2005 All England Masters International Championship - Dedicated Service Award - Ted Griffith

24-May-2005

4BR pays tribute to Ted Griffiths - a man who has really given his life to the banding movement and who has ensured generations to come will enjoy it too.


Ted GriffithsEdward H. Griffiths started playing the cornet at the age of 12 with Birstall Old Prize Band near Leeds where he received tuition from the conductor, Harry Smith who was a flugel player with the Black Dyke Band from 1928 until the Second World War.

From there he moved to Mirfield Silver, switching to soprano cornet, before moving to the Meltham Mills Band where he stayed for 12 years.  It was at Meltham Mills that Ted began his conducting career, taking quartets and small groups and became deputy bandmaster to Maurice Wadsworth – the father of Black Dyke horn player and conductor, Kevin.

In 1970 Ted became the conductor of the Yorkshire Bus Company Band, a position he held for 19 years. During this time the band enjoyed much contest success, the highlight being first place in the Third Section National Finals in 1981 at Kensington Town Hall, playing ‘Viscaya' by Gilbert Vinter from the dreaded No 1 draw.

It is his work in developing young players though, which has given Ted his greatest pleasure, as well as perhaps his most long lasting success. The number of young players who have started on a brass instrument and then made it into a life long passion can be counted in their hundreds.

Ted started to help at Dobcross Youth Band in 1992 and took over in 1994.  Dobcross Youth Band has enjoyed a very successful period since then, with membership always around 100 and the young players are encouraged to carry on banding when they leave. 

As testimony to this, the band chairman noted in 1999 that there were seven ex members playing at the British Open, some with the very top bands. Not bad for a youth band formed in 1989!

Ted is also well known for his association with the YBS Band, and has been a popular and familiar figure at all the major contests that the band has competed in. His two sons, Geraint and Morgan have also at various times been members of this band, and it must have given him great pride to have been able to pick up major titles as the band representative knowing that his two talented lads had a major part to play in the wins.

Ted remains a lovely warm and generous man, a great supporter of all bands and someone who has dedicated his life to the development of brass banding for today and for tomorrow. There can be no more deserving person to receive this prestigious award.

Dobcross Youth Band significant achievements since 1996:

1996: 
National Youth Championships – Junior Section - 1st 
Manchester District Youth Championships - 1st

1997: 
Rochdale Contest – 4th Section - 1st
National Youth Championships – Junior Section - 1st
North West Regional Championships – 4th Section  - Qualified 
Huddersfield and District Contest – 4th Section - 1st
Tameside Contest – 4th Section - 1st
National Finals – 4th Section (Birmingham) - 2nd
Manchester District Youth Championships - 1st
Promoted to 3rd Section (NWABBA)

1998: 
Rochdale Contest – 3rd Section - 1st
National Youth Championships (Intermediate) -  2nd
Action Research Youth Entertainment  Festival of Great Britain - 3rd
Holmfirth Contest – Section B - 1st
Manchester District Youth Championships - 1st
British Open Junior Quartet Championships - 1st
Pilkington Contest – Section C -  3rd

1999: 
Rochdale Contest – 3rd Section - 1st
National Youth Championships (Intermediate) - 3rd
North West Regional Championships – 3rd Section -  2nd Qualified
Holmfirth Contest – Section B - 1st
National Finals – 3rd Section (Nottingham) - 2nd
British Open Junior Quartet Championships - 1st
Promoted to 2nd Section (NWABBA)

2001: 
National Youth Championships (Community) - 1st
North West Regional Championships – 2nd Section  - 1st
Promoted to the 1st Section (NWABBA)
National Finals – 2rd Section (Preston) -  7th
British Open Junior Quartet Championships - 1st

2002: 
West Pennine Junior Ensemble -  1st
National Youth Championships (Community)  -  2nd
Pride of Oldham Award
Tameside Youth Brass Festival - 1st

2003: 
National Youth Championships (Premier) - 3rd
West Pennine Junior Ensemble - 1st
Huddersfield and District Youth Contest  -1st
Wilkinsons Northern Contest – 4th Section  -  4th

2004: 
North West Regional Championships - 6th
Action Research Youth Entertainment Festival of Great Britain -  6th

§ Annual Music Tours in the summer – Holland, Guernsey, Spain, France, Italy

§ Numerous Youth Prizes at Whit Friday Band Contests – best ever result in
2002.  The band won over £800 in prize money - 8 Youth Prizes, 2 Saddleworth
Prizes and 1 Deportment Prize.

§ Almost every Championship Band in the local area has players that have come through Dobcross Youth Band.

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