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BB 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9.indd 2 26-11-2008 15:08:26 NEWS Win for BTM at Treorchy The South East Wales Brass Band Association held its annual contest at Treorchy on 15 November, at which BTM Band scored a clear victory under the baton of Tom Davoran. It was the final event in the series to decide the Welsh Champions of 2008. The full results were: Championship Section: 1. BTM (T. Davoran) 193 2. Burry Port Town (C. Roberts) 191 3. Tongwynlais Temperance (P. Harper) 188 4. Newbridge Celynen (P. Holland) 187 5. Abergavenny Borough (G. Ritter) 186 6. Pontardulais Town (P. Jenkins) 185 7. Tylorstown (G. Davies) 184 Best Instrumentalist: Ceri John, euphonium, Burry Port Town Best Trombone: Jonathan Pippen, BTM Best Bass Section: BTM flugel picking up the prize for the Best Horn. The adjudicator, 2008 Welsh League Champion: Tongwynlais Temperance Success for Youth Runner-up: Newbridge Celynen Stephen Brodie, praised all of the bands for their efforts, 1st Section: Brass 2000 at admitting the contest had flown by. The Mayor of Tameside, 1. Markham and District (A. Morton) 190 Councillor Jack Davis, was in attendance to present the prizes. 2. Penclawdd Brass (T. Small) 189 Following the closure of Tameside Hippodrome, the sponsor 3. RAF St. Athan Voluntary (A. Bourne) 187 Tameside of the event, Tameside Council acted swiftly to secure the venue for the contest, which was an overwhelming success. 4. Rogerstone (J. Jones) 186 Youth Brass 2000, conducted by Peter Collins, took the spoils 5. Briton Ferry (C. Jenkins) 185 Next year’s event has already been confirmed for Sunday 22 at last Sunday’s Tameside Youth Festival, held at Dukinfield 6. Ammanford Town (C. John) 184 November 2009. Town Hall. The winning band went home with £1,100, with Best Instrumentalist: solo cornet, Penclawdd Brass the winning cheque of £1,000 enhanced by a further £100 2008 Welsh League Champion: Markham and District Full Results: from gaining the prize for the Best Bass Section. Youth Runner-up: RAF St. Athan Voluntary 1. Youth Brass 2000 (P. Collins) 192 Brass 2000’s winning programme featured Duke Ellington’s Second Section: 2. Poynton Youth (A. Hirst) 190 1. Blaenavon Town (L. Price) 186 Caravan, soloists, Alice Norman (flugel) and Sarah Lenton 3. Bare Trees Community (J. Collins) 189 2. Ynyshir (D. Evans) 184 (euphonium), and Peter Graham’s Shine as the Light. 4. Smithills School (C. Wormald) 188 3. Crosskeys (K. Bowden) 182 Poynton Youth (Andrew Hirst) from Cheshire pushed the 5. Stockport Schools (P. Pavey) 187 4. Gwaun Cae Gurwen (G. Davies) 181 winner very close, with a programme that not only saw 6. Sellers International Youth (M. Bousie) 186 5. Ogmore Valley (I. Barnett) 180 Danielle Miller, the band’s principal cornet receive the prize 7. Elland Youth (S. Harrison) 185 6. Llwydcoed (R. Griffiths) 179 for the Best Cornet, but also featured by the music of Peter 8. Macclesfield Youth (L. Renshaw) 184 7. Lewis Merthyr (F. Nicholas) 178 Graham in Cat Walk, from Cats Tales, and Dimensions. 9. Lions Youth (N. Birch) 183 Best Instrumentalist: Evan Smith, euphonium, Blaenavon Town Debutant at the event, Bare Tree Community (John Collins), Best Cornet: Poynton 2008 Welsh League Champion: Blaenavon Town took third place and £700, with its programme dominated by Best Basses: Youth Brass 2000 Runner-up: Ynyshir a confident reading of Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s The Dark Side of Best Percussion: Bare Trees Community 3rd Section: the Moon. Smithills School and Chris Wormald took the last Best Horn: Flugel, Sellers International 1. City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) (G. Ritter) 184 podium prize of £200 with music that paid homage to Frank Best Trombone: Elland Youth 2. Upper Rhondda (E. Monteith) 181 Sinatra, Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Michael Jackson. Best Euphonium: Bare Trees Community 3. Crwbin (R. Davies) 179 Defending champion, Sellers International (Mark Bousie), Youngest Player: Emily Collins, 8, Bare Trees Community 4. Pontypool Brass (P. O’ Leary) 178 had to be content with sixth place, despite producing a well- Adjudicator: Stephen Brodie 5. Newport Borough (A. Hathaway) 177 balanced selection of music that included Craig Walker on 6. Ebbw Vale Town (C. Thomas) 176 Best Instrumentalist: Alexander Rees, soprano, City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) 2008 Welsh League Champion: City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) Gourlay for Grimethorpe Runner-up: Upper Rhondda Grimethorpe Colliery Band has announced that the renowned tuba soloist, James Gourlay, is to become its new Musical 4th Section: Director from 1 January 2009, an arrangement that will see him working in tandem with Allan Withington, the band’s 1. Corus (Port Talbot) (C. Hogg) 180 Principal Conductor. 2. Cwmtawe and District Youth (W. Pedrick) 177 3. Ystradgynlais (P. Williams) 175 Speaking to BB on behalf of the band, Terry Webster commented: “Naturally we are delighted that we have been able to Best Instrumentalist: Elaine Williams, flugel horn, Corus (Port Talbot) attract a musician of James Gourlay’s stature. Phillip McCann will also continue to work with the band in the position of 2008 Welsh League Champion: Cwmtawe and District Youth Associate Conductor, and I’m sure everyone in banding would agree that we have a team that is sure to keep Grimethorpe Runner-up: Ystradgynlais Junior Festival: Colliery at the top of the highest echelons of banding. Everyone connected with the band is excited and looks forward to a Cwmtawe Training (W. Pedrick) Gold Award successful 2009 on the concert and contest platforms.” Tongwynlais Youth (R. Hacket) Gold Award James Gourlay’s first concert with Grimethorpe will be at Worthing on 24 January. Adjudicators: Stan Lippeatt and Peter Roberts BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 3 BB 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9.indd 3 26-11-2008 15:08:26 TICKET OFFICE 0121 780 3333 Sunday 25 January, 3pm, Symphony Hall BLACK DYKE BAND Nicholas Childs director of music All tickets £12.50 SUPPORTED BY BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 4 BB 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9.indd 4 26-11-2008 15:08:32 NEWS the increasing number of entries that the contest was now 1. Verwood Concert Brass 187 (6) Double Honours attracting. 2. Oddfellows Brass 186 (7) The new venues of Garendon High and Burleigh Community 3. Chinnor Silver 185 (4) for Ratby at College appeared favourable to performers and supporters 3rd Section Leicester alike and Lesley Bentley commented: “On behalf of the LBBA 1. Matlock 188 (7) committee, I would like to thank all volunteers and stewards 2. Chalgrove 187 (5) Ratby Co-operative Band took top honours in two sections at that helped to event to run so smoothly.” 3. Verwood Concert Brass 186 (6) the Leicestershire Brass Band Association (LBBA) Contest, held Results: 4th Section at Loughborough on Sunday 16 November. Ratby Co-operative Championship Section: 1. Rushden Town Band 183 (3) Senior Band and conductor, Mike Fowles, fought off stiff 1. Ratby Cooperative 188 (drawn 6) 2. Watford 182 (8) competition in the Open Section, with Jaguar (Coventry) and 2. Jaguar Coventry 187 (3) 3. Croft Silver 181 (9) Newstead Brass taking second and third places respectively, 3. Newstead Brass 186 (10) Adjudicator: Roy Sparkes while in the Unregistered Section, Ratby Juniors also took 1st Section Unregistered Section home first prize under the watchful eye of its young Musical 1. Bollington Brass 186 (6) 1. Ratby Co-op Junior Director, Becky Moss. 2. Stannington Brass 185 (5) 2. Yarwell & Nassington Britannia Adjudicator, John Roberts, commented in his closing 3. Bedworth Brass 183 (9) 3= Enderby Junior remarks that he was impressed with the standard of the Adjudicator: John Roberts 3= Hathern Youth bands’ performances throughout the day and commended 2nd Section Adjudicator: Garry Sleath Phoenix rises above the rest at Leamington Spa Report by Christopher Thomas Of the four sections on the day, the five bands competing in enthusiasm to a new contesting year and the fresh challenges A total of 28 bands, along with adjudicators, Major Peter the 2nd Section found the going to be the toughest although, it will no doubt bring with it. Parkes and David Hirst, braved the early morning snow to as David Hirst commented afterwards, this was in some Results compete across four sections in the West Midlands Brass Band cases attributable to choices of piece that erred on the side 1st Section Association (WMBBA) contest held in Leamington Spa last of ambition to say the least. Stourport-on-Seven proved to 1. Phoenix West Midlands (D. Maplestone) 192 Sunday (23rd). be the second band of the day to achieve victory on Philip 2. Chalford (S. Tubb) 186 The own-choice format for all sections ensured a wide- Sparke’s Kaleidoscope, with Mike West injecting plenty of spirit 3. Bedworth Brass (G. Bennett) 186 ranging and entertaining choice of test-pieces, with very little into a performance that was not without its slips, but high in 4.