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2003 4BR AWARDS:
Contest Performance of the Year
Read our nominations below for the above category. To vote, follow
the links at the bottom of this page.
There were some truly great contest performances this year –
although to be honest, not all of them came in the major contests.
Both the Open and Nationals didn’t quite live up to expectations,
due mainly to the works the bands had to perform, whilst the Masters
just didn’t quite come to life despite an enjoyable romp of
a piece from Martin Ellerby.
It was perhaps not a vintage year in the UK for winning performances,
but the European was a real highlight of top class playing. There
should also be mentions for some that didn’t quite make it
as well (YBS on “The Planets”, BAYV Cory on “Prague”,
Leyland on “Chivalry”, Flowers on “Tallis Variations”
or Tredegar on “Enigma” to name but a few), and we are
sure they will get plenty of votes - but for us, these five stood
out.
 Yorkshire Building Society – Aubade (European Brass
Band Championships)
Conductor: David King
A superb performance of a superb set work. Right from Bob Blackburn’s
waking Dodo to the peacock feathered brilliance of the multi coloured,
multi timbred climax, this was a performance to savour, and made
what appeared on paper a very complex work seem so easily understandable.
Only DK and his band could have done it.
 BAYV Cory – Revelation (European Brass Band Championships)
Conductor: Robert Childs
Robert Childs and his band just brought the house down on this
one (one member of jury was allegedly in tears of joy at the end
of it). It opened so quietly that you though it perhaps hadn’t
started, but by the end it was making the hairs on the hairs on
the back of your neck stand on end. Riveting stuff full of Welsh
passion, and musical brilliance.
 Brighouse and Rastrick – Prague (Yorkshire Regional
Championship)
Conductor: Ian McElligott
The performance of the Regionals 2003. There was a great hue and
cry about the overall Yorkshire result which tended to miss the
main point that Brighouse gave a truly magnificent account of the
test piece – one that was not bettered throughout the land.
The piece just came to life under the direction of Ian McElligott,
colour and timbres, subtle nuances of shape and style that made
for a quite outstanding performance. A real joy.
 Eikanger Bjorsvik Musikklag – The Trumpets of the
Angels (Norwegian National Brass Band Championships)
Conductor: Nicholas Childs
There was a point in this incredible work when Martin Winter started
playing his cadenzas when the only sound you could hear in the auditorium
was the clunk of peoples chins as they dropped to the floor in amazement
at what they were hearing. This was perhaps not a test piece as
we know it, but it was a test piece of immense proportions nonetheless,
and only a band like Eikanger and Nicholas Childs could make come
off. It didn’t win, but that wasn’t the point –
the memories will live in the mind for a very, very long time.
Wardle and District Anderson Brass – Call of the Sea
(Fourth Section National Finals)
Conductor: Phil Shaw
This delightful music from Eric Ball really tested the bands in
Dundee, but still brought some very fine performances from the bands.
None though was better than Phil Shaw and Wardle who captured the
essence of the music to a tee. We were so impressed we even waxed
lyrical about Captain Pugwash and the Black Pig! It was a real gem
of a show from a very young band and a MD who had an intuitive understanding
of the music.
Previous winners:
2002: Yorkshire
Building Society – Concerto Grosso (European Championships)
2001: The
Fodens Band – Les Preludes (British Open Championships)
© 4BarsRest
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