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Wilkinson Northern Open Brass Band Championships
2001:
This report was given by John James who provided 4BarsRest with
all contest details.
This contest has always had a reputation of being an organised,
well run event and this year was no exception. Under the auspices
of Rainford Silver Band and North West Counties Brass Band Association
(NWCBBA) Contest Control, at 08.45am the Championship got underway.
A number of late withdraws reduced the field but nonetheless an
interesting contest and some fine playing compensated for the reduced
field.
Section D - Draw
1. Burneside Brass
2. Pemberton Old Wigan “B”
3. St.Helens Brass
4. Trinity Girls
A short section of four bands contested the prizes playing the Philip
Wilby piece “The Seasons”. This guaranteed an interesting
test as it’s one of the most listenable pieces and one which
managed to rank the bands well. It a proved to be good day for Trinity
Girls, who under the baton of Stuart Barton, were good winners with
a bright, exciting performance. Their cornet player, Anna Spedding,
caught the ear of the adjudicator John Hinckley, taking the certificate
awarded to the best soloist in the section.
Pemberton Old Wigan “B” under the direction of Peter Ashley
maintained a good recent record finishing as runners up.
Results
1. Trinity Girls 175pts
2. Pemberton Old Wigan “B” 173pts
3. Burneside Brass 169pts
Trophy & Signed Score
Winning Conductor: Stuart Barton
Best Soloist Certificate
Anna Spedding: Cornet - Trinity Girls
Adjudicator - John Hinckley
Section C - Draw
1. Diggle
2. Eatons Farnworth
3. Eccles Borough
4. Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge)
5. Haydock Youth
6. Hebden Bridge (Walkley Clogs)
7. Parr Band (Richardson Ltd) St.Helens
8. Slaithwaite
This was a really good, close contest featuring eight bands. Malcolm
Brownbill’s choice of test pieces for the contest was to the
fore in “Shine As the Light” composed by Peter Graham.
This section was very difficult to call with many bands playing
really well through one section to let themselves slip in another.
It was testing but I felt an honest challenge for the bands - however
in his summation John Hinckley alluded to the fact that he thought
the piece a little too testing for Section C. That is not to say
that there were poor performances, quite the contrary. It was the
diversity in phrasing, pitch, balance and the like which made the
result from the adjudicator so interesting.
In the end Eatons Farnworth players took both the soloist prizes
and helped the band secure a 3rd place in a performance which did
benefit from their secure solo playing. Conductor Peter Ashley enjoyed
a good day bringing out another prize winning performance, having
early taken Pemberton Old Wigan “B”.
Haydock Youth played with good style and linked the music well together.
Loud valve noise in the bass section did carry into the auditorium
but fortunately this did not overly distract from the music as they
played their way into 2nd place. A winning performance by Diggle
had much to enjoy and they were worthy winners on the day. A clean
start, nice tempo and particularly a well played central section
from both brass and percussion players led to a finale which was
broad and solid.
Results
1. Diggle 173pts
2. Haydock Youth 172pts
3. Eatons Farnworth 171pts
Trophy - Winning Conductor: Diggle
Trophy - Best Cornet: Michelle Wild - Eatons Farnworth
Trophy - Secretary Winning Band - Diggle
Best Soloist Certificate:
Nick Hunt:Euphonium - Eatons Farnworth
Adjudicator - John Hinckley
Section B - Draw
1. Blackpool Brass
2. BMP Europe Goodshaw
3. Delph
4. Flookburgh
5. Greenhalls
6. Moston and Beswick Manchester
7. Wigston
“A Salford Sinfonnietta” - Darrol Barry’s test piece,
with its lovely slow section proved a good test of the bands in
this section. The soloists were uniformly very good but all too
often it was the accompanying parts which wobbled.
Flookburgh conducted by John Iveson played exceptionally well and
their performance was full of captivating moments. A steady clean
sound at the opening led its way through a classy bass trombone
link into a well shaped slow movement. Their confident rendition
closed out with good playing from all the players and was a deserving
winner. Adjudicator Barry Thompson remarked that there were no doubts
over the best soloist and on the day Flookburgh produced a stand
out performance.
Moston & Beswick Manchester, were deliberate in style and produced
a very warm sound. It was a nice performance which warranted a prize
with the music passing smoothly through the different sections of
the band.
In 3rd place came Blackpool Brass, who playing last of the seven
competitors gave a good dynamically conscious performance, which
just suffered from exposed tentative moments.
Results:
1. Flookburgh 186pts
2. Moston & Beswick Manchester 185pts
3. Blackpool Brass 184pts
Trophy - Winning Conductor: John Iveson
Trophy - Best Basses: Flookburgh
Best Soloist Certificate: Cornet - Flookburgh
Adjudicator - Barry Thompson
Section A - Draw
1. Blackburn and Darwin, Eric Landon
2. BT, M.Fowles
3. Eagley, Craig Roberts
4. Freckleton, Paul Dalton
5. Haydock Ogden Travel, Ian Brownbill
6. Hepworth, Mark Bentham
7. Holme Silver, Duncan Beckley
8. Vernon Building Soc Poynton, Martin Overmuller
This section was opened by Hepworth who played “Variations
On A Ninth” by Gilbert Vinter to an astounding standard. Their
musical performance was shaped, lyrical and dramatic. The cadenzas,
in particular the style of the baritone player, were all note perfect
and all contributed to earn them a clean sweep of prizes. It was
a performance out of the top drawer.
Second place band BT and Blackburn and Darwen who took third prize,
both played with style producing a sound often rich in colour with
excellent dynamics. The lyrical playing and style in the fugue,
where all the parts were clearly heard, marked both these performances.
This section rounded out an excellent day with the sound of the
Hepworth winning performance a lasting memory.
Results:
1. Hepwoth 190pts
2. BT 189pts
3. Blackburn & Darwen 188pts
Trophy - Winning Conductor: Mark Bentham
Trophy - Best Soprano: Hepworth
Trophy - Best Euphonium: Hepworth
Best Soloist Certificate: Baritone - Hepworth
Adjudicator - Barry Thompson
This report was given by John James who provided 4BarsRest with
all contest details.
© 4BarsRest
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