Band of the Year
And the 2010 winner is…
Tredegar
Tredegar’s remarkable season is crowned with the 4BR Band of the Year Award – although they were in a neck and neck battle with Fairey (Geneva).
The Welsh band’s run of seven titles, including the unique Grand Shield and British Open ‘double’ saw them gain 31% of the votes cast, with the English National champion on 29% and Brighouse & Rastrick further back on 23%.
Notable mentions for Cory, Rothwell, Manger, Eikanger, Oberosterreich, Grimethorpe, Marsden and Co-operative Funeralcare amongst others.
Conductor of the Year:
And the 2010 winner is…
Ian Porthouse
No real surprise that the talented Cumbrian topped the poll this year with 30% of the votes cast after leading Tredegar to their remarkable achievements - although he also made his mark with other UK bands and on his European travels.
No surprise that he was pushed all the way by Russell Gray (28%) and David King (25%) too, although there were notable mentions for Nigel Beasley, Robert Childs, Allan Withington, Hannes Buchegger, Michael Bach, Martin Winter and Michael Fowles amongst others.
Player of the Year:
And the 2010 winner is…
David Childs
A clear winner – as the supremely talented euphonium star claimed the title for the third time.
Amazingly, he was the oldest player in the nominations, and polled 53% of the votes cast, although there was a fine response from to the emerging talents of trombonist Stephen Sykes in second place (16%) and Matthew White (14%) in third.
Notable mentions go to Harmen Vanhoorne, Glen Van Looy, Les Neish, Richard Marshall, Owen Farr, Paul Duffy and a host of other leading lights.
CD/DVD of the Year:
And the 2010 winner is…
Romeo & Juliet
Eikanger Bjorsvik
Conductor: Bjarte Engeset
Naxos Recordings: CD 8-572193
There were votes cast for just about every CD released this year, but in what proved to be a very close run battle, it was the appreciation by the voters of an imaginative recording played with sheer brilliance by the Norwegians that gave then their second CD of the Year Award following ‘Tales & Stories’ in 2005.
They polled 23% of the votes cast, closely followed by Cory’s ‘Triumphant Brass’ (18%) and Black Dyke’s ‘Red Priest’ (16%)
Notable mentions for ‘A World Within’, ‘Special Moments’, ‘The Gregson Collection’, ‘Grimethorpe in Concert Vol 4’, ‘Die Alpen’, ‘Penlee’, ‘The Peter Graham Collection’ and many more.
Solo CD of the Year:
And the 2010 winner is…
Moto Perpetuo
David Childs
Cory Band
Conductor: Dr Robert Childs
Doyen Recordings: DOY CD 262
As with the Player of the Year category, the amazing David Childs swept the board in the Solo CD category this year, posting 55% of the votes cast.
Richard Marshall’s fine ‘Cornet Heritage’ release claimed a deserved second place with 18%, whilst John Lee’s ‘Whatever it Takes’ came third with 12%.
Not many others got a look in this year, but notable mentions for Brett Bakers two releases of ‘Summon the Rhythm’ and ‘World of the Trombone – Vol 3’, Steven Mead and the Croatian Euphonic Brass, Nick Ost and Matthew Emmerick amongst others.
Lower Section/Youth Band of the Year:
And the 2010 winner is…
Hazel Grove
Congratulations to Hazel Grove who pick up the accolade thanks to polling 30% of the votes.
Nigel Beasley led his band to six consecutive victories, which saw the North West outfit end the year crowned as both Pontins and National Champions of Great Britain in the Fourth Section – with plenty of other silverware to their name.
Lots of votes for lots of bands, with the two youth bands of Carnoustie & District (25%) and Elland Silver Youth (23%) pushing them all the way.
There were literally hundreds of other votes cast for bands – with notable mentions for Jackfield (Elcock Reisen), Delph, Uppermill, Hammonds Saltaire, Oldham (Lees), Tylorstown, Sellers Youth, Youth Brass 2000 and many, many more.
Newcomer of the Year
And the 2010 winner is…
Exit_Brass
The Belgian foursome of Glenn Van Looy, Harmen Vanhoorne, Stan Nieuwenhuis and Tim de Maeseneer won the British Open Senior Quartet title and now win the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ Award too.
Not a lot of nominations from voters in this category this year, but the Belgians still managed to post 33% of the votes cast ahead of horn player Jonathan Bates on 30%. Third came Ross Knight on 25%, with notable mentions for Paul McGhee, Simon Dobson and Zoe Hancock.
Test Piece of the Year
And the 2010 winner is…
Saint Saens Variations
Philip Sparke
Fourth Section Regional Championships of Great Britain
There were lots of votes cast in this category this year for test pieces, old, new, contemporary, traditional and even down right weird and wonderful.
It seems however that Mr Sparke’s wonderful take on the ‘Organ Symphony’ really was a winner with 32% of the votes cast, proving that give emerging bands pieces they enjoy (and can play well) and grass roots contesting will flourish.
Plenty of interest in the other end of the spectrum too, with Peter Graham’s ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Giants’ coming second with 25% and ‘English Heritage’ in third with 11%.
Notable mentions for both Thomas Doss works, a host of other ‘Sparklers’, Simon Dobson’s ‘…when the river told…’, Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s ‘Sleepless Cities’, ‘Epic Symphony’, ‘Terra Australis’ and many more.
Contest Performance of the Year
And the 2010 winner is…
Fairey (Geneva)
Conductor: Russell Gray
Eden (Dr John Pickard)
English National Brass Band Championship
Forget the winning performances at the European, London and the British Open, Gateshead, Skegness, Harrogate and Prestatyn – and even the host of winning (and more contentious) performances from regional victors.
The one that stuck out (although it was a very close run thing amongst a huge selection) was Fairey (Geneva)’s title snatcher at the English National in Preston.
They came in under the radar somewhat to poll a mighty impressive 31% of the votes cast and pip Cory’s winning rendition of ‘Spiriti’ (24%) at the European Championships.
Brighouse's National winner on ‘Terra Australis’ was third (22%), with notable mentions for Foden’s, Tredegar and Black Dyke on ‘English Heritage’, Tredegar’s ‘Standing on the Shoulders of Giants’, Co-operative Funeralcare’s ‘…when the river told…’ and a host of others.
