Creetown Silver Awards
Creetown Silver Band chose its social and awards evening in the town’s Gemrock Museum to honour its retiring musical director Stuart McNab. Scottish Brass Band Association secretary Tom Allan made the journey to the occasion to present him with a well-deserved SBBA lifetime achievement award.
Stuart has been the band’s MD since 1983 when he moved from Kirkintilloch to Castle Douglas to take up a post of assistant head teacher. He started learning to play a brass instrument with the Kirkintilloch Band, being taught initially by the late Willie Tennant. He joined the senior band on third cornet before progressing to soprano and then principal cornet. He joined the band committee in his mid-teens and was initially minute secretary and eventually served as secretary, treasurer and chairman at various times. Stuart stayed with Kirkintilloch, playing in 3rd, 2nd and 1st Section finals, until 1982 and remains the band’s vice-president. Since 1983 he has led Creetown in making a huge contribution to a rural area of mainly small communities. Throughout the year, the band is much in demand at village galas and fetes, as well as playing in local churches for church services. He started a learners’ class and continues to teach many youngsters and adults. In addition, he has visited local schools to introduce children to brass instruments and has composed and arranged music to suit the abilities of the junior and senior bands.
In 1990, Stuart led the band to second place in the 4th Section of the Scottish Championships, enabling the players to compete in the National Finals at the Albert Hall in London. He also led the senior and junior bands to many successes at the Galloway Music Festival. Although he officially retired from MD in 2018, he later returned to the post when the incumbent conductor resigned. He has now stepped back from the role once again, but continues to train the band’s young musicians, currently preparing them for contests at Innerleithen and Perth later this year. Stuart, who received a SBBA life membership award in 2003 and is Creetown’s honorary president, now plays baritone and other instruments as required with the senior band.
Tom Allan also presented a life membership medal to cornet player Peter Kendall for over 50 years service to the brass banding community. Peter started playing with the Nelson Band in Lancashire in 1958 at the age of nine. In the 1960s he was a founder member of his school band. He continued to be a member of Nelson until he moved to Scotland in 2012 when he joined Creetown. He also plays with Stranraer Brass on occasions.
Band treasurer Evelyn McCubbin was the winner of the Harry Heaver Trophy for Meritorious Service, principal cornet Hannah Birse received the McNab Trophy as player of the year and the band award for the best section went to the flugel and tenor horns. Certificates were also presented to those Junior Band members who had successes at the Galloway Music Festival.
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