Midland Success for Desford
Desford made an impressive claim on the Midlands Regional Championships last weekend. Under the skillful direction of Ian Porthouse the band delivered a sparkling performance of Philip Sparke's 'Variations on an Enigma', a piece that was originally written for the band. Adjudicators David Hirst and Sarah-Groarke Booth were agreed and emphatic in their decision that "Theirs was a performance that had the extra elements of musical style and shaping, tempo relevance and good balance. It really did stand out from beginning to end."
Joining Desford at the Royal Albert Hall in October will be runners-up GUS Band. The defending champion also put on an excellent display with Dr David Thornton at the helm and comfortably secured the second qualification spot. The qualification spots for Cheltenham in September were also fiercely contested in the lower sections with victories for Langley, Raunds Temperance and Thrapston Town. Joining them by virtue of second and third placed qualification spots will be Jackfield and Kibworth in the First Section, Audley Brass in the Second Section with Wellington and Towcester Studio in the Third Section. The Fourth Section is still to be held, however full results of all other sections are below.
Result:
Championship Section:
Adjudicators: David Hirst & Sarah Groarke Booth
Test Piece: Variations on an Enigma (Philip Sparke)
1. Desford Colliery (Ian Porthouse)*
2. GUS Band (Dr David Thornton)*
3. Derwent Brass (Jack Capstaff)
4. Sovereign Brass (Alan Gifford)
5. Newstead Brass (Martin Heartfield)
6. Enderby (Gareth Brindle)
7. Ratby Co-operative (Mareika Gray)
8. Blidworth Welfare (Gary Perrin)
9. Brass Band of Central England (Howard Evans)
10. Gresley Colliery (Craig Stevens)
11. Shirley (Tom Stoneman)
12. Bilton Silver (Brad Turnbull)
*Qualify for invitation to National Final
First Section:
Adjudicators: Steve Sykes & Chris Wormald
Test Piece: High Peak (Eric Ball)
1. Langley (Cliff Parker)*
2. Jackfield (Ryan Richards)*
3. Kibworth (Brendan Caddy)*
4. Staffordshire (Craig Williams)
5. Thoresby Colliery (Martin Heartfield)
6. Oddfellows Brass (John Davis)
7. Rushden Town (Adele Hudson)
8. Stamford Brass (Julian Bright)
9. Bedworth Brass (Jonathan Mott)
10. Carlton Brass (Chris Banks)
11. Foss Dyke (Gareth Westwood)
12. Hucknall & Linby MC (Paul Whyley)
13. City of Coventry (Lee Woodward)
14. Harborough (Ben Smith)
15. Burbage Buxton (Steve Critchlow)
*Qualify for invitation to National Final
Second Section:
Adjudicators: Sheona White & Andrea Price
Test Piece: Triptych (Philip Sparke)
1. Raunds Temperance (Jonathan Pippen)*
2. Audley Brass (Tom Hancock)*
3. Hathern (Gary Wyatt)
4. Shirland Welfare (Lynden Cooper)
5. Tintwistle (Jim Henson)
6. Shirebrook Miners Welfare (Luke Pallister)
7. Leicestershire Co-op (Ben Hewlett-Davies)
8. Rolls Royce (Derby) (Graham Cardwell)
9. City of Birmingham (Saphran Ali)
10. Avonbank (Colin Herbert)
11. Stourport on Severn (Oliver Wilson)
12. Pleasley Colliery Welfare (Elizabeth Pearce)
13. Market Rasen (David Denley)
14. Glossop Old (Eliot Darwin)
*Qualify for invitation to National Final
Third Section:
Adjudicators: Andrea Price & Chris Wormald
Test Piece: Corineus (Christopher Bond)
1. Thrapston Town (Nathan Waterman)*
2. Wellington (Telford) (Ian Johnson)*
3. Towcester Studio (Neil Brownless)*
4. Ratby Co-operative Mid (Nicholas Garman)
5. Amington (Chris Barker)
6. Wigston (Ian Needham)
7. Shipston Town (Alex Bland)
8. Newhall (Kevin Holdgate)
9. Long Eaton Silver Prize (Sharon Stansfield)
10. Daventry Brass (Jonathan Mott)
11. Ibstock Brick Brass (Luke Atkinson)
12. Cleobury Mortimer Concert (David Nicholson)
13. Trentham Brass (Shaun Farrington)
14. Newark Town (Gary Wyatt)
15. Cubbington Silver (Kieron Howe)
16. Ireland Colliery Chesterfield (Sam Johnstone)
*Qualify for invitation to National Final
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