing winners.
Peter Graham’s ‘Dynasty’ truly tested the bands in the Grand Shield competition. However, the adjudicating panel of Dr Stephen Cobb and Professor Roger Webster awarded first place to Rothwell Temperance who gave a fabulous account of themselves, ably led by MD David Roberts. Joining Rothwell at the British Open in September are runners-up Northop Silver, who added to their reasons for celebration with the band’s solo cornet Alice Newbould being awarded the Best Instrumentalist prize.
A full review will appear in the next issue of Brass Band World.
Full Results
Grand Shield:
Test Piece: Dynasty (Peter Graham)
Adjudicators: Dr Stephen Cobb & Prof Roger Webster
1. Rothwell Temperance (David Roberts)*
2. Northop Silver (Gareth Brindle)*
3. Wantage Silver (Jonathan Pippen)
4. Oldham Band (Lees) (John Collins)
5. Friary Brass (Chris King)
6. Whitburn (Prof Nicholas Childs)
7. City of Hull (Stig Maersk)
8. Milnrow (John Doyle)
9. The GUS Band (Chris Jeans)
10. Camborne Town (Kevin Mackenzie)
11. Hepworth (Ryan Watkins)
12. Reg Vardy (Russell Gray)
13. Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Ben Dixon)
14. Ratby Co-operative (David Purkiss)
15. Rainford (Chris Houlding)
16. Wingates (Paul Andrews)
17. Redbridge (Chris Bearman)**
18. Llwydcoed (Chris Turner)**
19. St Dennis (Darren Hawken)**
Withdrawn: Woodfalls (David Hamilton)**
Best Instrumentalist: Alice Newbould (solo cornet) Northop Silver
*Qualify for British Open
** Relegated to Senior Cup — TBC
Senior Cup
Test Piece: Freedom (Hubert Bath)
Adjudicators: Prof Garry Cutt, Steve Sykes
1. City of Bradford (Jonathan Bates)*
2. Skelmanthorpe (Martin Heartfield)*
3. Ashton-under-Lyne (Martyn Evans)*
4. Dalmellington (Gary J Williams)*
5. Aveley & Newham (Alan Duguid)
6. Jaguar Land Rover (Howard Evans)
7. Acceler8 Band (Jef Sparkes)
8. Verwood Concert Brass (Kevin Smith)
9. Newtongrange Silver (Anne Crookston)
10. City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) (Christopher Bond)
11. Roche Brass (David Hirst)
12. Shepherd Group (Richard Wilton)
13. Derwent Brass (Jack Captstaff)
14. Kingdom Brass (Ian Porthouse)
15. Elland Silver (Daniel Brooks)
16. Kirkintilloch (Steven Mead)
17. Blackburn & Darwen (Daniel Thomas)**
18. Thoresby Colliery (Michael Howley)**
19. Vernon Building Society Poynton**
20. Filton Concert Brass (Erik Van de Kolk)**
Best Instrumentalist: Alan Hibbins (solo cornet) City of Bradford
*Qualify for British Open
** Relegated to Senior Trophy
The Senior Cup:
Test Piece: Life Divine (Cyril Jenkins)
Adjudicators: Sandy Smith & Simon Gresswell
1.Unite the Union (Jonathan Beatty)*
2. Boarshurst Silver (Jamie Prophet)*
3. Fishburn (Duncan Beckley)*
4. East London Brass (Jayne Murrill)*
5. Tylorstown (Gary Davies)
6. Enderby (Stephen Phillips)
7. Pontardulais (Paul Jenkins)
8. Unison Kinneil (Raymond Tennant)
9. Hatfield & Askern Colliery (Stan Lippeatt)
10. Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel (Garry Hallas)
11. Eccles Borough (Mareika Gray)
12. Easington Colliery (Stephen Malcolm)
13. Thundersley Brass (Melvin White)
14. Amersham (Paul Fisher)
15. Marsden Silver (Andrew Lofthouse)
16. Sovereign Brass (Stephen Roberts)
17. Bo'ness & Carriden (Andrew Duncan)
18. Lydbrook (Stephen Sykes)
19. Crofton Silver (Dean Jones)
20. Roberts Bakery (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)
21. Staffordshire (Craig Williams)
22. Jackfield (Ryan Richards)
Best Instrumentalist: trombone (Unite the Union)
*Qualify for Senior Cup
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