2008 National Youth Band Championships - Runners & Riders
8-Apr-20084BR looks forward to the bands playing at the RNCM this weekend - and tries to predict who will come out on top...
School Section:
Haden Freeman Concert Hall
Start: 9.30am
Test Piece: Music for Kantara (Kenneth Downie)
Adjudicators: David Hirst and Brett Baker
(20 minutes playing time each band)
Competing Bands:
Wardle High School Senior Band: (Lee Rigg): Winners, Gold Certificate, Schools Section, 2007
Smithills High School Senior Band (Chris Wormald): Gold Certificate, Schools Section, 2007
Results and prize presentation at 10.30am
It’s a disappointment that it will be only be two bands to get the day’s proceedings started in the Haden Freeman Concert Hall, but nevertheless, it promises to be an intriguing one.
Chris Wormald’s Smithills have dominated here in recent years and last year were going for four on the trot, only to be denied by Wardle.
Once again these two bands do battle and if it’s like last year, there won’t be a piece of musical Bronco paper to choose between.
Smithills are always a band that are well drilled and rehearsed and perform to the very highest standard demanded by the MD. Lee Rigg and Wardle have continued to flourish as a combination in the past couple of years and in addition to victory last year, they were also victorious in their section at Music for Youth and deservedly got short listed by 4BR for the Lower Section Band of the Year.
4BR Prediction:
If both play to form, it could be a toss up to choose between the two Lancastrian Schools. Sit back and enjoy…
1. Smithills School
2. Wardle High School Senior Band
Junior Section:
Haden Freeman Concert Hall
Start time: 11.00am
Test Piece: Own Choice, but must include one piece of original brass band music.
Adjudicators: Sheona White and Alan Morrison
(15 minutes playing time each band)
Competing bands:
Shirland Youth (Peter Rhodes): Debutants
Fred Longworth High School Junior Band (Helen Robinson): Gold Certificate, Junior Section, 2007
Wire Youth (Jo Sherry): Bronze Certificate, Junior Section, 2007
Gwynedd Mon William Mathias Junior Band (John Glyn Jones): Silver Certificate, Junior Section, 2007
City of Leeds Junior Band (Gordon Eddison): Debutants
Worcestershire Intermediate Band (Mark Oldham): Debutants
Results and prize presentation at 1.50pm approx
Please note that the Junior Section results will be given at the same time as the Premier Section results. There is only one band taking part in the Premier section.
A fascinating contest with the guarantee of a new winner this year as last year’s victor’s Elland are now competing in the Community Section where they will also be joined by Astley Youth.
The standard in this section has been superb over the years and we should be guaranteed some great entertainment from some smashing bands.
Great to see a couple of debutants here this yea too, with City of Leeds, Shirland Youth and Worcestershire Intermediate all taking to the stage for the very first time.
4BR Prediction:
This could be a contest that really throws up more than a surprise or two. Fred Longworth High School finished third last year and could well finish top of the pack this time whilst Gwynedd Mon William Mathias Junior Band was not too far away and you can’t ever discount Shirland at all.
1. Fred Longworth
2. Shirland
3. Gwynedd Mon William Mathias
Premier Section:
Haden Freeman Concert Hall
Start time: 1.20pm
Test Piece: Essay for Brass Band (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Major Peter Parkes and David Hirst
(25 minutes playing time each band)
Competing Bands:
West Lothian Schools (Nigel Boddice, MBE): Gold Certificate, Premier Section 2007
Results and prize presentations at 1.50pm approx
What a real pity that only one band is competing in the Premier Section. The standard here in previous years has been tremendous with playing of the highest quality and it will be interesting to hear how one of the very best youth outfits tackle Professor Gregson’s test piece, ‘Essay for Brass Band’ – a rather tough nut to crack, and perhaps a reason why the numbers are down to the bare bones.
No real contesting pressure then, but Nigel Boddice will not want his young players to give anything less than their best in once more.
4BR Prediction:
Hardly necessary really but we will predict an enjoyable programme by the Scottish outfit who will be declared champions not long after they’ve played.
1. West Lothian
County Section:
Haden Freeman Concert Hall
Start time: 2.30pm
Test Piece: Music for a Festival (Philip Sparke)
Adjudicators: Alan Morrison and Mark Wilkinson
(20 minutes playing time each band)
Competing Bands:
Oldham Music Centre (Martyn Evans: Bronze Certificate, County Section, 2007
Gloucestershire Youth, (Steve Legge): Bronze Certificate, County Section, 2007
Birmingham Schools Band (James Cunningham): Bronze Certificate, County Section, 2007
Stockport Schools (Colin Duxbury): Gold Certificate, County Section, 2007
Hampshire Youth (Jock McKenzie): Winners, Gold Certificate, County Section, 2007
Bolton Youth (Helen Minshall): Silver Certificate, County Section, 2007
Rochdale Borough Youth (Eric Landon): Gold Certificate, Premier Section, 2007
Worcestershire Youth (Nicky Daw): Silver Certificate, County Section, 2007
Results and prize presentations at 6.15pm
Along with the other sections in the Haden Freeman Concert Hall, this promises to be another fascinating section, with last year’s winners Hampshire Youth returning to defend their crown.
Keen to pip them this year are Bolton Youth and Stockport Schools who also challenge again with the intent of depriving the band from the Solent the title. The Action Research Entertainment Champions, Rochdale compete in this Section and they’re anticipated to be a serious contender.
4BR Prediction:
Perhaps we've already given the game away as to where we think the honours will go in this ten band field, but the decision is down to Alan Morrison and Mark Wilkinson. Our hunch though is:
1. Hampshire Youth
2. Rochdale Borough Youth
3. Bolton Youth
Community Section:
Bruntwood Theatre
Start time: 9.45am
Test Piece: Dimensions (Peter Graham)
Adjudicators: James Scott and Simone Rebello
(20 minutes playing time each band)
Competing bands:
Aberystwyth Youth, (Alan Phillips): Bronze Certificate, County Section, 2007
Horbury Victoria Youth, (Tom Greatorex): Silver Certificate, Community Section, 2007
Tewitt Youth, (Craig Ratcliffe): Silver Certificate, Community Section, 2007
Lions Youth, (Nigel Birch): Silver Certificate, Community Section, 2007
Poynton Youth, (Andy Hirst): Bronze Certificate, Community Section, 2007
Sellers International Youth, (Mark Bousie): Gold Certificate, Community Section, 2007
Enderby Youth, (Trevor Hounsome): Silver Certificate, Community Section, 2007
Mount Charles Youth, (Simon Dobson): Winners, Gold Certificate, Community Section, 2007
Astley Youth, (Toby Hobson): Gold Certificate, Junior Section, 2007
Chalford Youth, (Steve Tubb): Bronze Certificate, Community Section, 2007
Youth Brass 2000, (Chris Jeans): Gold Certificate, Community Section, 2007
Carnoustie & District Youth (Richard Evans): Debutants
Macclesfield Youth, (Louise Renshaw): Bronze Certificate, Community Section, 2007
Elland Silver Youth, (Samantha Harrison): Winners, Gold Certificate, Junior Section, 2007
Camborne Youth, (Alan Pope): Winners, Gold Certificate, Community Section, 2007
Dobcross Youth, (Brian Lamb): Bronze Certificate, Community Section, 2007
Dalmellington Junior Band (Ian Taylor): Debutants
Results and prize presentation at 7.10pm
The Community Section is the largest of the day with seventeen bands battling it out in the Bruntwood Theatre in what will be a marathon of just over nine hours.
Up until last year, bands in this section had been used to the Haden Freeman Concert Hall and they coped extremely well in the much drier acoustic.
Whilst there can be plenty of debate as to whether there are too many bands in this section (and in comparison to others, there is an embarrassing imbalance) what can’t be denied is the quality on offer that will be heard during the day.
Leading the way is the defending champion, Camborne Youth, and its testament to the work that Alan Pope has done that this same band (with a couple of older heads) played in the Second Section at the Regional Championships last month.
If the Cornish outfit play to their strengths (and they were unlucky only to finish 5th in Torquay) they could take some beating, but if they don’t then Mount Charles led by charismatic Simon Dobson, Youth Brass 2000 (Chris Jeans) and Sellers International (Mark Bousie) will all be bidding for glory and biting at their heels.
Elland Silver, the winners in the Junior Section last year are joined by Astley Youth, who also took a Gold Certificate and both will be intent on making an impression under Samantha Harrison and Helen Minshall respectively.
It is also terrific to report two new debutants from north of the border too in the shape of Dalmellington Junior Band under Ian Taylor and Carnoustie and District Youth under Richard Evans.
If Tricky Dicky is true to form, an entertaining programme is guaranteed, and you never know, he might even appear in a kilt!
4BR Prediction:
We've sort of given it away again, but it's difficult to see past the bands from the South West in Camborne and Mount Charles challenging for the top two spots.
The likes of Youth Brass 2000 and Sellers International know each other’s strengths inside out these days as they regularly compete against one another and it could be those two that challenge for third place.
1. Camborne
2. Mount Charles
3. Youth Brass 2000
