2006 Scottish Regional Championships - First Section

The Scots have a dry sense of wit, and a fine sea faring history. So who will tap into that he best here and make the most of Goff Richards test piece?

Sunday March 12th
Adjudicators: Stephen Roberts and Alan Morrison
Test Piece: Voyage of Discovery – Goff Richards
Commences: 10.30am
Draw: N/K

No photo? Please send a JPEG to:  general@4barsrest.com stating the conductors name, your band, your region and section. 

Arbroath Instrumental
Conductor: Michael Robertson

Last Ten Years:
2005: 6th (M. Robertson)
2004: 4th (M. Robertson)
2003: 2nd 2nd Section (prom) (M. Robertson)
2002: 2nd 3rd Section (prom) (M. Robertson)
2001: Winners 4th Section (prom) (M. Robertson)
2000: 9th 4th Section (M. Robertson)
1999: 10th 3rd Section (rel)
1998: 11th 3rd Section
1997: 11th 2nd Section (rel)
1996: 8th 2nd Section

Arbroath have certainly found their feet at this level in the past two years, although they did fall away a little last year when they came 6th under the baton of Michael Robertson. He has done sterling work in bringing the band on to this level in the past few years and the time could be ripe for them to take the next step forward.    

Bathgate
Conductor: Charles Keenan

Last Ten Years:
2005: 10th in Championship Section (rel) (T. Swainson)
2004: 9th (A. Duguid)
2003: Winners 1st Section (prom) (A. Duguid)
2002: 7th 1st Section (A. Duguid)
2001: 4th 1st Section (B. Allen)
2000: 5th 1st Section (A. Ramsey)
1999: 5th 1st Section
1998: 5th 1st Section
1997: 2nd 2nd Section (prom)
1996: 3rd 2nd Section

Bathgate drop down into the First Section after two years in which they found the step up in class just a bit too much for them. Saying that they were a little unlucky not to have come higher than they did last year, so they may be well placed to return to winning ways here this time around. Should be there or thereabouts come the result if they play to form.  

Broxburn and Livingston
Conductor: Kevin Price

Last Ten Years:
2005: 8th (A. Samson)
2004: 10th Championship Section (A. Hutchison) (rel)
2003: 5th (M. Marzella)
2002: Winners First Section (prom) (M. Marzella)
2001: 9th (rel) (M. Marzella)
2000: 9th (M. Marzella)
1999: 4th
1998: 6th
1997: Winners 1st Section
1996: 4th 1st Section

Broxburn have bounced a bit between the Championship Section and the First Section here in the last couple of years and returned to the First Section last year when they were short of confidence and could only manage 8th place. Kevin Price has since taken over at the helm and things are looking up and with plenty of talented players in the ranks they should be able to push themselves into the frame we think.    

Clackmannan District Brass
Conductor: James Scott

Last Ten Years:
2005: 4th (J. Scott)
2004: 6th (J. Davies)
2003: 10th Championship (rel) (J. Smith)
2002: 2nd 1st Section (prom) (N. Law)
2001: 3rd 1st Section (N. Law)
2000: 10th Championship (rel) (J. Davies)
1999: 2nd 1st Section (prom)
1998: 4th 1st Section
1997: 9th Championship (rel)
1996: 8th Championship

Great to see James Scott making a second successive appearance on the conductors rostrum this year, and he certainly used all those years of experience to good effect twelve months ago when he guided the band home into 4th place.   They should be confident of doing that again this year and showed form in coming 3rd at the Scottish Challenge Shield late last year.  

Dalmellington
Conductor: Archie Hutchison

Last Ten Years:
2005: 3rd (A. Hutchison)
2004: 7th Championships Section (R. Evans) (rel)
2003: 8th (R. Evans)
2002: 6th (R. Evans)
2001: 3rd (R. Evans)
2000: 6th (R. Newsome)
1999: 5th
1998: 8th
1997: 4th
1996: 5th

The band to beat. However, we think we said that last year and they didn't quite play to the form they were capable of and came home in 3rd place. Plenty of experienced players in the ranks and one of the best principal cornet players around has returned in Eleanor Ferguson from Whitburn. Winners of the Scottish Challenge Shield and we think winners here too if things click into place as they should.   

Dunaskin Doon
Conductor: John Boax

Last Ten Years:
2005: 5th (J. Boax)
2004: 5th (J. Boax)
2003: 3rd (J.Boax)
2002: 4th (D. Hirst)
2001: 10th Championship (rel) (B. Keachie)
2000: 7th Championship (A. McCutcheon)
1999: 8th Championship
1998: 2nd (prom)
1997: 3rd
1996: 9th Championship (rel)

Dunaskin Doon has been trying very hard to get out of the First Section here in the past few years, but have just missed out and came home in 5th place twelve months ago under John Boax. They are consistent if nothing else then and were 5th also at the Scottish Challenge Shield behind some of their rivals here. More of the same may well be on the cards unless they can just find that extra spark.  If they can, a podium place may beckon. 

Granite City Brass
Conductor: Tom Paulin

Last Ten Years:
2005: Winners Second Section (prom) (D. James)
2004: 7th First Section (rel) (D. James)
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 led Granite City for the last time at the Championships last year and led them to win the Second Section and bow out with a fine performance at Harrogate too where they came 6th off an early draw. Tom Paulin is the new man in charge and he has tremendous experience to call on from Grimethorpe to the Great Barrier Reef. That should put them in good stead and they should be up there come the results for us.  

Kilmarnock Concert Brass
Conductor: J. Smith

Last Ten Years:
2005: 7th (A. Keachie)
2004: 2nd Second Section (A. Keachie) (prom)
2003: 7th (A. Keachie)
2002: 6th (A. Keachie)
2001: 3rd (A. Keachie)
2000: 3rd (A. Keachie)
1999: 7th 1st Section (rel)
1998: 9th 1st Section
1997: Winners (prom)
1996: Winners 3rd Section (prom)

The band hasn't contested since last year's Regional Championships so it could be a little bit of a mystery to how they will perform here this time around. A change of conductor too after a great period under Andrew Keachie. This could be an interesting one then.    

Lochgelly
Conductor: Alan Fernie

Last Ten Years:
2005: 2nd in Second Section (prom) (J. Chamberlain)
2004: 6th (R. Tennant)
2003: Winners 3rd Section (prom) (G. Lindsay)
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 to make huge strides towards their ultimate goal of a return to the Championship Section and in the past four years they have been on sparkling form here at the contest in whichever section they have competed in.  Last year Jim Chamberlain took them to a fine runners up place here and then went on to claim 15th at Harrogate – a bit of a disappointment. This time Alan Fernie is at the helm and we are sure his brand of musicianship will certainly rub off. If it does, then they could be in with a shout.  

Newmilns and Galston
Conductor: Craig Anderson

Last Ten Years:
2005: 9th in Championship Section (rel) (C. Anderson)
2004: 2nd First Section (prom) (C. Anderson)
2003: Winners 2nd section (prom) (C. Anderson)
2002: 9th (C. Anderson)
2001: 10th 1st Section (rel) (N. Eggo)
2000: 7th 1st Section (J. Smith)
1999: 10th Championship (rel)
1998: 7th Championship
1997: 2nd 1st Section (prom)
1996: 6th 1st Section

One of the real rising stars of the Scottish banding scene, Newmilns perhaps over reached themselves last year when they found life in the top tier a bit tough. Craig Anderson is a very talented musician and should be able to bring the best out of them at this level though. A top six place at least should be the least of their ambitions.  

Past Qualifiers:

2005: Johnstone Silver, Kirkintilloch Kelvin
2004: Newtongrange Silver, Newmilns and Galston
2003: Bathgate, Bon Accord
2002: Broxburn Public, Clackmannan District Brass.
2001: Johnstone Silver, Bo'ness and Carriden
2000: Bon Accord, Kingdom Brass
1999: Unison Kinneil, Clackmannan and District
1998: Longannet Colliery, Dunaskin Doon
1997: Broxburn Public, Newmilns and Galston
1996: Dalkeith and Monktonhall, Unison Kinneil
1995: Bon Accord, Clackmannan and District

Scottish Bands at the Finals:

2005: 7th, 8th
2004: 4th, 11th
2003: 10th, 17th
2002: 12th, 17th
2001: 6th, 9th
2000: 8th, 9th
1999: 2nd, 5th
1998: 2nd, 4th

4BR Prediction:

This has the makings of an intriguing contest as there are a handful of bands here who could very well fancy their chances of more than making a name for themselves.

That said, it is Dalmellington who should stand out from the rest as the band to beat and if they play to form they should be confident of starting to look for B&B in Harrogate.  Who will join then them though? We think Tom Paulin's experience may pay dividends with Granite City and they can look forward to another trip south if things go well here, whilst they should be hard pushed by the likes of Clackmannan, Broxburn and Livingston, Newmilns and Bathgate. We think the top six should be made up of thse, but the order may swap and change a bit on the day. Our dark horses? We opt for Dunaskin Doon.

1. Dalmellington
2. Granite City
3. Clackmannan
4. Broxburn and Kivingston
5. Newmilns and Galston
6. Bathgate

Dark Horse: Dunaskin Doon

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