Price £1.25 www.britishbandsman.com Issue no. 5654 – 26 February 2011 LEWIS MUSSON CAPTURES PRESTIGIOUS BBC TITLE BB 1.indd 1 22-02-2011 17:12:06 ! " !#$%&&'# ( ) * + , + - ) BB 2-3.indd 2 22-02-2011 17:04:52 NEWS Trip the Light Fantastic with the BBC BBC Radio 3 is on the hunt for community brass bands, wind bands, choirs, any strictly amateur or voluntary ensemble, in fact, to be a part of a weekend festival celebrating the riches of British light music. Light Fantastic is a participatory festival with a central theme of orchestral music. The focus of the festival is a weekend of events around the country and broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 (24-27 June 2011), which the BBC hopes will bring it closer to its audience. The BBC is inviting applications from amateur ensembles to take part in BBC recording events across the UK - in Glasgow (5 June), Manchester (25/26 June), Cardiff (21/22 May), Exeter (5 June) and London (21/22 May). Recordings may be broadcast by BBC Radio 3 in the context of Light Fantastic. You can find full details of how to apply, with terms and conditions and the closing date for applications and also other ways to get involved by visiting the website www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classical/lightfantastic or by emailing direct to [email protected] There are also opportunities for ensembles to submit their own recordings for consideration. Full details about making a suitable recording are to be found on the Making Music website at www.makingmusic.co.uk Protest over Youth Funding secured for Entertainment English music services Championship outcome for one year by Roy Terry A protest has been lodged over the final result of the recent Action Education Secretary, Michael Gove, has responded to the review of Medical Research Youth Entertainment Championship of Great Britain, music education in England by providing funding of £82.5 million at which Youth Brass 2000 was demoted from the original first place for local authority music services for the year 2011-2012. He has awarded by both music and entertainment judges because of an specifically made a commitment that “All young people should have infringement of the time limit rules. the chance to benefit from the opportunities that music can bring – BB has been contacted by Don Collins of Youth Brass 2000, and he not simply those from wealthy backgrounds whose parents can afford commented: “We have lodged an official letter of protest with the to pay for lessons.” organisers over the outcome of the results of the Youth Brass Band Funding arrangements beyond 2012 have yet to be decided and a full Entertainment Championships at Blackpool. Firstly, I need to make it clear picture of the future of music education in England will not emerge that our problem is not concerned with the fact that we were penalised until details of the ‘slimming down’ of the National Curriculum are to for running over time. We exceeded the allotted maximum time of hand. In the meantime, music educators have expressed concern that 22 minutes, and accept that without further question. Neither do we the teaching grant for music in higher education has been removed question the new rule which states that music and entertainment placings and music has not been included in the list of subjects forming the are added together, and the band with the lowest number becomes ‘English baccalaureate’ for 16 year-olds. the overall winner. We also readily accept that a band having penalties imposed against it for excess time will be deducted one place.” Don Collins continued: “What we do find difficult to understand, however, is the way in which this rule is allowed to affect other bands, effectively promoting them when they have actually achieved nothing to warrant this. Doing so actually penalises the errant band twice, once by dropping Wallace honoured by a place, and then again by promoting another band above it. To try to clarify this, our band won both the music and entertainment categories. Foden’s We incurred a penalty, so we dropped down a place in both categories, making us second. However, there was already a band in second place, Foden’s Band has announced that Professor John Wallace CBE has so surely we now have joint second places? The other band did not win! accepted the post of Vice-President with the band. Mathematically, our score was 1+1=2. Add the penalties, and we become A spokesman for Foden’s said: “Professor Wallace is not new to 2+2=4. We are still higher in the overall added places than the band below the band having conducted us at Gateshead’s Brass in Concert us - the penalty has been added in accordance with the rules. The bands Championship at the end of 2010, when Foden’s was placed second below us achieved 2+3, and 3+2, both making totals of 5. It seems to us on musical performance and third overall. The acclaimed trumpeter that the rules simply have not been applied properly. In our view, this is a and Principal of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama total misapplication of the new rules.” recently received the CBE in the New Year Honours in recognition of Speaking on behalf of the contest’s organisers, Monica Walczak his distinguished services to music. Professor Wallace will now join the responded: “I can confirm that Pennine Action Medical Research band’s four other Vice-Presidents.” Committee has received a protest from Youth Brass 2000. An acknowledgement has been sent to Youth Brass 2000 and all competing Foden’s Chairman, John Barber, commented: “Fodens and John bands have been informed that a protest has been lodged. Pennine Action Wallace had a great working relationship during the Brass in Medical Research Committee has a very clear process for addressing Concert Championships and having someone of his knowledge and official protests. This process has now begun and all points made in experience on board will open up new avenues for the band. Both the protest will be carefully considered. Youth Brass 2000 will be kept parties are currently investigating several exciting projects that will be informed throughout the process.” challenging and very enjoyable.” BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 3 BB 2-3.indd 3 22-02-2011 17:04:53 BB 4-5.indd 4 22-02-2011 17:07:59 NEWS Music for Battle Creek North West ‘Area’ prequel chosen for Dutch Open On Thursday 24 February, Fairey (Geneva) Band was due to host an informally judged session with bands from all five of the sections at Philip Sparke’s Music for Battle Creek has been chosen as the test-piece this year’s North West Regional Championship. The adjudicator for the for this year’s Dutch Open Championship, to be held at the Roda Hall in evening is Malcolm Brownbill, on hand to offer opinion and suggestions Kerkrade on 1 October. for improvement following each of the performances. The bands The Dutch Open Championship was inaugurated in 2007 and is only open appearing, in order of playing, are: to bands in the Championship Section. The first two contests saw only 4th Section: Besses Boys (James Holt) wind and fanfare bands eligible for the competition, which is held every 3rd Section: Eccles Borough (Mareika Gray) two years after the official World Music Contest in summertime. Brass 2nd Section: Flixton (Steve Curtis) bands will take part for the first time this year and there is already more 1st Section: Rainford (Neil Samuel) interest than the organisers expected. Championship Section: Fairey (Geneva) (Russell Gray) Each competing band will perform an artistic programme of 60 minutes, The event was due to start at 7:30pm at Peel Hall, The Crescent, Salford, which includes Music for Battle Creek. Further information can be obtained M5 4WT, where entrance is free and all welcome. by emailing [email protected] before the closing date of 1 March. Funeral of James Watson Paul Lovatt-Cooper The Funeral of James Watson took place on Monday 21 February at hangs up his sticks Marylebone Parish Church, just across the road from the Royal Academy of Music where he was a student, a teacher and Head of Brass and After 16 years of playing percussion at the highest level of banding, Paul Director of Performance. Lovatt-Cooper has decided to retire due to his developing music career as a teacher, composer and conductor. Frank Renton commented: “The church was packed as one might Paul Lovatt-Cooper joined Black Dyke Band in 2003 after playing with imagine, but despite being full of musicians it was a quiet and reflective Fairey for nine years. He featured regularly as a soloist with both bands congregation that awaited Jim’s arrival and listened to the organist play and was a prominent figure as an all-round percussionist. voluntaries by J.S. Bach. As the coffin was received at the west door of the Parish Church, the Academy Symphonic Brass conducted by Rod Franks Following Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s retirement from playing, Black Dyke’s played the Vienna Philharmonic Fanfare by Richard Strauss, and we knew Musical Director, Dr. Nicholas Childs, commented: “Naturally Black Dyke that this was going to be no ordinary funeral, but a celebration of a life is disappointed that Paul has called time as a percussionist with the well lived. band. He was a team player. His personality always shone through as a committed and diligent member of the section. With his new direction “The Academy Chamber Choir, conducted by Jeremy Summerly, sang and the extra time that this will allow him to develop his compositions, I the Funeral Sentences quite beautifully.