BandsmanBRITISHthe leading international brass magazineIssue no. 5528 – 27 september 2008

Price £1.25

Black Dyke and Cory Bands join to perform under the direction of Dr. Robert Childs at the recent Brass on Sundays Gala Concert in Symphony Hall, Birmingham. Rodney Newton and BB photographer, John Stirzaker, were both there to bring our readers the high-lights, so turn to pages 6 and 7 for the full story from one of the most popular brass band events of the year.

Kapitol Promotions’ Music Panel has announced the test-pieces for the 2009 Regional Championships.The Panel has opted for works that it claims to be ‘musical, demanding and particularly lyrical in content,’ and reports that it is particularly pleased to present works by four composers who are new to the Championships.Outlining the selections, the Panel’s Secretary, Alan Hope, commented: “We hope that each of these test pieces will provide interesting and popular tests for bands, as well as be enjoyable for audiences.”Many will be pleased to see the return of the music of Gilbert Vinter to the Championship Section stage, and it is joined by that of three young composers who made an impact at the 2007 Swiss Brass Band Championships, with two of the pieces (Pentacle by Graham Cole and The Once and Future King by Andrew Baker) making their first appearances at that event. A work by Frank Hughes completes the line-up. The full list is:Championship Section: Salute to Youth by Gilbert Vinter, published by Studio Music Company (J. Weinberger).The choice of Salute to Youth marks next year’s centenary of the birth of Gilbert Vinter and the 40th anniversary of his death. Written in 1961 and first used as a Regional Championship test-piece the following year, this three-movement suite was inspired by the composer’s son, Andrew, who was then 17. The movements are entitled Resilience, Romance and Relaxation, the latter marked so as to evoke the rough-and-tumble of youthful exuberance.

Section 1: Pentacle by Graham Cole, published by Faber MusicPentacle is built around the image of an upright, five-pointed star, the points representing the five metaphysical elements of the ancients (Earth, Wind, Fire, Water and Quintessence), which provide the titles of the sections, played as one continuous movement. Quintuplet and other rhythms based around the number five are used frequently throughout the piece, and much of the harmony is based on motifs a fifth or combined fifths apart. There are five sections and many of the phrases are five bars in length. Each movement follows the previous one based around the harmonic cycle of fifths and has a time signature based on each of the numbers one to five. Section 2: New World Sketches by Daniel Price, published by Kirklees MusicThis work offers a descriptive journey through the landscapes and images of America in the early 20th century. The images and caricatures chosen epitomise the ‘New World’, while the musical language draws upon influences of sound and technique that American composers have introduced into the musical vocabulary. Cast in three movements – Sidewalk, The Deep South and Rodeo - the work is characterised by solo sections and, said Alan Hope, “has good audience appeal.”Section 3: The Once and Future King by Andrew Baker, published by Jagrins Music PublicationsThe 3rd Section challenge comprises a suite in three movements, each depicting an Arthurian legend from the early sixth century – Tintagel, Lyonesse and the spirited Badon Hill. The title is taken from King Arthur’s legendary dying

words and gravestone inscription: “Bury me in Britain, for I am the Once and Future King.” The first movement, Tintagel, concerns the famous Cornish promontory thought to be the birthplace of King Arthur, and part of the court of King Mark of Cornwall. The second movement, Lyonesse, takes its inspiration from the mythical land that once joined Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly and the final movement, Badon Hill, takes its title from the legendary site of Arthur’s last battle with the Saxons and is a lively toccata based on the medieval secular song, L’Homme Armée (The Armed Man). Section 4: The Talisman for Brass Band by Frank Hughes, published by MMI MusicThe choice of The Talisman for Brass Band represents the first time that a work by Frank Hughes has been selected for the National Championships. Initially conceived as a quartet, Frank Hughes came up with the idea for the piece during a concert by Foden’s Band in Hyde Park, at which a rainstorm halted the performance. The piece lay dormant until the mid-1980s, when the composer was asked to re-score it by James Scott, at which time he enlarged the work for full band and extended its final movement. Although based on the novel by Sir Walter Scott, the composition is not programmatic, but a tone-picture of events at the end of the Third Crusade, set mostly in the camp of the Crusaders in Palestine. The suite contains detailed and demanding music throughout and the three movements are: A Prelude, which depicts the Third Crusade and Richard the Lionheart; a short Nocturne - a simple melody depicting a tranquil scene of peace - and a lively and rhythmical Scherzo portraying the Crusades themselves.

Youth at the core of 2009 Regional tests

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Making the pre-draw system workI refer to T. Mutum’s letter (BB 5524) and have no desire or intention to steal Alan Hope’s thunder with regard to National contests. However, I would draw attention to the fact that the Yorkshire and Humberside Brass Band Association has, for many years, successfully operated a pre-draw system for contests organised under its aegis. There are one or two differences to the reason why it is operated from that proposed by T. Mutum.Firstly, the ‘draw’ cannot take place until after the closing date for contest entries. Secondly, whilst not a state secret, the actual draw is kept quiet, not publicised and not put up in the contest hall until such time as the adjudicator has been installed in the ‘box’.After the draw has been made, details of time on stage are worked out and forwarded to all competing bands, together with the advice that they must make allowance for getting ready, registration, etc. A proper allowance must also be made for the time taken in the changeover of bands. In the case of own-choice or concert contests this can be considerable.After the introduction of the pre-draw system some years ago, a problem was encountered by the late withdrawal of bands, which left gaps in the proceedings, as any competing band can only be held to the time it was given. The doubling of the contest entry fee and the giving of a 50 percent reimbursement to bands on taking part successfully overcame this problem.The band drawn No. 1, having been told to play the National Anthem, can establish its position, as can band No. 2, having been told to stand by to play the National Anthem if necessary. After that, it is a matter of speculation and unofficial ‘guesstimates’ as to the exact draw.A. Martin,Pickering.

Bovington reunionA reunion will be taking place at The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset in September, 2009 for all former members of the Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps. This is a call to any former boys or member of staff of the Band School, until its closure in 1993.The Band School initially trained young musicians for the Household Cavalry and Royal Tank Regiment bands. It later became the Army Junior Band School, training musicians for all the Army bands.If you were either a junior musician or a member of staff at Bovington, and would like to be involved in the reunion, please log on to www.jlrrac.co.uk or write to the undersigned. Would any readers aware of former members kindly pass this information on?J. Fisher, Reunion Co-coordinator, 50 Beverley Gardens, Ashburton, Newton Abbot. TQ13 7BN.

Berlioz for brassBeing an orchestral player and an avid disciple of a certain Hector Berlioz, I am amazed that there is not a brass band arrangement of the Trojan March from his epic, The Trojans. I would be most grateful if you could highlight this fact in your magazine in the hope that some brass arranger would take up the challenge. The march is simply begging to be published in brass format and would give the original (despite the Berlioz reputation as a master orchestrator) a run for its money. Fingers crossed!F. Reynolds Graham,Address supplied.

Praise for publisherAs a bandsman busy with preparation for the National Championships Finals inHarrogate, can I please just take a few lines to give my compliments to Anglo Music Press, the publisher of the music, The Saga of Haakon The Good, through your pages? All too often we have nothing but complaints about the standard of music used for competitions, and never does anyone comment when things are right. Well I can only say that rehearsing the music has been an immense pleasure for there seem to have been no errors at all to my recollection and I realise that in saying this I’m running the risk of some clever person pointing out that this bar or that bar contains a mistake.Well done Anglo Music Press!Also, it’s truly wonderful music too, so exciting and stimulating. I can thoroughly recommend an early start on the Sunday morning in Harrogate for a listening audience. You will not be disappointed.John BarrettScarborough

In defence of Brassed OffI feel I have to respond to the unfair and unkind words that Kenneth Crookston writes in his article, Is it too late to ditch the cloth cap?, in issue 5525 about the marvellous film, Brassed Off. He believes the film has become a millstone around the neck of the brass band movement as he associates it with perpetuating the ‘cloth cap’ image of modern banding. How I disagree. I have been in the brass band world for a short 20 months now and play with two bands, Wigston Brass Band and Tornado Brass of Melton Mowbray. For most of my 57 years, I have always had a latent desire to understand and play music but, due to professional pressures and other draws on my time, I never really pursued music. Watching Brassed Off was the catalyst that lead to me eventually taking up music by playing a brass instrument, so for me, the film was more a recruitment visual aid than a millstone to banding. Let’s us also not that forget the film is a poignant historical statement on the many miners’ families who were thrust into financial hardship as a result of the then governments insensitive pit closure programme. No, Mr Crookston, the film is not a millstone, it is good family entertainment, a statement of the friendship that band members can expect and a testimony that, whatever personal strife the players may encounter, the band plays on. Steven A. Warden Leicester

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 2

MAILBOX

HAVE YOUR SAY WRITE TO THE EDITOR WITH YOUR POINT OF VIEW ON ANY BANDING SUBJECT

BB 2-3.indd 2 23-09-2008 17:17:05

NEWS

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 3

Young Brass Soloist 2009

ARE YOU A BRASS PLAYERunder 21

Grade 8 or equivalent standard?

Then, you could be the BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Soloist 2009.

Grand Final : February 21st 2009

Application forms and all details are at:bbc.co.uk/radio2/events or call the Radio 2

audience line on 03700 100 200

Closing date for entries is 1st December 2008

BBC Radio 2 is inviting young brass players to enter its Young Brass Soloist Competition, which is open to players under the age of 21, of Grade 8 or equivalent standard, who play regularly with a brass band, wind band or orchestra. The competition will be featured on the popular Listen to the Band programme, presented by Frank Renton. The winner will receive an invitation to play as guest soloist with a leading Championship Section band and appear on Radio 2’s fl agship live music programme, Friday Night is Music Night.The fi rst round will be judged by a panel of BBC experts, alongside signifi cant fi gures from the brass band and classical music worlds. The semi-fi nal will take place before an invited audience on Sunday 8 February 2009 at the BBC Studios in Manchester, and the Final on Saturday

21 February at the Royal Northern College of Music. Semi-fi nalists will be accompanied by Brighouse and Rastrick Band and Black Dyke Band will be the accompanying band in the fi nal.Lesley Douglas, Controller Radio 2, commented: “Radio 2 has always been a keen supporter of new musical talent. There is obviously a thriving brass band music scene in this country, and I am delighted that, through this competition, we’re able to showcase performances of such a high standard from young brass players, and give listeners a chance to hear this new generation of musicians.”The closing date for entries is 1 December 2008 and further information and application forms can be obtained from www.bbc.co.uk/ radio2/ events/ brasssoloist2009 or by calling the Radio 2 audience line on 08700 100 200.

BBC Young Brass Soloist event returns

ICCB in major charity bashIreland Colliery Chesterfi eld Band (ICCB) is backing some of the country’s major leukaemia charities in a bid to raise funds and awareness of the disease, and the work being done to combat it.

The band will present a Musical Extravaganza at the Winding Wheel in Chesterfi eld on Sunday 19 October, which will feature South Side Jazz and Stannington Brass Band, and the target is to raise over £7,000 for Leukaemia Research, The Anthony Nolan Trust and Hope for Life Ministries.

The concert has been inspired by the work of Adrian Sudbury, who passed away on 19 August at his family home in Nottinghamshire, aged 27. Adrian was an award-winning journalist and had been terminally ill, being the only documented person in the world to suff er from two forms of leukaemia concurrently. Despite this, Adrian’s work raised the profi le of the fi ght against leukaemia, receiving much media coverage over the past few months, with his drive to increase the awareness of leukaemia and bone marrow donation by lobbying the Prime Minister and working closely with young people, Government, health offi cials and celebrities. All Adrian’s work has been, and continues to be, documented on his blog site at http://baldyblog.freshblogs.co.ukICCB has chosen to continue the work through close family links, as Adrian’s sister, Carrie, is the band’s solo trombone player and her fi ancé, Ian Knapton, is the band’s conductor. Adrian was a great supporter of their banding.

Revealing further details, Ian Knapton said: “Through the course of the evening’s events on 19 October there will be a silent auction and raffl e which will include some interesting prizes such as autographed articles from Chesney Hawkes, an autographed Derbyshire cricket bat and a shirt signed by the recent runner-up at the US Open Tennis Championships, Andy Murray.”

Hardraw win for ShepherdShepherd Building Group Band under conductor, Tim Oldroyd, claimed its second successive victory at the Hardraw Scar contest, beating off opposition from a strong fi eld of 12 bands.It was a double success for the organisation, as its concert band came fourth in the 4th and Ungraded Section, a vast improvement on last year’s last place for the new band. Despite the miserable summer weather, the rain stayed away from the North Yorkshire beauty spot and bands pleased the crowds and audience alike in the grounds of the Green Dragon. The results were:1. Shepherd Building Group; 2. Broughton Brass; 3. Harrogate; 4. Wetherby.Best March: Shepherd Building GroupBest Hymn: Broughton BrassBest Soloist: Dave Smith, cornet, HarrogateFourth and Ungraded Section1. Otley; 2. Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge); 3. Leyburn; 4. Shepherd Building Group ConcertBest March: OtleyBest Hymn: FriendlyBest Soloist: OtleyThe adjudicator was Malcolm Brownbill.

Welsh victory at WychavonWychavon Festival of Brass celebrated a glorious day of sunshine in Pershore last Sunday (21st), with 49 bands performing programmes to a large and appreciative audience. Tredegar Town Band led the signifi cant challenge from the Welsh bands present, taking the Championship Cup with an entertaining programme. Local bands failed to get their hands on any of the prize money on off er, but The Band of West Mercia Constabulary just missed out and took the award for the best local band, followed by Malvern Hills and District Band, whose fl ugel soloist, Hazel Duncan, won the prize for Best Soloist in the 4th Section. The event is now preparing for its 20th aniversary contest in Droitwich Spa on 20 September 2009. The results were:Championship Section1. Tredegar; 2. Pemberton Old Wigan JJB; 3. Staines Brass.1st Section1. Friary Guildford; 2. VBS Poynton; 3. Otterbourne.2nd section1. Strata Brass; 2. Porthywaen Silver; 3. East London Brass.3rd Section1. Emley Brass; 2. Ynyshir; 3 Hungerford Town.4th Section 1. Bratton Silver; 2. Newport Borough; 3. Royston Town.

Change of venue for Tameside OpenThe organisers of the 2009 Tameside Open Brass Band Championships, which will take place on Sunday 29 March, have announced a change of venue due to the closure of the Tameside Hippodrome. The contest will now take place at Dukinfi eld Town Hall. For further details, contact Frank Hodges at 39 Broxton Avenue, Orrell, Wigan, WN5 8NP, telephone 01942 703217 / 07930 562768 or e-mail frankhodges@bbbr.co.uk

RAH tickets off ered in sponsor’s competitionA draw hosted by York Brass Instruments is off ering two pairs of tickets in the Company’s VIP box at the Royal Albert Hall, London, for the Championship Section of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.To experience the thrill of seeing and hearing the best British brass bands at the Royal Albert Hall, log on to York’s website (www.york-brass.com) and answer a very simple question that will go into a draw.

BB 2-3.indd 3 23-09-2008 17:17:06

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 4

REGIONALS 2009

Championship Section; Salute to Youth (Gilbert Vinter)

1st Section; Pentacle (Graham Cole)

2nd Section; New World Sketches (Dan Price)

3rd Section; The Once and Future King (Andrew Baker)

4th Section; The Talisman (Frank Hughes)

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Three weekends during the next academic year.

Theory, practical study and masterclasseswith Durham University Brass Band in

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BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 5

BRASS EDUCATION

Finding the key to entertainment contest successby Dr. Robert Childs

Of all the various types of brass band contests, many would agree that the entertainment contest is the most diffi cult to win.Like the own-choice test-piece competition, the conductor is left scratching his or her head, wondering whether to play a programme that is diffi cult and challenging that might have a few technical fl aws, or a programme that is well within the capabilities of the band.In addition to the diffi cult decisions that are akin to the own-choice contest, the entertainment contest has many more problems, such as how many pieces should be played, how the programme should be structured, which soloist to use, whether the soloist should play a fast or slow solo, what the judges will fi nd entertaining, how far the humour should be taken and should the band play traditional brass band music or branch out and be more adventurous? To make things even more diffi cult, the answer to most of the questions above are subjective. Musical taste is similar to cuisine; one man’s meat is another man’s poison.Looking back on the results at Granada Band of the Year, Brass in Concert and the Yeovil Entertainment Contest, it would appear that certain conductors have a fl air for this type of contest. Elgar Howarth and Howard Snell are both past masters of this genre, each of them arranging and composing entire programmes for their respective bands: Grimethorpe Colliery, Desford Colliery and Foden’s. In a lesser way, but still more successful than most, Ray Farr’s and Philip Harper’s arranging and composing skills and general imaginative fl air has helped them win the top prizes in this type of contest.

Records show that Garry Cutt has won Brass in Concert six times in the last 14 years, a record of which to be truly proud, but the undisputed guru of the entertainment contest must be Richard Evans. He is not a composer nor a prolifi c arranger, but he has the knack of winning entertainment contests. He has won Brass in Concert eight times with three diff erent bands (Leyland, Brighouse and Rastrick and Grimethorpe Colliery) and has been very successful on many occasions with other bands at similar, although less prestigious, contests. When I asked Richard how he does it, he told me that, more often than not, he works to a formula to

achieve programme structure. He likes to start his programmes with something impressive that has maximum impact - something that grabs the both the audience and the adjudicators. He likes to off er the judges something slow to show off the tone and control of his band and, once he has played the slow, soft piece, he builds the rest of his programme almost like one big crescendo; not just a dynamic crescendo, but an emotional journey that builds in excitement and intensity right to the end of the show. Richard’s programmes usually feature virtuoso soloists, a comedy item, a traditional march and a barnstorming fi nisher.He also told me that it’s important for a conductor to truly believe in his programme and play items that are, where possible, tried and tested. That’s not to say play old music, but to play music you’ve tried on audiences before you use them in a contest setting. Richard also had a word of warning for those conductors and music programming committees (yes they do exist!) who think that the word ‘entertainment’ means dress-up and act the fool on stage. His advice on the comedy item is, ‘less sometimes means more’, be subtle and always polish the performance. When the comedy factor outweighs the musical reward, there is a strong chance that you’ve over-cooked it.Another piece of sound advice is to check timings early on in your preparation, otherwise you could fi nd that you have a perfectly balanced and well-structured programme that has been prepared to the highest standards, only to discover you are two or three minutes over time. Most entertainment contests issue strong penalties for being over time, so always check the rules.

Richard disagrees with my opening statement that entertainment contests are hard to win, as he thinks they are just like any other competition - you choose your programme, prepare it to the highest possible standard and then sell it to the audience and the adjudicators. Maybe it’s the latter part of his advice that’s diffi cult - selling your programme to the audience. However, Richard Evans is a charismatic person who is full of fl air and is a terrifi c communicator, so I’m sure that, in addition to his immense musical talent, a big factor in his success is his ability to ‘sell’ the programme.

BB 4-5.indd 5 23-09-2008 17:20:13

Brass Gala ConcertSymphony Hall, BirminghamSunday 14 September

With the tensions of the previous day over, the audience attending the Brass Gala Concert on Sunday 14 September could sit back and enjoy three major bands making music for its own sake. Prior to the concert, however, those arriving early had the added joy of hearing the fine Sandwell Youth Band playing a programme of music in the foyer - a welcoming sound indeed, and an encouraging sign that brass banding is still flourishing among the young people of the Midlands region. Indeed, one was tempted to wonder how many of these youngsters would eventually end up in one of the bands about to play in the main hall.

The ‘main event’ itself got underway with Grimethorpe Colliery Band under the direction of Allan Withington. From the first piece, a lovely transcription of Percy Granger’s Irish Tune from County Derry (better known as the Londonderry Air), it was abundantly clear that ‘Grimey’ was on as fine a form as it had been in the previous day’s contest (it sounded especially rich from my seat in row K of the stalls). Allan Withington opted for an ingenious presentation, whereby the lower band arrived first on the platform (the melody being initially in the euphoniums) with the cornets taking their places afterwards. Addressing the audience, he explained that Grimethorpe’s programme was a plebiscite, in which audience members had been invited to submit their own ideas. “So, if you don’t like it, it’s your own fault!” he quipped, before following the gentle Grainger arrangement with a sturdy reading of Shipley Douglas’s march Mephistopheles. The next item has held its own for almost a century and still appears with regularity on concert programmes and recordings. Percy Fletcher’s Labour and Love of 1913 was the first specially-written test-piece for a brass band contest, but came up fresh as paint in Grimethorpe’s committed reading. Michael Dodd was the first of three euphonium soloists to be featured in the concert and gave an effortless performance of John Hartmann’s Variations on Rule Britannia, while the sublime Elegy from John Ireland’s Downland Suite provided a suitable contrast, the pace being perfectly judged by Allan Withington with the band’s playing a model of control. The final official item on Grimethorpe’s programme was Dean Goffin’s Rhapsody in Brass, written in 1943 when he was serving in the 4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade Band. This performance was notable for some fleet-footed articulation in the first movement, an elegant performance of the second (with a lovely baritone solo from Robert Richardson) and the tension of third movement maintained right up to the final blazing chords. Especially impressive was the soprano cornet playing of Kevin Crockford, who demonstrated conclusively (if, indeed, he needed to) why he was awarded the Best Soprano Cornet prize the previous day. However, Grimethorpe

had a little extra treat up its sleeve in the shape of an encore, MacArthur Park, which was given a tremendous performance and left the audience eager for more.

The programme chosen by The Cory Band, by contrast, was somewhat more adventurous, but enthusiastically received by the large audience, only 20 percent of which, it was discovered, had been to the contest the previous day (a very encouraging statistic for all). Under the direction of Dr. Robert Childs, Cory began with Philip Wilby’s L.S. Lowry-inspired Peel Park, the band catching all the vibrant colours and wit of the piece (there must have been a Championship Section band on the bandstand in Peel Park that afternoon!). The second euphonium soloist of the afternoon, David Childs, played Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s Neath the Dublin Skies, which gave him the opportunity to demonstrate not only his justly-famous lyrical tone, but also his extraordinarily clear articulation in the Irish jig passages. Following this was Palladio, a product of Cory’s recent collaboration with the Welsh composer, Karl Jenkins. This very effective march-like piece, with its staccato quavers over a pedal bass, also featured David Childs in duet with Cory’s superb soprano cornet player, Michelle Ibbotson.Robert Childs’ lovely arrangement of Abide with Me formed a bridge of calm before the band’s substantial finale - Gareth Wood’s tone-poem, Acteon, based on the Greek legend in

which the Theban prince and hunter of the title stumbled across the goddess Artemis (Diana in Roman mythology) bathing in a vale on Mount Citharon. Acteon hid in the bushes and spied on her, but, on discovering this ‘peeping Tom’, the infuriated goddess turned him into a stag to be torn apart by his own hounds. This dramatic scenario has been turned into bracing music by Gareth Wood, the opening having an echo of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. The music followed the story, with the gradual transformation and eventual demise of the hapless Acteon graphically described. Cory seized on the vivid imagery with relish, with the goddess being represented by the lyrical flugel horn solos of Joanne Childs and the final catastrophe by the band in full cry. This is a work for a virtuoso band and Cory gave evidence of most certainly being one! The composer was given a warm welcome by the audience when he appeared on-stage to acknowledge the applause and congratulate the performers. One hopes that this work will be heard again in the near future. There was a little more Gareth Wood to be heard, however, in Cory’s encore - his witty arrangement of Men of Harlech, featuring much jazzy syncopation and lots of percussion, which delighted all in the hall.

Black Dyke Band and Dr. Nicholas Childs arrived after the interval to begin with the band’s signature march, Queensbury, followed (in a departure from the printed

Big guns still on form

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 6

CRITICS CORNER

BB 6-7.indd 6 23-09-2008 17:15:37

rm at Sunday Gala

programme) by Bram Gay’s effective arrangement of Mozart’s overture to The Marriage of Figaro, given an idiomatic reading with the band light on its feet. It was then time for the third euphonium soloist of the day, David Thornton, to perform Simone Mantia’s Fantasie Originale, which he executed with great aplomb, even throwing in some multiphonics which would have probably astonished Signor Mantia. Howard Snell’s peaceful arrangement of the Air from J.S. Bach’s Suite No. 3 provided a calm interlude, before the band signed off with Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s Vitae Aeternum, a popular medley of Salvationist hymn tunes that gave the band a chance to let its hair down.

Following a short break, Black Dyke and Cory combined to give a short massed band concert which began with another Paul Lovatt-Cooper piece, the celebratory Walking with Heroes, before it was ‘all cornets to the fore’ in a rip-roaring rendition of Harry James’ Trumpet Blues and Cantabile. The two famous bands concluded their official programme with Robert Childs’ arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Marche Slav, the climax of which fairly raised the roof. However, the bands had one more item in store - Robert Childs’ arrangement of Sir Arthur Sullivan’s The Lost Chord, which sounding especially sonorous on the combined bands and sent the audience away with a feeling of peace and satisfaction after a very successful event.Rodney Newton

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 7

CRITICS CORNER

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BB 6-7.indd 7 23-09-2008 17:15:49

2008 LOWER SECTION FINALSOne of the most remarkable aspects of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain is the wide geographical spread from which the competing bands travel to compete. From the event’s inception in 1900, they travelled to London from all over the UK but, in recent years, although the Championship Section has remained in the Royal Albert Hall, the Lower Section Finals have taken place in venues as far apart as Torquay in the south and Dundee in the north. The move, in 2004, to Harrogate, however, meant a venue that is fairly close to the centre of the UK (less than 50 miles from the geographical centre of Great Britain), thus making it a practical and pleasant destination for ambitious bands from all over the country.

For two bands, however, a journey to almost any contest requires a major expedition, such is their isolation from even their closest rivals. Jersey and Campbeltown aren’t just a long way away from each other geographically, they are almost as far apart culturally as its possible to imagine, but the bands there are as busy and dedicated to their art as any, and their appearances this weekend at Harrogate will be harder earned than most.

Jersey Premier Brass was formed in the Channel Island town of St. Helier in 1997, about a year after a few brass musicians, keen to play to a high standard, got together and formed a brass sextet called Millennium Brass. This was the creation of Adam Griffi ths, Chris Bacon and Dave Mildren and, through their friendships with other brass players, the sextet increased to an ensemble of about eight members. The group continued in that format, giving performances at the Jersey Eisteddfod and at diff erent venues over the Christmas period, though there was a feeling within the members that they

needed to do more.The turning point was the arrival of Tim Pritchard, a cornet player from Abertillery in Wales, who had previously played with Besses o’ th’ Barn Band, amongst others, before moving to Jersey to teach music. Tim was asked to direct the ensemble and, when more players expressed their wish to join, it was decided that a full-sized contesting band would be formed, with the name, Jersey Premier Brass, highlighting the members’ ambition to be in the premier league of banding, the Championship Section.The band’s fi rst performance took place in March 1998 at St. Luke’s Church on the island and it was soon invited to perform at the grand opening of the new Elizabeth Marina,

in the presence of the Duke of York. This occasion also saw the fi rst performance of the Jersey Premier Brass Fanfare Team, which signalled the arrival of HRH Prince Andrew, with eight trumpeters lined up along the marina. The next step in the band’s evolution was the decision to enter the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain in 1999 and, as it was a new band, it was required to enter in the 4th Section, although this was later amended to the 2nd Section following an appeal on the grounds that the band was of a much higher standard.

The band’s solo cornet player, Luke Brown, who is an estate agent on Jersey, takes up the story: “Prior to 2005, we never really had much success in band contesting, although we have always had good engagements and been a great band socially. Tim Pritchard had taken some time out from the band and Gavin Saynor breathed new life into us around that time, but with Tim back at the helm, we won the London and Southern Counties 3rd Section title that year and went on to

win the Final at Harrogate, which was really memorable.”Luke added: “Although Jersey is a small island with a small population, we have a lot of good players in the band, but front row cornet players have never been easy to fi nd. One of the problems we face is the number of diff erent musical ensembles here, so good players are pulled in all diff erent directions. We have an eclectic mix of players, from teachers to a landscape gardener and fi nancial service employees to students, and we have even had a number of former members returning after completing their studies on the mainland. Our youngest player is 12 year-old cornetist, Gareth Rees, and the average age of the band is around 30, so we are a young and energetic group.”

2008 saw victory in the London and Southern Counties 1st Section Championships and another trip to Harrogate, so what does this entail for the band? Luke continued: “This is our third trip to Harrogate in four years, so our resources are stretched to the limit and the players need to make their own contribution. We will be fl ying from Jersey to Manchester on Friday and the band will be staying in Brighouse and rehearsing in Brighouse and Rastrick’s bandroom. We’ll have an easy day on Saturday with a bit of bonding and a band meal, and when we go to Harrogate, we really just want to play as well as we can and hope for the best result possible. On Monday, we will have some free time in Manchester before the fl ight home. The entire trip will cost the band around £8,500 when the fl ights and accommodation are taken into account, so we really will be giving it our best shot when we get there.”Back in Jersey, there are a few concerts in the diary between

Worlds apart, but closer thaby Kenneth Crookston

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 8

BB 8-9.indd 8 23-09-2008 17:18:26

now and the end of the year, including a performance at a choral competition in October and a Christmas concert with the island’s Festival Choir, so there is plenty for Jersey Premier Brass to think about when it returns, victorious or otherwise. Luke Brown concluded: “We started out a decade ago with the aim of getting into the Championship Section and we aren’t far away, but we live and dream and, with a little luck, who knows what’s around the corner?”

Campbeltown Brass was formed in 1983 in a town most famous for being the home of the pipe band that featured in Paul McCartney’s 1977 hit, Mull of Kintyre. Although not exactly situated in a hotbed of brass banding, the band

was started by Gordon Evans from brass players in the Campbeltown Grammar School Concert Wind Band, which itself had been formed just fi ve years earlier, following his appointment as the fi rst full-time brass and woodwind instructor in the local schools.Gordon Evans was awarded the MBE for his services to music in Campbeltown in 1993 and, in 1997, he received the Mortimer Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians for his work in training young brass musicians. He left Campbeltown in April 2003 to move to Cumbria and was succeeded by former Wingates fl ugel player, Rob Farmer, who took over Gordon’s job and joined the band as its conductor. In 2004, professional tubist, Craig Anderson, took over as the Musical Director, regularly making the arduous eight-hour journey from his home in Ayrshire, but, under his direction, Campbeltown has continued upon its upward journey and in November it will take its well-earned place in the 1st Section.

Despite its isolation, Campbeltown has been an enthusiastic supporter of band contests since its formation, regularly completing a 350-mile or more round trip and staying away overnight to compete in the Scottish Championships, the Land O’ Burns Contest in Troon, the Carnegie Contest in Dunfermline and the Scottish Challenge Shield in Perth. I asked one of the band’s stalwarts, BBb bass player, Willie Ralston, what a trip to Harrogate means for Campbeltown Brass. Willie began: “We will be leaving at 8.00am on Saturday and the journey to Harrogate will take ten hours by coach. In fact, it will take us four hours to reach the nearest stretch of motorway! We are well used to travelling long distances, though, and we have even had the same bus driver since the band was formed in

1983. We will be playing on Sunday evening and returning on Monday, and because most of the players are still at school, we have had to get permission for them all to miss a day. In total, the trip will cost the band around £6,000, so the players have each had to contribute £80 towards the cost.”

In mentioning the number of young players in the band, Willie Ralston also outlined the organisation’s structure, which has evolved to take account of the fact that a high percentage of young people leave the area when they reach school-leaving age, either to attend university or to fi nd employment. As a result, Campbeltown has both a youth and a beginners’ band, with over 40 young players securing its long-term future. This year, four players have left to continue their studies, which isn’t at all bad in relation to 2005, when the band lost nine key players. With the exception of six members (Willie Ralston, Katrina Barr, Dorothy Ralston, Ricky Evans, Murray Ralston and founder member, Jamie MacVicar), Campbeltown’s players are

all aged between nine and 17.Willie Ralston continued: “What we have is really a huge conveyor belt, and kids in the town either join the brass band or the pipe band, which is also very successful, but it has the same issues when the players get older. However, it also means that bands all over Scotland and the rest of the UK have players that fi rst learned in Campbeltown.”

This is the band’s second successive trip to Harrogate, so how are the players approaching their appearance in the 2nd Section after moving up from the 3rd Section last year? Willie concluded: “We are enjoying working on the test-piece, although it is quite diffi cult. We had a training weekend two

weeks ago with Craig Anderson working on the low brass and Steve Stewart of Kirkintilloch (who now works as a brass instructor in Campbeltown) coaching the upper band. Charlie Farren and Alison Bonnar of Scottish Co-op Band also assisted on the weekend, and we have had extra rehearsals in the last two weeks, so we are giving it our best shot.”Before the end of 2008, Campbeltown will have travelled to Perth for the Scottish Challenge Shield and performed at the switching on of the Christmas lights in its home town. Next year, it celebrates its fi rst appearance in the 1st Section of the Scottish Championships, which is a remarkable achievement for a young band, and its amazing story looks set to continue for decades to come. However the results of the Lower Section National Championships work out for both Jersey and Campbeltown bands, clearly these and plenty of others will have achieved a great deal in getting there in the fi rst place. Good luck to them all.

2008 LOWER SECTION FINALS

han anyone could imagine

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 9

BB 8-9.indd 9 23-09-2008 17:18:39

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 10

WORLD OF BRASS RANKINGS

Despite narrowly missing out on the British Open Championship title a fortnight ago, Grimethorpe Colliery maintains a convincing lead over its rivals in the latest World of Brass – British Bandsman Rankings. Foden’s Band’s victory at Symphony Hall takes the Cheshire-based band up to the number two position and the other significant mover is Kirkintilloch, which moves up six places following its fine fifth prize under Selmer Simonsen. The other contests taking place since the last update were: New Zealand National Championships – won by Brisbane Excelsior; Picnic in the Park – won by Felling; Welsh National Eisteddfod – won by Tredegar; South Australia State Championships – won by K&N Spring Gully Brass; Victoria State Championships – won by Footscray Yarraville; New South Wales Championships – won by Kew Band Melbourne; Exmouth Festival of Brass – won by Heyl. The next update will follow the National Championships in the Royal Albert Hall in October, when Grimethorpe Colliery, Foden’s and Cory bands will all have a chance to take the top spot, with the result of November’s Brass in Concert Championship looking like it may play a major part in deciding the identity of 2008’s number one band.

RANKINGS

Pos 27 September 2008 TOTAL 1 Grimethorpe Colliery Yorkshire 1,490.13 - 2 Foden’s North West 1,296.70 +2 3 Cory Wales 1,292.68 -1 4 Black Dyke Yorkshire 941.58 -1 5 Brighouse and Rastrick Yorkshire 553.05 - 6 Leyland North West 487.97 +1 7 Brass Band Willebroek Belgium 370.37 -1 8 Desford Colliery Midlands 319.46 - 9 YBS Yorkshire 313.33 - 10 Tredegar Wales 291.31 - 11 Whitburn Scotland 258.12 +1 12 Scottish Co-op Scotland 252.52 -1 13 Fairey North West 244.34 - 14 Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Yorkshire 219.85 +1 15 Kirkintilloch Scotland 209.52 +6 16 Stavanger Norway 200.04 -2 17 Hepworth (Cookson Homes) Yorkshire 177.22 - 18 BTM Wales 163.87 -2 19 Flowers West 158.81 -1 20 Rothwell Temperance Yorkshire 147.35 -1 21 Brass Band Fribourg Switzerland 123.90 -1 22 Reg Vardy North 108.42 - 23 Mount Charles West 97.41 - 24 Wingates North West 77.49 +1 25 Buizingen Belgium 71.10 -1 26 Virtuosi GUS Midlands 66.72 +1 27 Brisbane Excelsior Australia 64.78 +9 28 Eikanger-Bjørsvik Norway 62.90 -2 29 Redbridge Brass London & SC 61.09 -1 30 Aeolus France 59.34 -1 31 Brass Band 13 Etoiles Switzerland 56.06 -1 32 Brass Band Oberösterreich Austria 55.99 -1 33 Lyngby Taarbaek Denmark 51.63 -1 34 Burry Port Town Wales 47.47 -1 35 Tongwynlais Temperance Wales 40.32 - 36 Aveley & Newham London & SC 40.23 -2 37 Kingdom Brass Scotland 38.60 - 38 Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel Yorkshire 33.40 - 39 Pennine Brass Yorkshire 33.21 - 40 Brass Band of Central Florida USA 32.50 - 41 EYMS North 30.68 +1 42 Staffordshire Midlands 30.63 -1 43 Fishburn North 29.85 - 44 Stockport Brass North West 29.18 +6 45 Brass Band de Wâldsang Netherlands 28.82 -1 46 Fountain City Brass Band USA 27.82 -1 47 Camborne Town West 27.29 - 48 SWT Woodfalls West 27.21 -2 49 Northop Wales 25.15 - 50 Windcorp Sweden 24.15 +1 51 Marsden (Ossett Brewery) Yorkshire 23.76 +1 52 Pemberton Old Wigan JJB North West 22.81 +5 53 Krohnengen Norway 22.69 -5 54 Kew Band Melbourne Australia 22.67 +9 55 Parc & Dare Wales 22.49 -2 56 Cwmaman Institute Wales 22.41 -2 57 Powerfuel Hatfield Colliery Yorkshire 22.14 -2

58 Unison Kinneil Scotland 22.06 - 59 Newstead Welfare Midlands 21.14 -3 60 Bactiguard Wire Brass North West 21.10 -1 61 Woolston Brass New Zealand 19.49 +30 62 Dalewool Auckland Brass New Zealand 19.19 +5 63 Skelmanthorpe Yorkshire 18.55 -2 64 Sovereign Brass Midlands 18.54 -4 65 Kibworth Midlands 17.11 -1 66 Brass Band Rijnmond Netherlands 16.32 - 67 Metropole Brass Band Belgium 16.12 -5 68 Newbridge Celynen Wales 16.02 - 69 United Co-op Crewe North West 15.85 +3 70 Manger Musikklag Norway 15.70 -5 71 Marlborough District Brass New Zealand 15.07 New 72 Dalmellington Scotland 15.03 -3 73 Gunnedah Shire Band Australia 13.86 +4 74 Thoresby Colliery Midlands 13.70 -4 75 Jaguar (Coventry) Midlands 13.56 -4 76 Freckleton North West 13.41 - 77 Newtongrange Silver Scotland 13.40 -4 78 Festival Brass Band Belgium 11.94 -4 79 Felling North 11.85 +9 80 Bon-Accord Scotland 11.84 +3 81 United Co-op Milnrow North West 11.79 +4 82 Oslofjorde Brass Norway 11.73 -7 83 Chicago Brass Band USA 11.70 -5 84 Timperley North West 11.45 -2 85 Ashton-under-Lyne North West 11.40 -5 86 Stockholm Brass Band Sweden 11.35 -7 87 James Madison University USA 10.48 -6 88 St. Kilda Sentinel Brass New Zealand 10.25 +36 89 Stocksbridge Yorkshire 9.87 -2 90 Ascot Park Hotel of Invercargill New Zealand 9.68 New 91 Jaren Hornmusikkforening Norway 9.44 -7 92 Ensemble de Cuivres Valaisan A Switzerland 9.35 -6 93 Yorkshire Co-op Yorkshire 9.31 -3 94 Waratah Brass Australia 9.16 +10 95 Brass Band Columbus USA 8.75 -6 96 Tylorstown Arriva Trains S. Wales Wales 8.59 +10 97 Brisbane Brass Australia 8.56 +11 98 Wrexham Brass Wales 8.46 -6 99 Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass Scotland 8.23 +20 100 St. Austell Town West 8.10 -7 101 Easington Colliery North 8.00 +8 102 The Trusts Waitakere Brass New Zealand 7.85 +11 103 Newmilns & Galston Scotland 7.76 -9 104 Clackmannan & District Scotland 7.66 -2 105 Soli Brass Netherlands 7.55 -10 106 Beaumaris Wales 7.55 -9 107 Bournemouth Concert West 7.49 -11 108 Bazuin-Oenkerk Netherlands 7.34 -8 109 Concord Denmark 7.31 -10 110 Staines Brass London & SC 7.14 -7 111 1st Old Boys Association Silver N. Ireland 7.04 -4 112 Brass Band Kortrijk Belgium 6.95 -14 113 Footscray-Yarraville City Australia 6.92 +19 114 Sandefjord Brass Symposium Norway 6.88 -9 115 Molde Brass Band Norway 6.74 -14

BB 10-11.indd 10 23-09-2008 17:20:41

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 11

BRASS ROOTS

BB journalist, Ron Massey and his wife, Kathleen, recently celebrated their diamond wedding. The couple have known each other all their lives, as their fathers worked together on the railway before they were born, which was just four days apart in 1923. Ron, who began his banding career in 1934 when he joined a school brass band, has promoted a number of brass and male voice concerts, three of them at the Royal Albert Hall with 1,000 male voices, raising £140,000 for Yorkshire Cancer Research. After his

first heart attack, he then raised £10,000 for an appeal to refurbish a state-of-the-art cardiac unit at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, with three concerts in his home town. He then had to ‘sample’ the workings of the unit after a second and more serious attack, which necessitated the fitting of a pacemaker. Kathleen has supported her husband throughout their lives in his many activities, both in the world of banding and charity work. The couple have two sons, six grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

Jackfield Band has announced that Chris Lewis has decided to step down from the position of Musical Director. Chris, who is originally from Derbyshire, joined the band in 1993 as a cornet player. He was soon promoted to principal cornet and held this position until being appointed as the band’s Musical Director in 1997. Over the past 11 years, the band has successfully gained promotion to the Championship section three times, been a 1st section national finalist and also West Midlands Brass Band Association Champion. On the concert stage, Chris has excelled in forging a very high reputation for standard of performance and imaginative programming, both in the local area and beyond. In his tenure, he has worked alongside many other conductors, most recently with John Maines - a partnership that has proved very beneficial for the band.In his resignation statement, Chris commented: ‘I would like to take this opportunity to thank the band for all its support. When I first turned up with my cornet in 1993, I had no real intention of joining; I thought I was simply helping out at a concert! However, I was made to feel very welcome and, consequently, have stayed for 15 years.’Band Chairman, Paul France, commented: “On behalf of the band and the committee, I would like to publicly thank Chris for all the hard work he has put in over the years. His ability and enthusiasm have been the driving force during the band’s most successful period in over 100 years of existence; he will be sorely missed. The band wishes Chris, and his family, all the very best for the future.”Chris’s last engagement with the band will be at Pontin’s Championships on 25 October.

This year’s Canadian National Music School, held at Jackson’s Point, was again a well-attended event, with excellent support for the instrumental side of the camp programme. Special guests were William and Linda Himes from Chicago. Following the usual format, the brass discipline included three large bands, which was very encouraging, as in recent years the number of bands had been scaled down to two - a feather in the cap for the Territorial Music Secretary, Major Kevin Metcalf.

As usual, an ‘A’ Band of a normal or ‘contesting’ size was included, as well as two vocal choruses: a women’s chorus, for which conducting duties were shared by Jane Lam and Cathie Koehnan, and a mixed ‘A’ chorus, directed by Cathie Koehnan. The three bands were under the leadership of John Lam, Darren Hancock, and Ken Bailey. In the midweek concert, they presented respectively, The Good Old Way (Bruce Broughton), Chalk Farm 2 (Edward Gregson) and Worthy is the Lamb (Roger Trigg). Chicago Staff Bandmaster, Bill Himes, led the ‘A’ Band through two works: Hallelujah by his good friend, James Curnow, and Himes’ own Endless Praise. The band responded with sound and technique that belied its youthful years. The Chorus items were also much enjoyed by the packed house. Two Canadian composers were featured, in the persons of David Oucterloney, with his Peter on de Sea, and also a new work from a ‘National’ alumnus, Jason Locke, who was in the audience to hear the ‘A’ Chorus sing his Praise the Lord all you servants of the Lord (Psalm 134), which was accompanied by a small brass ensemble and percussion. In the final concert, John Lam led a trombone choir in the Bill Broughton arrangement, Leaning, before directing his band in

a convincing performance of Credo, from the pen of another Canadian composer, Lorne Barry. Bandmaster Darren Hancock hails from Cornerbrook, and this was his first ‘National’ as a member of faculty. He conducted his band through a unique work written by a fellow Newfoundlander and friend, Michael Snelgrove who, earlier this year, won first prize in a composition competition held by the Hannaford Street Band, and the audience was treated to a world première performance of his Affective Variations on Lobe den Herron. This was a most interesting work, and the composer’s intentions are that each section represents a feeling or mood one might experience, namely Joy, Whimsy,

Agitation, Penitence, and Exuberance. This was quite a challenge for the young players and they came through with flying colours. We look forward with eager anticipation to more from the pen of this talented composer. Ken Bailey’s band featured Robert Redhead’s fine piece, Christ-Hymn. It was obvious from this performance that the students responded with vigour to this both reflective and exciting work. Mention should be made of the excellent singing of the choruses. Jane Lam led the women’s chorus in a new arrangement by Richard Phillips of the popular contemporary song, Part the Waters. The ‘A’ Chorus, conducted by Cathie Koehnan, brought the house down with an exciting rendition of the Tom Fettke song, The Midnight Cry, featuring soloist Cameron Rawlins. The ‘A’ Band’s contribution consisted of two works - Bandmaster Himes’ exciting march, Milestone and then Stephen Bulla’s recent composition, To Worlds Unknown. Based on the song, We have an Anchor, the work is very approachable, both from the audience and the performer’s standpoint. The central section features a reflective treatment of the song, Rock of Ages, using the tune, Toplady, before the music returns to the original theme, bringing the piece to a triumphant conclusion. There probably aren’t too many Salvation Army bands that could have given a better performance than this group on this day, under the skilful direction of maestro Himes. Following sustained applause, Himes led the whole student body and faculty in the Richard Smallwood song, Total Praise, accompanied by the ‘A’ Band and Bill Way on piano. Once again this year, a very high standard of musicianship was demonstrated by the students, which augers well for the musical future of the Canada & Bermuda Territory.Stan Ewing

William Himes, bandmaster of the Chicago Staff Band

BB 10-11.indd 11 23-09-2008 17:20:44

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 12

BRASS ROOTS

Dad’s Army star, Ian Lavender, has joined up for real - as one of the comperes on a forthcoming concert tour by the Royal Air Force bands.

The actor, best known for his role as Private Pike in the BBC comedy series, will be introducing the programme at five of the 12 concerts on the tour, joining Alan Dedicoat and William Roache in this capacity.

The tour begins at London’s Cadogan Hall on October 10, when BBC TV and Radio 2 presenter, Alan Dedicoat, will be in charge of proceedings, with Ian taking over for the concerts at Gateshead, Glasgow, Harrogate, Manchester and Birmingham. Coronation Street star, William Roache, will then take charge at Nottingham, Poole, Basingstoke, Ipswich and Southend, before concluding the tour at Eastbourne on 7 December.

Each concert will feature one of the main bands of the Service, augmented by the big-band sound of The Squadronaires, plus the Salon Orchestra, a quintet of musicians who contribute a stringed element to the programme.

The concert, marking the 90th anniversary of the Royal Air Force, provides a mix of light classics, jazz, big band and music from the shows to appeal to all ages. The musical journey, reflecting the Service’s past, present and future, includes a triumphant finale, reminiscent of the Last Night of the Proms.

Wing Commander Stuart Stirling will conduct the programme, and musical highlights will include the swing classic, String of Pearls, the theme from A Bridge Too Far, the coronation march, Crown Imperial, by Sir William Walton and Hubert Parry’s Jerusalem, one of the traditional elements of the Last Night of the Proms.

Euphonium player, Ian Bowker, and bass trombonist, Paul Sealey, have signed for The Band of West Mercia Constabulary. Ian has joined on 2nd euphonium, with George Nash moving from that position to 2nd baritone. The two new signings strengthen the band ahead of the Wychavon Entertainment contest and next year’s Midlands Regional Championships. On Sunday 7 September, the band performed at St. Chad’s Church, Shrewsbury, in a memorial service for PC Ricky Grey, who was tragically shot dead in 2007. The programme, selected by PC Grey’s widow, included the march, The Champions, I’ll Walk with God, Mr. Blue Sky and Pirates of the Caribbean. Following the service, the band entertained senior officers and civic VIPs at Shropshire Division Headquarters in Shrewsbury. The band is pleased to announce the release of its first CD celebrating the 40th anniversary of the force. The official launch of the recording will take place at a major charity concert at Kidderminster Town Hall in November.

St. Austell Town Band has announced that Gareth Pritchard has agreed to become the band’s Principal Conductor and Musical Advisor. The band, still buoyant after its recent success in winning the Royal Trophy at the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle) under his direction, is now even more up-beat with the announcement of this appointment. Gareth Pritchard commented: “I’m really excited about working with the band again, this time on a more permanent, long-term basis. This position was suggested to me in the lead-up to Bugle Contest last June and it has taken a little time to sort out because of my other commitments, but we’ve finally managed to work out an agreeable situation for both parties. It was the enthusiasm and ‘will to work’ that drew us together last time and it was one of those situations where you knew it was right.” Gareth Pritchard will be working in tandem with the band’s Musical Director, Aaron Harvey, and he continued: “It will be good to work with Aaron again; he was principal cornet of Bodmin when I conducted it to victory at Yeovil in 2000. He is an excellent musician and works very hard with the band on a day-to-day basis. All-in-all, I’m very happy about the future we will have together.”

Langbaurgh Brass of Cleveland was formed in 1983 as the junior section of North Skelton Band, with its purpose to provide players of suitable quality for the senior band. In its early years, the band competed in local music festivals and, following its early success, decided to become a competing band in its own right and registered with the British Brass Band Registry in the 4th Section. The band went from strength-to-strength and, in 1990, separated from North Skelton Band, which was then sponsored by British Steel. Following the disbanding of the British Steel Band and the fact that Langbaurgh Brass now rehearses in the original bandroom, which itself goes back to the mining days of the village, the band has decided to rename itself North Skelton Band from 1 October. This decision also coincides with the return of the band’s former Musical Director, Tim Oldroyd, who was with the band for many years and contributed towards its past success.

The late Arthur Lowe as Captain Mainwairing with Private Pike played by Ian Lavender

St. John’s Mossley Band will be 75 years old at Whitsuntide next year and the band is planning a celebration. St. John’s will be leading the united procession on Whit Friday (5 June 2009) and the band is calling upon former players to join it on the day. It also intends to put on a concert in St. John’s Church on a Saturday night near to Whit Friday (on a date to be confirmed) followed by a party (in a venue to be confirmed). All former players, and anyone involved with the band or the church, will be most welcome. In late 1933, the vicar at the time, Revd. Bill Leeming, a great brass band enthusiast, decided to form a band as a way of extending the social and cultural activities of his congregation. By May 1934, the band, the members of which had to be communicant members of the church, had reached a sufficient standard to perform in public and its first appearance was to lead the procession on Whit Friday (25 May 1934).

During World War II, St. John’s became the Mossley (Home Guard) 35th Cheshire Regiment Band and, after the war, membership regulations were relaxed so that non-Church of England members were able to join. Gradually, the band returned to full strength and played on for the next 30 years. It fell on hard times during the early 1970s, when it was down to a handful of players and on the verge of closure; twice during this period there were not enough players to lead the procession on Whit Friday. Happily, in more recent years, it has always managed to turn a band out for that special day.

In 1983, the band reached one of its highest points by qualifying to play in the 2nd Section of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain at the Royal Albert Hall. Unfortunately, it was unplaced, but it was an unforgettable experience for those involved. This level of success was achieved with the help and guidance of some well-known conductors, including Arthur Schofield (1970-1978), Harold Robinson (1979-1982) and Bert Howarth (1982-1983). The current musical director is another local man, Steve Corbett. He started playing cornet at the age of seven and, by the time he was 14, had won the Alexander Owen Memorial Scholarship. After spells with local bands, he joined Brighouse and Rastick Band and appeared on TV during the band’s successful release of The Floral Dance. The band is currently graded in the 4th Section and has had mixed contest results over the past ten years. It has, however, been fairly successful on Whit Friday night in recent years, winning several prizes for best 4th Section band at contests in the Tameside area. Although the band is no longer directly connected to the church, it does provide the music for services throughout the year, such as Christmas and Harvest Festival. It still maintains a link with its origins, however, through church council member, Janet Reynolds. Her late father, Harry Bradbury, was an early member in 1937, and her husband, Andrew, is the band’s present principal cornet.

picture courtesy of BBC

BB 12-13.indd 12 23-09-2008 17:16:27

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 13

BRASS ROOTS

ObituaryGeoff Rockall was a staunch brass band fanatic and player of the euphonium, who was the early tutor of the late Steve (Nobby) Noble. He latterly joined Thoresby Colliery and Foss Dyke bands on tuba, but started his playing career with Gainsborough Salvation Army Band. Like most, he was a ‘borrowed player’ with many bands. Geoff suffered a long illness and passed away last week in a Lincoln care home. He was a very good friend to many in the banding and Salvation Army worlds and will be sadly missed.Malcolm Sargeant

At The Cornish Gorsedd at Looe in East Cornwall on 6 September, the Cornwall Youth Brass Band (CYBB) was presented with The Weryson Menestrouthy Brest, the Brass Band Trophy, by the Grand Bard, Vanessa Beeman. The Cornish Gorsedd exists to maintain and express the national Celtic spirit of Cornwall and to foster Cornish music, art and literature.

The Trophy is the Gorsedd’s Annual Award for distinctive service to brass bands in Cornwall. It was made to the CYBB in recognition of the band’s work in expanding the musical horizons of its young musicians and in exposing them to the experience and skills of the most prominent conductors in the brass band world through its regular residential courses. These courses encourage discipline, independence and learning, and provide an opportunity for the musicians to make new friends amongst the brass bands of the county. The award recognises not only the commitment of the playing members, but also the enthusiasm and dedication of the local tutors, many of them former players in the band, who give their time to conduct the monthly rehearsals. The trophy was received on behalf of the CYBB by its Music Co-ordinator, Brian Minear (left), who, in his younger days, was principal cornet of the band. Also pictured are Cornish Bard, Phillip Hunt, and Robert Kitchen, CYBB Treasurer.

Christopher Parkes, the son of Major Peter Parkes, has been appointed to the position of principal horn of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He started his brass playing career on tenor horn and is a former member of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain. He later switched to French horn and became a member of the National Youth Orchestra of

Great Britain, as well as studying at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and the London’s Guildhall School of Music. For the past five years, Christopher was a member of the horn section of the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) and he recently received enthusiastic notices for his performance of the haunting horn solo in Stravinsky’s Firebird during the LPO’s concert at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall. Christopher, who is also a member of Fine Arts Brass, commented to BB: “The past five years at the LPO were terrific, but being appointed to the principal seat at the Royal Philharmonic is a great honour.”

Black Dyke Band has announced a new partnership agreement with SHB, Europe’s largest 4x4 vehicle hire company. In the agreement, Black Dyke has been provided with a brand new Citroen L4 Cargo van, which has been modified to suit its requirements and includes three extra seats and shelving.

Paul Street, a Director of SHB Hire, commented: “We are very pleased to be associated with Black Dyke Band. This vehicle, with both our identities clearly exhibited, will be travelling around the country to boast our partnership, and we are delighted to be associated with a band of such quality and tradition.”

Hathern Band has been granted £10,000 from Awards For All towards the cost of equipment and instruments, and to commission a new piece of music to develop the band’s concert repertoire.The band has secured funding to purchase two euphoniums and a baritone for the main band, releasing three instruments for the organisation’s youth band, and some of the money will be spent on recording equipment, which will enhance the young players’ learning experience by providing a playback facility. In addition to this, Hathern is commissioning Salvationist composer, Dean Jones, to write a concert ‘finisher’, which will be used in the band’s forthcoming performances. The commission will be dedicated to celebrating the life of the Hathern Band organisation, which has now been in existence for over 145 years.

Lesley Bentley, Hathern Band’s Secretary, commented: “We got the idea from a funding seminar organised by the West Midlands Brass Band Association, at which Carole Crompton and David Hirst gave a presentation on the most appropriate funding schemes available to bands and how and what to apply for.”Carole Crompton helped the band through the application process and she commented: “I am really pleased to hear that Hathern’s bid has been successful. The band is a worthy candidate for funding, having four bands under the Hathern banner and providing free music tuition to many young players. The commission will be a useful source of repertoire not only for Hathern but to bands throughout the country.”Lesley and Carole are already pursuing other sources of funding to continue Hathern Band’s further development.

BB 12-13.indd 13 23-09-2008 17:16:36

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 14

WIRELESS BRASS

We take every possible precaution to ensure the accuracy of the details given

below. However, we cannot be responsible for changes to stated times or running

order.

Friday, 3 October, 2130-2200. BBC Radio 2

Listen to the Band. Frank Renton presents the third of three programmes from the 156th

British Open Championships and Gala Concert at Symphony Hall, Birmingham.

Listen to the Band is also available all week via Radio 2’s website www.bbc.co.uk/radio2. Click on

the playback section to hear the show, on demand, for a week following transmission.

World of Brass Radio. John Maines introduces a weekly one-hour programme of the best

of international banding. Commencing on Fridays, the rolling programme of the most recent

four shows can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year on www.

worldofbrass.com (then click on the WOB Radio link) or www.worldofbrass.com/wobradio

This week’s programme includes: Brighouse and Rastrick (Allan Withington): Old Comrades (Teike);

Household Troops Band of The Salvation Army (John Mott): Trailblazers (Mackereth); Black Dyke

(Nicholas Childs): I’ll Walk With God (Brodsky), The Big Top (Lovatt-Cooper); Grimethorpe (Elgar

Howarth): A Moorside Suite (Holst); Fairey (James Gourlay): Fantasy Variations (Pearson - soloist:

Sandy Smith), Russian Sailor’s Dance (Gliere); International Staff Band of The Salvation Army

(Stephen Cobb): Ave Maria (Bruckner); Brass Band Willebroek (Frans Violet): Exultate (Downie).

Local Radio for next week

Sunday, 28 September, 1905-2000. Sounds of Brass. FM frequencies: Bristol 94.9,

Cornwall 95.2, Devon 103.4, Gloucestershire 104.7, Guernsey 93.2, Jersey 88.8,

Swindon 103.6, Wiltshire 104.3.

Available on the World Wide Web at 1905 British time or at any time for seven days after the

broadcast. To hear the programme, access www.bbc.co.uk/devon and click onto Listen Live or

Listen Again.

Phillip Hunt presents a programme of brass band recordings and news. This week’s edition

includes: Massed bands of Brighouse and Rastrick, City of Coventry, Grimethorpe Colliery, GUS

(Footwear) and Hanwell (Walter Hargreaves): Radetsky March (Strauss arr. Hargreaves); Massed

bands of Grimethorpe Colliery, Wingates Temperance, CWS (Manchester), Luton and Shaftesbury

Crusade (Bristol) (Vilem Tausky): Prelude, The Mastersingers (Wagner arr. F. Wright); Besses o’

th’ Barn (Ifor James): A Downland Suite (Ireland); Black Dyke (Nicholas Childs): Capriccio (Newton

- soloist: Joseph Cook); British Army Brass Band (Chris King): Diversions on a Welsh Hymn-Tune

(King).

Requests and comments are welcome at e-mail: brassmanpgh@uwclub.net

Monday, 29 September, 2100-2200. Manx Radio

Time for Brass. Frequencies 97.2, 89 and 103.7 FM and 1368 AM and worldwide on

www.manxradio.com

Click on Listen FM or Listen AM for the programme at the time of broadcast or on Listen Again for a

week following transmission.

Ian Cottier presents a programme of brass band music and comment.

PROFESSIONAL NETWORK

RICHARD ADAMS. Trumpeter, Teacher, Conductor, Adjudicator. Head of Music, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, 111 Middle Road, Singapore 188969. Office 00 65 338 2790. UK Fax: 087 0167 3090. Mobile: 00 65 9451 8398. E-mail: adamsrj@hotmail.com

DEREK ASHMORE. www.hallamshiremusic.co.uk Tel: 01507 358141 Fax: 01507 358034.

BRETT BAKER. BSc. ARCM. Soloist, Teacher, Conductor, Adjudicator. 35 Yewtree Drive, Barnton, Northwich, Cheshire. CW8 4NH. Tel. (01606) 783869. (Mob.) 0777 320 1736. E-mail boneman@brettorsarahbaker.fsnet.co.uk

MAURICE BALE. BSc, Arranger, Godiva Music. 18 Raleigh Road, Coventry CV2 4AA. Tel. 024 76 459 409.

PETER BASSANO FRCM HonRCM North Lodge, Potter Row, near Gt. Missenden, Bucks HP16 9LT. Tel.01494 868240 mobile; 07985 101244. E-mail :pbassano@aol.com www.peterbassano.com

DUNCAN A. BECKLEY. BA. Conductor, Band Trainer, Adjudicator. 26 Ruskin Avenue, Wrenthorpe, WakefieldWF1 2BD (MOB) 07973 389707 E-mail: duncanb76@btopenworld.com

JOHN BERRYMAN. ALCM, LTCL, Conductor, Adjudicator. 12 Beaufort Drive, Barton Seagrave, Kettering, Northants. NN15 6SF Tel. (01536) 722991.

DEREK M. BROADBENT. Conductor and Adjudicator. 17 Corrance Road, Wyke, Nr. Bradford, BD12 9LH Yorks. Tel/Fax. (01274) 670459.

MALCOLM BROWNBILL. Band Tutor, Conductor, and Adjudicator. 49 Pike House Road, Eccleston, St. Helens, Merseyside. WA10 5JZ. Tel. (01744) 28642.

C. BRIAN BUCKLEY. C.Chem., FTCL, LTCL, ALCM, Conductor, Adjudicator, Band Teacher. ‘Egmont’, 81 Gabalfa Road, Sketty, Swansea, West Glamorgan SA2 8ND. Tel. (01792) 205896.

BOB CHILDS. DMA, M.Mus(dist), ARCM(hons), FLCM, PGCE, Euphonium Soloist, Conductor, Teacher. 13 Parc Plas, Blackwood, Gwent NP12 1SJ. Tel 01495 226106 (home), 07966 263881 (mobile). Euph4Bob@aol.com http://www.bobchilds.co.uk/

ROY W. CURRAN. Conductor, Adjudicator. 6 Mary Street, Burnley, Lancs. BB10 4AJ. Home: 01282 426203;Mobile: 07973 788812.

DR. KENNETH DOWNIE. BA (Mus) Dunelm. Kantara, 8 Downs Road, South Wonston, Winchester. SO21 3EU. Tel. (01962) 883031.

JOHN DURRANT. MA. Soloist, Conductor, Composer, Adjudicator. 3 Todmorden Road, Lytham St. Annes, Lancs. FY8 2QL. Tel: 01253 721903. Or 07985 191623 (Mob).

HOWARD EVANS. Mus.B (Hons), ARCM (Hons), LRAM, LTCL. 14 St. Annes Road, Weymouth, Dorset. DT4 9LW Tel. (01305) 786114. Email: howard@hevans.free-online.co.uk

MARTYN EVANS. B.Ed. Head of Brass Oldham M.B.C., Teacher, Conductor, Adjudicator. 44 Holden Clough Drive, Ashton-under-Lyne. OL7 9TH. Tel. 0161 330 4753. (Mobile) 07711 802635.

J. STUART FAWCETT, OAM, LDBBA. Conductor, Adjudicator. 23A Mill Moor Road, Meltham, Holmfirth, HD9 5JT. Tel: 01484 309500.

ALAN FERNIE. DRSAM, Dip NCOS Craiglea, 48 Mill Street, Selkirk, TD7 5AD. Tel. 01750 725213. (Mob.) 0794 7254961. E-mail: a lanfernie@btinternet.com

BRUCE FRASER. Adjudicator, Conductor, Composer. Lomond Music, 32 Bankton Park, Kingskettle, Fife. KY15 7PY. Tel. (01337) 830974. E-mail: bruce.fraser@zetnet.co.uk

COLIN HARDY. Member NABBC, Adjudicator and Conductor, 25 Thirlmere Avenue, Wyke, Bradford, W. Yorks. BD12 9DS. Tel/Fax. (01274) 674174. E-mail: colinhardy1503@tiscali.co.uk

DAVID HIRST. Conductor and Adjudicator. The Cottage, Main Street, Milton, Newark, Nottinghamshire. Tel. 01777 872339 Fax 01777 872852 E-mail: david.hirst@btinternet.com

ALAN HOPE. Conductor, Teacher and adjudicator. 113A Fatfield Park, WASHINGTON, Tyne & Wear. NE38 8BP. Tel/Fax 0191 4161008 Mob: 0776 5656729 E-mail: ahope.brass@tiscali.co.uk

DAVID W. HORSFIELD. Adjudicator and Music Publisher. ‘Ravenswood’ 50 Wyke Old Lane, Bailiff Bridge, Brighouse, West Yorkshire. HD6 4EH. Tel (01484) 722855. Mobile: 07710 208340. E-mail: sales@kirkleesmusic.co.uk

ALAN JENKIN. B.Sc., LTCL, BBCM, Cert. Educ., Conductor, Adjudicator. 4 Beauchamp Close, Neath Hill, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK14 6HZ. Tel/Fax. (01908) 604818 (Home), 224251 (Music Centre).

TERRY JOHNS. A.R.A.M.Composer/Conductor/Adjudicator55/6 Waterfront Avenue Edinburgh EH5 1JDE-mail: castledrac@btinternet.com Mobile: 07777603675

SIMON KERWIN. BA (Hons) 07740 583801 website: www.staveslimited.com email: simonkerwin@talk21.com.

NORMAN C. LAW. Conductor, Adjudicator, Band Trainer, Private Teacher. Lawholme, 4 Farfield Drive, Hepworth, Huddersfield, W. Yorks HD7 1TU. Tel. (01484) 685354.

ALAN R. LEWIS. B. PHIL. LTCL. Head of Brass, Sedbergh School, Sedbergh, Cumbria LA10 5HG. Tel. (015396) 22230 (w), (015396) 20001.

STAN LIPPEATT. B.A., L.R.S.M. Conductor, Adjudicator. 60, Sixth Avenue, Edwinstowe, Mansfield, Notts. NG21 9PW. Tel (01623) 822672 Mobile 07875 138776

MAJOR IAN McELLIGOTT. Conductor, Adjudicator, Composer/Arranger, Brass Teacher. 41 Weaver Moss, Sandhurst, Berks. GU47 9BQ. Mobile: 07903 137659

JOHN MAINES. Conductor, Adjudicator. 46 Hill Crest Road, Offerton, Stockport. SK2 5QL. Tel. 0161 292 9443. (Mobile) 07901 528059. Website: www.johnmaines.co.uk

STEVEN MEAD. Euphonium Soloist, Conductor, Adjudicator. 10 Old Forge Road, Fenny Drayton, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV13 6BD. Tel/Fax: (01827) 711964, Mob. 07971 843668, E-mail: Stevemead@compuserve.com.

ALAN MORRISON. FTCL, LRAM. Soloist, Conductor and Adjudicator. 25 Acaster Drive, Garforth, Leeds LS25 2BH. Tel. (0113) 286 3374, Fax. (0113) 287 3947, Mob. 0775 197 3176. E-mail: alan-morrison@lineone.net website.lineone.net/~alan-morrison

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 14

BB 14-15.indd 14 23-09-2008 17:14:54

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 15

The leading international brass band magazine Incorporating Brass Band News, British Mouthpiece and International BandsmanManaging Director Trevor CaffullFinance Director Gordon CamseyDirector of Media Nicola BlandEditor Kenneth CrookstonAssociate Editor Professor Philip WilbyFeatures Editor Rodney NewtonNews Reporter Tabby Clegg 01422 205231Contributors and consultants Peter Wilson Anthony Banwell Julian Bright Dr. Robert Childs Iwan Fox Graham Fraser Chris Helme Pat HerakLt. Col. Graham Jones MBE Ron Massey Peter MeechanFrank Renton Robert Richardson John StirzakerDavid ThorntonCarl Woodman Malcolm WoodEditorial Telephone: 01506 882985 Fax: 01506 881596 E-mail: info@britishbandsman.comDisplay and classified advertisingJohn Ward Telephone: 0113 2707214. E-mail: info@britishbandsman.comAccounts Hazel Foster Telephone: 01933 445442Subscriptions and Trade Orders Andrew Hall Telephone: 01933 445442Typesetting and ArtworkGK Graphic Design VOFCover price: £1.25SUBSCRIPTION RATES 12 months 6 months UK £56.00 £30.00 Europe £75.00 £45.00 Rest of the World £115.00 £60.00 (52 issues per year)DIRECT DEBIT (only for subscribers living in the UK) One month: £4.85 (saving nearly 10% on the cover price) 12 months: £52.00 (saving 20% on the price of a weekly copy from newsagents). Contact us for a direct debit form.E-Bandsman - Only available to overseas readers - online edition direct to your desktop. £52 per year or £30 for 6 months. You can subscribe to E-Bandsman with a credit or debit card, or pay by a sterling cheque/bankdraft. log onto www.britishbandsman.comPlease make cheques payable to British Bandsman.Subscriptions, accounts and general enquiriesTelephone: 01933 445442Fax: 01933 445435E-mail: subscriptions@britishbandsman.comE-mail: accounts@britishbandsman.comInternet: www.britishbandsman.comAlthough we welcome unsolicited editorial contributions, photographs and artwork, we can not accept responsibility for their return. The opinions contained in the magazine are not necessarily a reflection of those held by the publisher, its editorial advisors or consultants. Neither does the publisher accept responsibility for claims made by those advertising in the magazine.Material in this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the Editor’s written permission.British Bandsman is published weekly and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd.Address: 66 - 78 Denington Road, Wellingborough, Northants. NN8 2QH.

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A list of forthcoming events that have been advertised in British Bandsman.

SEPTEMBER27 - Harrogate. National Brass Band Championships – Lower Section Finals, Sections 4 & 3, from 9.30am, Harrogate International Centre.27 - Stroud. Leyland Band, Subscription Rooms.28 - Harrogate. National Brass Band Championships – Lower Section Finals, Sections 1 & 2, from 9.30am, Harrogate International Centre.28 - Crawley. Travelling by Tuba, 3.00pm, The Hawth.28 - Gateshead. Massed Band Concert with Foden’s, EYMS, Lockwood and Easington Colliery bands, 2.00pm, The Sage Gateshead.

OCTOBER10 - London. Zone One Brass (12.00 noon), Boston Brass (2.30pm), Illustrated Talk with Kenneth Downie (5.00pm), Foden’s Band (7.30pm), Regent Hall.10 - London. Enfield Citadel Band with Philip Cobb (trumpet/cornet), 7.45pm, St. John’s Smith Square.11 - London. National Brass Band Championships Final - Championship Section, 10.00am, Royal Albert Hall.11 - London. Desford Colliery Band, 8.00pm, Regent Hall.18 - Manchester. Chetham’s School of Music Open Day, contact 0161 834 9644.18-19 - Folkstone. Southern Counties Amateur Bands Association Autumn Own-choice Contest, Leas Cliff Hall.18 - Evesham. Avonbank (Evesham) Brass Band 60th Anniversary Reunion and Evening Concert, contact 01386 761230.18 - Stroud. Hepworth (Cookson Homes) Band, Subscription Rooms.19 - Crawley. Minden Band of the Queen’s Division, 3.00pm, The Hawth.24-27 - Prestatyn. Pontin’s 35th Brass Band Championships, Prestatyn Sands Holiday Centre.26 - Sedbergh. Masterclass with Owen Farr (horn), 2.30pm, URC Church.

NOVEMBER1 - Gateshead. Black Dyke Band, 7.30pm, The Sage Gateshead.8 - Nottingham. Sheona White (horn) and Derek Wears (piano) with Nottingham William Booth Memorial Halls Salvation Army Band, 7.30pm, Memorial Halls.8 - Stroud. Cory Band, Subscription Rooms.15 - Gateshead. Rochdale Youth Band with special guest Simone Rebello (3.00pm), World of Brass in Concert featuring Brighouse and Rastrick and Stavanger bands (7.30pm), The Sage Gateshead.16 - Gateshead. Brass in Concert Championship, 9.30am, The Sage Gateshead. 23 - Crawley. IP Brass, 3.00pm, The Hawth.29 - Perth. Scottish Open, Shield and Cup contests, Perth Concert Hall.30 - Perth. Scottish Youth Band Championships, Perth Concert Hall.

DECEMBER13 - Stroud. Pemberton Old Wigan JJB Band, Subscription Rooms.

JANUARY16-19 - Skegness. The Butlins National Mineworkers’ Open Brass Band Festival, Butlins Resort. Please note that day tickets are only available for the Saturday.

BRITISH BANDSMAN PAGE 15

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BOSCOMBE BANDSaturday 18 October 2008

Tickets £4.00/£2.00 concessionsContact Malcolm Bithray

01563 6519422Mobile 07715 538502

Band ServiceWestminster Methodist Central Hall

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Christian Bands.Conductor: Melvin White

The Salvation ArmySaturday 1 November, 7:30pm

CORY BANDsupported by Cardiff Canton Band

at Barry Memorial HallTickets £8.00 from Barry Price on 02920 711603 or e-mail: barryprice@kgjprice.co.uk

BB 14-15.indd 15 23-09-2008 17:14:55

BandsmanBRITISHThe leading international brass magazine

Issue no. 5523 – 23 August 2008

Over 200 delegates and staff of the International Brass Band Summer School, pictured above at Swansea University. The course, led by Robert and 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.

Price £1.25

Parliamentary support grows for brass bandsThe recently established All Parliamentary Group on Brass Bands, formed last month in the House of Commons, is gaining in size, with more politicians and dignitaries pledging their support.After a long and detailed debate in the Commons last month, which tackled the thorny issue of more legitimate Government funding for bands, support now totals 29 members from the House of Commons and eight members from the House of Lords.The full list of members is: Jeff Ennis (Chair), David Heath and Lord Jones (Vice-Chairs), Lord Foster (Secretary), Peter Atkinson, Kevin Barron, John Battle, Richard Benyon, Colin Burgon, Ronald Campbell, Michael Clapham, David Crausby, Philip Davies, David Drew, Bill Etherington, Michael J. Foster, Julia Goldsworthy, Lindsay Hoyle, Mark Hunter, Eric Illsley, Michael Jack, Denis MacShane, Denis Murphy, Gwen Prosser, Laurance Robertson, Dan Rogerson, Terry Rooney, Marsha Singh, David Taylor, Neil Turner, George Young, Lord Bilston, Lord Brookman, Lord Davis of Coity, Baroness Golding, Lord Hoyle and Lord Lipsey.One of the driving forces behind gaining Government backing for bands has been the British Federation of Brass Bands’ Development Offi cer, 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 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 more members it has, the more useful it will be to bands.”In a plea to gain the support of bands Philip Watson said: “I think bands shoul