BRITISH Issue no.Bands 5527 – 20 September 2008 the leading internationalman brass magazine Price £1.25 A Cutt above the rest Fantastic Foden’s victory provides fourth accolade for conductor BB 1.indd 1 17-09-2008 16:37:50 BRITISH BRITISH BandsThe leading internationalman brass magazine Bandsthe leading internationalman brass magazine BRITISH Issue no.Bands 5527 – 20 September 2008 the leading internationalman brass magazine Price £1.25 THE LEADING CIRCULATING MAGAZINE IN THE WORLDWIDE A Cutt above the rest BRASS MARKET Fantastic Foden’s victory provides fourth accolade for conductor BRITISH Issue no.Bands 5525 – 6 September 2008 the leading internationalman brass magazine Issue no. 5524 – 30 August 2008 Issue no. 5523 – 23 August 2008 Price £1.25 Price £1.25 Players from Whitburn Band celebrate victory at the Land O’ Burns Contest in Troon last weekend. For Whitburn, it was a fi fth successive victory in a sequence that has seen the band lift a total of £11,000 in prize money at the event since 2004. Turn to page 3 for the full story. Secret millionaire provides Picture: Gareth Ritter Over 200 delegates and staff of the International Brass Band Summer School, pictured above at Swansea University. The course, led by Robert and rosy future for Easington Nicholas Childs, was an outstanding success, and BB’s Kenneth Crookston was there to see what it was all about. Turn to pages 8&9 for the full story. Easington Colliery Band, which recently suff ered a devastating tears, and one or two of the players have said that it’s the fi rst loss of the sponsorship that it had enjoyed from the Rail, time I’ve been silent in years!” Maritime and Transport Union, has received a massive boost Speaking to BB, Brighouse-based Carl Hopkins commented: to its fortunes with an appearance on the Channel 4 television “Brass bands are very important to the former mining and Parliamentary support programme, The Secret Millionaire. textile communities, and Easington Colliery Band doesn’t only The programme, which was aired on Tuesday (26th), was provide a link to the past, but is also a fantastic ambassador, originally presented to the band as a documentary on the taking a very positive message wherever it performs Scott Meikle village’s former colliery, with its true purpose being kept around the country. The eff ort that everyone involved in grows for brass bands band and the whole experience has made us aware that we under cover. The band’s Secretary, Scott Meikle, takes up the the organisation puts in, while also paying for the whole need to start making the money work for us. As a result, we story: “I had a phone call from the production company, RDF, thing themselves and holding down jobs of their own, is The recently established All Parliamentary Group on Brass Bands, formed last month in the House of Commons, is gaining in size, with more have two CDs in the pipeline – Colliery Favourites and The Secret in February, asking if the band would like to be involved in a remarkable. I hope that my contribution will help the band politicians and dignitaries pledging their support. – as well as a limited edition tie and our own casual wear, so programme about the village of Easington Colliery,” said Scott, see its centenary in fi ve years time, but it would be great if the After a long and detailed debate in the Commons last month, which tackled the thorny issue of more legitimate Government funding for bands, we are making our money work for us. However, it’s not just adding, “When Carl Hopkins, the secret millionaire, arrived, programme will also encourage a business in the North East support now totals 29 members from the House of Commons and eight members from the House of Lords. about our band. The programme is very respectful of banding we thought he was from the production company itself and to align itself with the band.” in general and provides a good opportunity to help other The full list of members is: Jeff Ennis (Chair), David Heath and Lord Jones (Vice-Chairs), Lord Foster (Secretary), Peter Atkinson, Kevin Barron, John I was reluctant to go into too much detail about our fi nances Easington Colliery Band was formed in 1913 and has been one bands across the UK to put their message out in their own Battle, Richard Benyon, Colin Burgon, Ronald Campbell, Michael Clapham, David Crausby, Philip Davies, David Drew, Bill Etherington, Michael with him. As it happened, we had just lost our sponsorship, of the stalwarts of north-east banding ever since, appearing communities. We all need to start putting ourselves forward J. Foster, Julia Goldsworthy, Lindsay Hoyle, Mark Hunter, Eric Illsley, Michael Jack, Denis MacShane, Denis Murphy, Gwen Prosser, Laurance we were down to our last £300 and it was becoming clear regularly at the National Finals in Harrogate and London. and stop becoming the dying breed that we appear to be.” Robertson, Dan Rogerson, Terry Rooney, Marsha Singh, David Taylor, Neil Turner, George Young, Lord Bilston, Lord Brookman, Lord Davis of Coity, after the ‘Area’ contest that we were on the verge of closure. As a result of its appearance on national television, in the Baroness Golding, Lord Hoyle and Lord Lipsey. They came to fi lm the band on the day that Carl was leaving, Easington Colliery’s next performance will be in Diss, Norfolk, past week, local radio and newspapers have given the band and you could have knocked me over with a feather when next weekend and it will follow this up with appearances One of the driving forces behind gaining Government backing for bands has been the British Federation of Brass Bands’ Development Offi cer, extensive coverage, lifting its profi le higher than ever. he revealed his true identity and handed me a cheque for at the Pontin’s Contest in October and the Scottish Open in Philip Watson. Commenting on the success of the group so far, Philip Watson told BB: “I hope the Parliamentary Group will continue to grow at a £10,000. Like others in the band, I couldn’t hold back the Scott Meikle continued: “This is a tremendous boost for the November. good rate. It started with an initial membership of 20 and is now over 30. I think it will be a great lobbying tool for the brass band sector and the The new wizard from Oz more members it has, the more useful it will be to bands.” Price £1.25 In a plea to gain the support of bands Philip Watson said: “I think bands should be encouraged to contact their local MP. If he or she appears on the membership list above, then contact them to congratulate them. If their name is not currently on the list, then persuade them to become a The man from ‘down-under’ driving Leyland back to the top member.” ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY AND STAY IN TOUCH WITH OTHERS WHO SHARE YOUR PASSION Telephone 01933 445 442 or log on to our new website: www.britishbandsman.com Overseas subscribers can now have the online edition delivered direct to their desktop BB 2-3.indd 2 17-09-2008 16:55:22 NEWS NEWS Registration issue clouds ‘Open’ outcome Heyl triumphant at Exmouth Events surrounding last weekend’s British Open Championship in Birmingham have brought Heyl Band siezed the top spot at the ninth Exmouth Brass Band Festival, organised by the confusion to player registration within the UK, following reports that a player of Scottish Co-op South West Brass Band Association (SWBBA), which took place on 6 September at the Exmouth Band performed at the contest without valid documentation. Pavilion. Percussionist, Philip Trudgeon, who was previously a signed member of Camborne Town A large audience enjoyed the programmes of 15 bands, and adjudicator, Denis Wilby, openly Band, became the subject of a dispute between Scottish Co-op and the Scottish Brass Band admitted his surprise at the maximum entry of bands, taking into account the high cost of travel Association (SBBA), when the Association’s Registrar informed the band that the player would with no prize money being off ered. “He congratulated all the bands and their musical directors be unable to compete in Birmingham because the 28-day deadline, which is applied to all but for excellent and enthusiastic playing, together with well thought-out programmes,” reported brand new player registrations in Scotland, had not yet passed, despite no such rule applying Brian Elliott, the SWBBA Secretary. to English and Welsh bands taking part in the event. The band subsequently appealed to the Brian Elliott further commented: “Considering the atrocious weather prior to the Festival, it was Contest Controller and was given his permission to include Philip Trudgeon in its line-up, even amazing that the Pavilion Gardens were bathed in sunshine during the morning and the fringe although no such dispensation was passed by the SBBA. concerts went ahead with the bands playing to an appreciative audience enjoying the few hours A statement to BB from the SBBA’s President, George Burt, reads: ‘The Registrar of the Scottish of warmth on their backs. Unfortunately, this joyful scene did not last, as the heavens opened Brass Band Association was asked to register a player for one of the Scottish bands participating just after lunch and the concert programme had to be abandoned. However, the exemplary high in the British Open. The player had a cancelled registration and, under current SBBA registration quality of playing, deportment, presentation and friendliness of the bands must be applauded rules, a new registration is not eff ected until 28 days from the date of the cancellation of the and is a credit to the brass band movement.” previous registration.