2005 Regionals: Scotland - Preview: Second Section
7-Mar-2005There will be plenty of variations on show here for this contest, but which of the 12 bands here can master the Vaughan Williams and book themselves into a bed and breakfast in Harrogate in September?
Date: Saturday12th March
Adjudicators: Ian Brownbill and Steve Bastable
Test Piece: Variations for Brass Band – Vaughan Williams
Commences: 14.15
Draw: 12.00
No photo? Please send a JPEG to: stating the conductors name, your band, your region and section.
Annan Town
Conductor: D. Shanks
Last Nine Years:
2004: 7th (D. Shanks)
2003: 9th (D. Shanks)
2002: 7th (D. Shanks)
2001: 9th 1st Section (rel) (D. Shanks)
2000: 4th 1st Section (D. Shanks)
1999: 9th 1st Section
1998: 2nd (prom)
1997: 2nd 3rd Section (prom)
1996: 7th 3rd Section
Annan have been putting in pretty solid accounts here in the last three years and have hovered around the top six places under the baton of David Shanks. He has put together some strong foundations here since they started to compete in 1992 and he and his band will surely be looking to just up the ante a bit and claim at least a top six place or even a qualifiation place given a bit of luck.
City of Discovery Brass
Conductor: B. Fraser
Last NineYears:
2004: 8th (B. Fraser)
2003: 9th 1st Section (B. Fraser) (rel)
2002: 8th 1st Section (B. Fraser)
2001: 5th 1st Section (B. Fraser)
2000: 2nd 2nd Section (prom) (B. Fraser)
1999: 2nd 3rd Section (prom)
1998: 8th 3rd Section
1997: Winners 4th Section (prom)
1996: DNC
Bruce Fraser has done some sterling work with City of Discovery in recent years since they started to compete in 1997, and although they shot up to the First Section pretty quickly, they found it tough going in both 2002 and 2003 and were relegated back here last year. 8th place 12 months ago was a bit of a disapointment, but we are sure they will be determined to make a mark here once more and repeat the runners up spot they gained here in 2000.
Clydebank Burgh
Conductor: A. Duguid
Last Nine Years:
2004: 12th (A. Friel)
2003: 5th (E. Drysdale)
2002: 3rd (D. Laughland)
2001: Winners 3rd Section (prom) (D. Laughland)
2000: Winners 4th Section (prom) (D. Laughland)
1999: 3rd 4th Section
1998: 7th 4th Section
1997: 12th 3rd Section (rel)
1996: 12th (rel)
After winning promotion to the Second Section in 2002 and gaining a fine 3rd place, one of the most famous old bands in Scotland (13 times Scottish Champions no less) have fallen off the pace a little in the past two years in particular and could only manage to come home in 12th place last year. That could spell a danger of possible relegation, so they have brought in the talented young Mr Duguid to see if he can help them up the prize table.
Croy Parish Silver
Conductor: C. Bradley
Last NineYears:
2004: 5th (C. Bradley)
2003: DNC
2002: Winners 2nd Section (A. Friel)
2001: 8th 2nd Section (A. Friel)
2000: 11th 2nd Section (A. Friel)
1999: 5th 2nd Section
1998: 7th 2nd Section
1997: 9th 2nd Section
1996: 7th 2nd Section
Whitburn's Chris Bradley heads Croy's challenge once more this year and after not competing in 2003 they returned in 2004 to claim a healthy 5th place. They have certainly shown here in the past that they are more than capable of doing well at this level when they were champions here in 2002, so what form they bring to the contesting stge this year we will have to wait and see. Ones to look out for though.
Dalkeith and Monktonhall Colliery
Conductor: I. Davey
Last Nine Years:
2004: 4th (I. Davey)
2003: 8th (2) (I. Fleming)
2002: 9th 1st Section (rel) (I. Fleming)
2001: 8th 1st Section (I. Fleming)
2000: 6th 1st Section (G. Jenkins)
1999: 8th 1st Section
1998: 10th Championship (rel)
1997: 6th Championship
1996: Winners 1st Section (prom)
Dalkeith and Monktonhall Colliery has been competing here since 1990 and after going as low as the Third Section in 1992 they sped up through the ranks to come 6th in the Championship Section in 1998. They have since dropped back a bit from that high water mark, but last year they showed real glimpses of former glory as they took 4th place under the baton of Iain Davey. More or better may beckon this year as well.
Granite City Brass
Conductor: D. James
Last Nine Years:
2004: 7th First Section (D. James) (rel)
2003: 4th (D. James) (UDI Aberdeen)
2002: 10th (A. Haggart)
2001: 6th (A. Haggart)
2000: 3rd (E. Paley)
1999: 4th
1998: 7th
1997: 4th
1996: 5th
The great David James will lead Granite City for a third year here and in many peoples eyes they may well beone of the favourites for the title or at least a qualification place. Even though they were relegated from the First Section after coming 7th last year, they should be confident of making an immediate impression here this time out. Ones to listen out for we are told.
Jedforest Instrumental
Conductor: A. Fernie
Last Nine Years:
2004: 2nd Third Section (A. Fernie) (prom)
2003: 4th (A. Fernie)
2002: 2nd 4th Section (prom) (A. Fernie)
2001: 5th 4th Section (A. Fernie)
2000: 6th 4th Section (A. Fernie)
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
The talented composer and all round musician that is Alan Fernie has been doing wonders here with Jedforest Instrumental since they started competing in 2000 after a six year break away from the Championships. Starting back at the lowest level they have battled their way through and last year came runners up here and went to Harrogate where they came a solid 10th against some quality bands. Another step back up may be on the cards.
LochgellyConductor: James Chamberlain
Last Nine Years:
2004: 6th (R. Tennant)
2003: Winners 3rd Section (G. Lindsay) (prom)
2002: Winners 4th Section (prom) (G. Lindsay)
2001: 12th 3rd Section (rel) (B. Fraser)
2000: 7th 3rd Section (B. Fraser)
1999: 5th 3rd Section
1998: 3rd 3rd Section
1997: 6th 3rd Section
1996: 4th 3rd Section
Lochgelly continue on their rise up through the sections, although at present we have no news to who will be taking the band at the Championships. Raymond Tennant took them last year and did a fine job in directing them into a very solid 6th place. Given their past record of wins here we think that they will surely be looking to add another title to their CV this time around or at least a place at the Harrogate Finals.
Renfrew Burgh
Conductor: D. Hutchison
Last NineYears:
2004: 11th (E. Drysdale)
2003: 4th (C. Keenan)
2002: 5th (C. Keenan)
2001: 4th (C. Keenan)
2000: 5th (C. Keenan)
1999: 10th
1998: Winners 3rd Section (prom)
1997: 8th 3rd Section
1996: 5th 3rd Section
A new face this year for Renfrew (the third in as many years after Charles Keenan and Ewan Drysdale) and D. Hutchison has got a bit of a task on his hands to ensure the bands survival at this level for 2006 as they dropped somewhat disasterously away to 11th place last year. That was a real surprise as in the past they had been strong contenders here, so will they show that 2004 was just a one off, or will it signal that they are in a bit of trouble?
St. David's Brass
Conductor: J. Dickson
Last Nine Years:
2004: Winners Third Section (J. Dickson) (prom)
2003: 3rd (J. Dickson)
2002: 3rd (J. Dickson)
2001: 4th (J. Dickson)
2000: 9th (J. Dickson)
1999: 7th
1998: Winners 4th Section
1997: 7th 4th Section
1996: 11th 4th Section
John Dickson has been producing a real band of quality here in the past few years ever since they started competing at the Championships in 1991. They have built slowly and steadily and capped their efforts last year when they won the Third Section title here and went on to Harrogate where they came 16th at the Finals. You feel they will once again provide a solid account of themselves and a good show is just about guarenteed.
St. Ronan's Silver
Conductor: D. McLeod
Last Nine Years:
2004: 3rd (D. Mcleod)
2003: 2nd 3rd Section (prom) (D. McLeod)
2002: 4th 3rd Section (C. Bradley)
2001: 9th 3rd Section (D. Robb)
2000: 4th 3rd Section (D. Robb)
1999: Winners 4th Section
1998: 5th 4th Section
1997: 4th 4th Section
1996: 7th 4th Section
St. Ronan's and their MD David McLeod will surely come to this contest with their confidence high after just missing out last year on a trip to the Finals itself by a point. They are another band that has been making solid and long term progress from the time they started competing here in 1996. Winners of the Fourth Section in 1999 and then third place last year, could this year see them take their second Regional title?
Tayport Instrumental
Conductor: P. Ratnik
Last Nine Years:
2004: 9th First Section (I. Davey) (rel)
2003: 8th (R. MacDonald)
2002: 5th (R. MacDonald)
2001: 2nd 2nd Section (prom) (R. MacDonald)
2000: 9th (rel) (R. MacDonald)
1999: 6th
1998: Winners 2nd Section (prom)
1997: 9th (rel)
1996: 7th
The third new MD in as many years for Tayport as they strive to take the first steps back to the First Section whence they came this year after falling through the relegation trap door after coming 9th, 12 months ago. They have just been dropping off the pace a bit in the last few years so they may be happy with a good solid placing here this year and a chance to regroup before setting out to reclaim that First Section place once more.
Past Qualifiers:
2004: Barrhead Burgh, Kilmarnock Concert Brass
2003: Newmilns & Galston, Arbroath Instrumental
2002: Croy Parish, Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass
2001: Livingstone Brass, Tayport Instrumental
2000: Johnstone Silver, City of Discovery Brass
1999: Bon Accord Silver, Barrhead Burgh
1998: Tayport Instrumental, Annan Town
1997: Kilmarnock Concert Brass, Bathgate
1996: Longannet Colliery, Barrhead Burgh
1995: Tullis Russell Mills, Dalkeith and Monktonhall
2004: 3rd, 10th
2003: 5th, 11th
2002: 8th, 16th
2001: 8th, 15th
2000: 4th, 9th
1999: 3rd, 10th
1998: 13th, 16th
4BR Prediction:
If this contest is like any of the others around the country, then it could be a test of character as well as musicianship as the VW Variations are an exceptionally difficult work to make come off. There could very well be some performances here that may not come up to the mark - but it won't be the bands fault.
Now that we have got our gripe out of the way who do we think will come out on top? Granite City seems to be the name on a lot of people's lips up here and we may have to follow suit and plumb for them to take the title, whilst we think they will be joined on the long trip to the Finals by St. Ronan's. Croy, St. David's, Jedforest and Dalkeith should also be in with a good shout and we opt this year for the dark horse of Annan Town
1. Granite City
2. St. Ronan's
3. Croy
4. St. David's
5. Jedforest Intsrumental
6. Dalkeith and Monktonhall
Dark Horses: Annan Town
