Firsts at Leicester

It was a day of firsts for the Hatfield and Askern Colliery Band at the recent LBBA Contest. Following the recent appointment of Musical Directing duo Richard Marshall and Vicki Kennedy, the band was awarded first place in the First Section competition earlier this month. Commenting on social media a spokesperson for the band stated, “What a great day. First contest under our new conductors and first win at Leicester Brass Band Contest!”

Making her own conducting debut, it was Vicki Kennedy who led the band through the performance of Gilbert Vinter’s popular and challenging work, ‘Spectrum’. She had plenty of support from within the band for her first foray into conducting, including her two uncles Mick (cornet) and Ian (trombone) as well as four cousins Michael, Robert, Nigel and Phil also in the cornet section. In what is believed to be another banding first the bands placed second and third were also led by women, with Jayne Murrill at the helm of Soham Comrades Band and Mareika Gray conducting Eccles Borough Band.

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