Spring Festival Success
With barely chance to catch breath since the band’s appearance at the European Championships in Malmo, Whitburn Band put on an electrifying display at Blackpool’s Winter Garden’s earning them the Grand Shield title. Under the direction of Prof. Nicholas Childs Whitburn gave a commanding performance of Gregson’s ‘The World Rejoicing’ which proved as popular with the adjudicators as it was with the audience. Particular congratulations are deserved for the band’s young solo horn player, Andrew McMillan who was also awarded the best instrumentalist prize. Whitburn will now receive an invitation, along with runners-up Hepworth, to compete at The British Open Championships in September.
There was much to celebrate in the other divisions of the contest with Llwydcoed winning the Senior Cup, Gaining promotion to next year’s Grandshield alongside second placed Fishburn, third placed St Dennis and fourth placed Redbridge. Thundersley Brass won the Senior Trophy with qualification spots going to Amersham, Stannington Brass & Tylorstown. The full results can be seen below with a full review of the Festival appearing in the next issue of Brass Band World magazine.
Results:
Grand Shield
Test-piece: The World Rejoicing — Symphonic Variations on a Lutheran Chorale (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Dr Robert Childs, David Hirst
1. Whitburn (Prof Nicholas Childs)*
2. Hepworth (Ryan Watkins)*
3. Reg Vardy (Russell Gray)
4. Oldham Band (Lees) (John Collins)
5. Carlton Main Frickley Colliery (Allan Withington)
6. The GUS Band (Dr David Thornton)
7. City of Bradford (Gareth Brindle)
8. Friary Brass (Nigel Taken)
9. NASUWT Riverside (Michael Fowles)
10. Wingates (Andrea Price)
11. Ratby Co-operative (Mareika Gray)
12. Milnrow (Lee Skipsey)
13. City of Hull (Dean Jones)
14. Camborne Town (Ian Porthouse)
15. Skelmanthorpe (Martin Heartfield)
16. Rainford (Sarah Groarke-Booth)
17. Dalmellington (Erik Janssen)**
18. Wantage (Jonathan Pippen)**
19. Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Ben Dixon)**
20. Ashton under Lyne (Martyn Evans)**
Best Instrumentalist: Andrew McMillan (horn) — Whitburn
*Promoted to the British Open
**Relegated to the Senior Cup
Senior Cup:
Test-piece: A London Overture (Philip Sparke)
Adjudicators: John Doyle, Andrew Porter
1. Llwydcoed (Joshua Ruck)*
2. Fishburn (Duncan Beckley)*
3. St Dennis (Darren R Hawken*
4. Redbridge (Chris Bearman)*
5. City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) M1 (Christopher Bond)
6. Elland Silver (Daniel Brooks)
7. Kirkintilloch (Hedley Benson)
8. Unite the Union (Jonathan Beatty)
9. Brass Band of Central England (Howard J. Evans)
10. Kingdom Brass (Thomas Wyss)
11. Derwent Brass (Jack Capstaff)
12. Acceler8 Band (Jef Sparkes)
13. Verwood Concert Brass (Kevin Smith)
14. Roche Brass (Keith Maxwell)
15. Shepherd Group (Richard Wilton)
16. Boarshurst Silver (Jamie Prophet)
17. East London Brass (Jayne Murrill)**
18. Woodfalls (Stephen Sykes)**
19. Newtongrange Silver (Anne Crookston)**
20. Aveley & Newham (Will Wilkins)**
Best Instrumentalist: Lewis Barton (cornet) — Elland Silver
*Promoted to the Grand Shield
**Relegated to the Senior Cup
Senior Trophy:
Test-piece: The Accursed Huntsman (Cesar Franck arr. Edrich Siebert)
Adjudicators: Dr Brett Baker, Mark Wilkinson
1. Thundersley Brass (Melvin White)*
2. Amersham (Paul Fisher)*
3. Stannington Brass (Sam Fisher)*
4. Tylorstown (Robert Westacott)*
5. Tongwynlais Temperance (Owen Farr)
6. Blackburn & Darwen (Daniel Thomas)
7. Unison Kinneil (Raymond Tennant)
8. Eccles Borough (Jon Davis)
9. Longridge (Mark Peacock)
10. Yorkshire Imperial (Garry Hallas)
11. Easington Colliery (Stephen Malcolm)
12. Ebbw Valley Brass (Gareth Ritter)
13. Pontardulais (Paul Jenkins)
14. Enderby (Stephen Phillips)
15. Parc & Dare (Dewi Griffiths)
16. Haverhill Silver (Paul Filby)
17. Filton Concert Brass (Nathan Jenkins)
18. Vernon Building Society (Adam Delbridge-Smith)
19. Thoresby Colliery (Simon Oates)
20. Bo'ness & Carriden (Charlie Farren)
21. Hatfield & Askern Colliery (Jack Capstaff)
Best Instrumentalist: Keith Schroeter (tenor horn) Thundersley
*Promoted to the Senior Cup
photo credit: ChappersPhoto.co.uk
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