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2003 Pontins Brass Band Championships
Pontins Holiday Camp, Prestatyn, North Wales
Sat/Sun 25/26th October
First Section
Saturday 25th October
Test Piece: Resurgam - Eric Ball
Commence: 10.00am
Adjudicators: Malcolm Brownbill and Brian Buckley
First Prize: £1,750
Second Prize: £900
Third Prize: £650
Fourth Prize: £450
The 1st section play the classic Eric Ball piece ‘Resurgam’
and this will be well within the range and scope of all the bands
in this Section, in fact we think that it will come very much down
to interpretation on this one. That poses us a problem when it comes
to picking our likely prize-winners though, but there are a handful
of bands we think that have the class about them to more than make
a mark.
The competing bands are as follows:
Bedworth Brass – D. Williams
Bedworth come back to this contest having finished in 10th place
last year and 20th the year before. They appeared in the 2nd Section
in 2000 finishing a creditable 4th and they approach this contest
with a mid place Regionals placing, whilst they turned around a
10th place result at Buxton with a win at Wychavon.
BHK (Horden) – Peter Parkes
BHK come to these finals on the back of a tremendous National Finals
performance in Dundee and they have had a fine contest season in
2003 overall so far. This will be their first visit to these Finals
in the 2000 era and led by Maj. Peter Parkes they must be one of
the more strongly fancied bands. This is one contest the Major has
never won surprisingly, so we think he may be about to change all
that.
Blackburn & Darwen – L. Nicholson
Blackburn and Darwen have in the main a good record at these Championships
- 6th in 2000 and 5th in 2001but only 14th last year. With Lynda
Nicholson taking the baton it will be a sure fire guarantee they
come to this contest very well prepared and could be in line for
a win just like 1991 in the Second Section.
Derwent Brass – K. Leonard
Derwent and Keith Leonard make their debut this Millennium at the
Finals here. They are a strong band and were well placed in the
Midlands region. They could be in amongst the prizes at the end.
Enderby – S. Cooper
Enderby come the contest on the back of a Regionals placing of 13th.
They have no Pontins appearances in the 2000’s so will hope
to make an impression in this contest this year for sure.
Forest of Dean Brass – Miss J. Gwynne
Hailing from the West of England where they have a good reputation.
No form at Pontins to call upon in the last three years at least,
so it will be interesting how they do.
Holme Silver – S. Tighe
Holme appear here after coming second last year, and they will be
keen therefore to go one better and march back to the Yorkshire
Dales with a winners cheque to go with the trophy on offer. The
experienced Stephen Tighe is at the helm and they could well feature
highly.
Ibstock Brick Brass – P. Northey
Ibstock have appeared in the 1st Section for the past two years
and in 2001 they came 12th. Last year though saw them improve further
to 5th, so they will be looking for a further leap up the prize
list this time.
Knottingly Silver – K. Belcher
Knottingly are new to the 1st Section at the Pontins Championships
having last competed in 2001 when they came a decently placed 10th
in the 2nd Section. They were well placed in the Nationals this
year in Dundee, so could come good on their travels here as well.
Longridge – B. Baker
Longridge have competed in the Championship Section here for the
past two years, but didn’t make anything of an impression.
This time they have dropped down a section, but with Brett Baker
at the helm there seems to be a whiff of a renaissance about the
band. Ones to watch out for we think.
Markham and District – N. Seaman
Markham were 19th from a late draw here last year and they contested
in the 2nd Section in 2001 taking 7th place. Have continued to do
well in the Principality of late, but will be looking to make more
of a mark here under the baton of Nigel Seaman.
Moston and Beswick – M. Obermuller
A huge improvement over the past year for the band - they were 18th
in 2001 and 3rd last year in the Second Section, and they come to
the 1st section following promotion. A recent change of MD and the
loss of a few players, but they shuld still more than hold their
own.
Pemberton Old Wigan – N. Sheppard
Pemberton pose a real dilemma - they can sparkle one contest and
confound the listener at the next. They were 9th in 2001 then 21st
in 2002 so how they do will possibly be in the lap of the Gods.
Nick Sheppard though knows what it takes to win on the biggest stage
of all – he was a member of the Marple Band that won the Open,
so a position towards the top of the prize list may be in order
this time around.
Stannington – J. Hopkinson
Stannington won the 2nd Section in 2001 following a disappointing
14th in 2000. They were absent last year and are approaching the
1st section at Pontins for the first time. 7th in the Regionals
was a decent return, but they will be going for it here we think.
Stonesfield Silver – T. Brotherhood
Stonesfield haven’t competed here this Millennium at least
so we will have to wait and see if their 12th place at the Regional
Championships can be improved upon here against National opposition.
Tintwistle – D. Shutter
The band have a good track record at these Championships - earned
though in the 2nd Section. They were 7th last year they also have
a winners pennant in 2000 and a 4th in 2001 to fall back on. This
should be a test, but one they should overcome in some style.
Towcester Studio – J. Berryman
Towcester went through a purple patch a couple of years ago coming
2nd in 2000 and 3rd in 2001 in the 2nd Section but the step up to
1st section proved to be consolidation rather than a whirlwind success.
They came 11th last year and will enter the contest under the baton
of the most experienced conductor John Berryman. With his understanding
of Eric Ball they could well feature highly.
Tyldesley Brass – R. Taylor
The band last appeared in the contest in 2000 when they finished
9th, so re-enter the Championships having achieved mixed fortunes
in 2003. A new MD and new players though should be a positive –
they could well do very well indeed.
United Norwest Co-op Milnrow – C. Whiteoak
come into the 1st Section following a period of sustained contesting
in the 2nd Section. They finished just outside the prizes in the
last three years taking 12th (2002), 5th (2201) and 7th in 2000.
They were runners up in Dundee so will be out to keep up the prize
winning ways.
Unity Brass – P. Northey
Unity come into the 1st Section after a year away. They were quite
lowly placed in 2001 coming 21st but with an experienced MD at the
helm they will be confident of doing much better this year.
Wrexham Brass – W. Ruston
Wrexham come back to the contest on the back of a Regionals placing
of 6th. We think they were last here under their old moniker of
Rhos in 2001 when they came 17th in the Championship Section.
Yorkshire Co-operatives – J. Roberts
Yorkshire are the one band here who could well walk away with the
contest if they are really playing to the top of their form. If
not, then….. Plenty of good players around the stand, we think
they could be the dark horse of the contest. Ones to listen out
for.
4BR Prediction:
This is going to be one heck of a contest. The test piece is perhaps
the best loved piece of brass writing ever, so the bands –
and the MD’s in particular will have something of a moral
duty to ensure they do it justice. There is no hidden, unwritten
secret formula to “Resurgam”. What is written is written
by a brass band composing genius, so those who think they know better
and want to try something out of the ordinary deserve to be placed
as low down the prize list as possible. This is simple, beautiful
music – and the MD’s should approach it as such. Who
then will win? Well we have chickened out a bit haven't we and have
gone to the recent formbook. If we are way out then so be it, but
given how close we think the contest will be, we opt for the following
bands to do well.
1. BHK (UK) Horden Band
2. Blackburn and Darwen
3. Knottingly Silver
4. Longridge
5. United Norwest Co-op Milnrow
6. Derwent Brass
Dark Horse - Yorkshire Co-operatives
The Runners:
1. Bedworth Brass - D. Williams
2. BHK (UK) Horden Band – Major Peter Parkes
3. Blackburn and Darwen - L. Nicholson
4. Derwent Brass –K.Leonard
5. Enderby – S. Cooper
6. Forest of Dean Brass – Miss J. Gwynne
7. Holme Silver - S. Tighe
8. Ibstock Brick Brass - P. Northey
9. Knottingly Silver - K. Belcher
10. Longridge - B. Baker
11. Markham and District – N. Seaman
12. Moston and Beswick - R. Taylor
13. Pemberton Old Wigan - N. Sheppard
14. Stannington – J. Hopkinson
15. Stonesfield Silver - T. Brotherhood
16. Tintwistle - D. Shutter
17. Towcester Studio – J.Berryman
18. Tyldesley Brass – R. Taylor
19. United Norwest Co-op Milnrow - C. Whiteoak
20. Unity Brass - P. Northey
21. Vernon Building Society Poynton - M. Obermuller
22. Wrexham Brass - W. Ruston
23. Yorkshire Co-operatives - J. Roberts
© 4BarsRest
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