Sunday 11th March
Adjudicators: Roger Webster & Steve Pritchard-Jones
Test Piece: Mountain Views (Bertrand Moren)
Pre-drawn:
Commences: 10.30am
All smiles from last year's winner Kirkintilloch Kelvin
If the magnificence of the ‘mountain views’ in Scotland are anything to go by, the ten bands competing for First Section honours in Glenrothes should feel pretty well at home in their attempts to scale the heights of Bertrand Moren’s somewhat unspectacular vision of the alpine surroundings of his native Switzerland.
As has already been discovered in the North West and Yorkshire, the slopes of Moren’s musical terrain are not quite as treacherous as one might expect for a First Section test piece, although that isn’t to say that there isn’t the odd moment of vertiginous danger along the way.
Even match
Roger Webster and Steve Pritchard-Jones will be the men presiding over an evenly matched field, the ultimate two qualifiers from which will be hoping to improve on Scotland’s poor showing of 10th & 18th in Cheltenham.
Arbroath Instrumental under the prize winning Michael Robertson will enter the fray as one of the favourites, after just missing out on qualification in 3rd place last year, whilst they also secured an excellent runner up spot in the Scottish Challenge Shield.
Bathgate’s 8th place last year leaves the talented Eoin Tonner and his team in vulnerable territory with a strong result needed this time around to avoid the fall through the relegation trap door.
Meanwhile, Alan Duguid will head relegated Bon Accord Silver’s attempt to get straight back to the top flight, no doubt encouraged by gaining the runner up spot at the Fife Charities contest last October.
Fighting fit
Promoted on the back of a 12th place at the National Finals, City of Discovery were forced to withdraw from the Scottish Challenge Shield, but last year’s Second Section champion will hoping to be back to fighting fitness for their return under the baton of Bruce Wallace.
Clackmannan is always band to look out for here and this year Paul McKelvie OBE will sure to be gunning for an improvement on last year’s 4th place following a respectable podium finish at the Scottish Challenge Shield.
Dalkeith & Monktonhall’s only contest outing since finishing 7th at the Scottish Championships last year was a mid-table finish at the Fife Charities Contest in October, so they will be looking for success under the direction of Whitburn’s flugel player Jim Chamberlain.
Meanwhile, newly promoted Granite City Brass and Alan Haggard will be keen to stamp the band’s authority on the First Section, as they look to build on their encouraging performance at the Second Section National Finals in Cheltenham.
Having finished 5th at the Scottish Championship last year, Johnstone Silver’s 2011 results were a model of consistency including a good top six finish at the Senior Trophy and 4th at the Scottish Challenge Shield.
Qualification for the final will be high on their agenda.
Newmilns & Galston will BE hoping to move up the table after finishing 9th last year, and will no doubt by helped by leaning heavily on the experience of Nigel Boddice MBE.
Finally, Russ Young there should be a strong challenge from Unison Kinneil who find themselves in the First Section for the first time since 1996, after a sixteen year tenure in the top flight.
Results in 2011 didn’t entirely go the band’s way with a runner sup spot at Brass in the Park the highlight, but that will only serve to strengthen the band’s resolve in Glenrothes.
Chris Thomas
As for a winner?
There are plenty of bands with points to prove on this set work, but we reckon that it could be a close tussle between Bon Accord Silver and Unison Kinneil for first place.
Arbroath Instrumental is likely to push them all the way and should end up in the mix whilst Clackmannan could also be in with a real shout, with Johnstone Silver and Batgate.
Our dark house is newly promoted City of Discovery.
4BR Prediction:
1. Bon Accord Silver
2. Unison Kinneil
3. Arbroath Instrumental
4. Clackmannan
5. Johnstone Silver
6. Bathgate
Dark Horse: City of Discovery
Arbroath Instrumental
Conductor: Michael Robertson
Last 16 Years:
2011: 3rd (M. Robertson)
2010: 4th (M. Robertson)
2009: Winners of Second Section (M. Robertson) (prom)
2008: 8th in First Section (M. Robertson) (rel)
2007: 6th (M. Robertson)
2006: 7th (M. Robertson)
2005: 6th (M. Robertson)
2004: 4th (M. Robertson)
2003: 2nd in Second Section (M. Robertson) (prom)
2002: 2nd in Third Section (M. Robertson) (prom)
2001: Winners of Fourth Section (M. Robertson) (prom)
2000: 9th (M. Robertson)
1999: 10th in Third Section (rel)
1998: 11th
1997: 11th in Second Section (rel)
1996: 8th
Bathgate
Conductor: Eoin Tonner
Last 16 Years:
2011: 8th (E. Tonner)
2010: 6th (E. Tonner)
2009: 8th (S. Baird)
2008: 6th (J. Smith)
2007: 7th (P. Drury)
2006: 3rd (C. Keenan)
2005: 10th in Championship Section (T. Swainson) (rel)
2004: 9th (A. Duguid)
2003: Winners of First Section (A. Duguid) (prom)
2002: 7th (A. Duguid)
2001: 4th (B. Allen)
2000: 5th (A. Ramsey)
1999: 5th
1998: 5th
1997: 2nd in Second Section (prom)
1996: 3rd
Bon Accord
Conductor: Alun Duguid
Last 16 Years:
2011: 10th in Championship Section (Selmer Simonson) (rel)
2010: 7th (J. Maines)
2009: 4th (J. Maines)
2008: 6th (M. Hansen)
2007: 7th (R. Evans)
2006: 4th (J. Roberts)
2005: 7th (D. Beckley)
2004: 6th (A. Swainson)
2003: 2nd in First Section (A. Swainson) (prom)
2002: 10th in Championship (A. Swainson) (rel)
2001: 7th (A. Swainson)
2000: Winners of First Section (A. Swainson) (prom)
1999: Winners of Second Section (prom)
1998: 10th in First Section (rel)
1997: 5th
1996: 10th in Championship (rel)
City of Discovery Brass
Conductor: Bruce Wallace
Last 16 Years:
2011: Winners of Second Section (B. Wallace) (prom)
2010: 3rd (B. Wallace)
2009: 5th (B. Fraser)
2008: 10th (B. Fraser)
2007: 10th in First Section (B. Fraser) (rel)
2006: Winners of Second Section (B. Fraser) (prom)
2005: 3rd (B. Fraser)
2004: 8th (B. Fraser)
2003: 9th in First Section (B. Fraser) (rel)
2002: 8th (B. Fraser)
2001: 5th (B. Fraser)
2000: 2nd in Second Section (B. Fraser) (prom)
1999: 2nd in Third Section (prom)
1998: 8th
1997: Winners of Fourth Section (prom)
1996: DNC
Clackmannan District Brass
Conductor: Paul McKelvie OBE
Last 16 Years:
2011: 4th (P. Kiernan)
2010: 9th in Championship Section (P. Kiernan) (rel)
2009: 7th (P. Kiernan)
2008: 2nd in First Section (P. Kiernan) (prom)
2007: 3rd (R. Tennant)
2006: 5th (J. Scott)
2005: 4th (J. Scott)
2004: 6th (J. Davies)
2003: 10th in Championship (J. Smith) (rel)
2002: 2nd in First Section (N. Law) (prom)
2001: 3rd (N. Law)
2000: 10th in Championship (J. Davies) (rel)
1999: 2nd in First Section (prom)
1998: 4th
1997: 9th in Championship (rel)
1996: 8th
Dalkeith & Monktonhall Colliery
Conductor: James Chamberlain
Last 16 Years:
2011: 7th (J. Chamberlain)
2010: Winners of Second Section (J. Chamberlain) (prom)
2009: 7th (J. Chamberlain)
2008: Winners of Third Section (J. Chamberlain) (prom)
2007: 9th in Second Section (J. Chamberlain) (rel)
2006: 7th (J. Chamberlain)
2005: 10th (I. Davey)
2004: 4th (I. Davey)
2003: 8th (I. Fleming)
2002: 9th in First Section (I. Fleming) (rel)
2001: 8th (I. Fleming)
2000: 6th (G. Jenkins)
1999: 8th
1998: 10th in Championship (rel)
1997: 6th
1996: Winners of First Section (prom)
Granite City Brass
Conductor: Alan Haggart
Last 16 Years:
2011: 2nd in Second Section (Lt Col (ret) R. Owen) (prom)
2010: 7th (Lt Col (ret) R. Owen)
2009: 4th (D. Ashworth)
2008: 10th in First Section (E. Paley) (rel)
2007: 2nd in Second Section (T. Paulin) (prom)
2006: 9th in First Section (T. Paulin) (rel)
2005: Winners of Second Section (D. James) (prom)
2004: 7th in 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
Johnstone Silver
Conductor: Paul Kiernan
Last 16 Years:
2011: 5th (R. Tennant)
2010: 3rd (R. Tennant)
2009: 7th (R. Tennant)
2008: 2nd in Second Section (R. Tennant (prom)
2007: 9th in First Section (C. Keenan) (rel)
2006: 10th in Championship Section (R. Tennant) (rel)
2005: Winners of First Section (G. Lindsay) (prom)
2004: 8th (R. Tennant)
2003: 5th (R. Tennant)
2002: 9th in Championship (R. Tennant) (rel)
2001: Winners of First Section (R. Tennant) (prom)
2000: Winners of Second Section (R. Tennant) (prom)
1999: 10th in First Section (rel)
1998: 6th
1997: 6th
Newmilns & Galston
Conductor: Nigel Boddice MBE
Last 16 Years:
2011: 6th (A. McCutcheon)
2010: 5th (A. McCutcheon)
2009: 3rd (A. McCutcheon)
2008: 10th in Championship Section (A. McCutcheon) (rel)
2007: Winners of First Section (J. Smith) (prom)
2006: 4th (C. Anderson)
2005: 9th in Championship Section (C. Anderson) (rel)
2004: 2nd in First Section (C. Anderson) (prom)
2003: Winners in Second Section (C. Anderson) (prom)
2002: 9th (C. Anderson)
2001: 10th in First Section (N. Eggo) (rel)
2000: 7th (J. Smith)
1999: 10th in Championship (rel)
1998: 7th
1997: 2nd in First Section (prom)
1996: 6th
Unison Kinneil
Conductor: Russ Young
Last 16 Years:
2011: 9th in Championship Section (C. MacKenzie) (rel)
2010: 5th (A. Ramsay)
2009: 8th (A. Duncan)
2008: 5th (C. McKenzie)
2007: 6th (C. McKenzie)
2006: 8th (A. Berryman)
2005: 6th (R. Tennant)
2004: 4th (A. Ramsey)
2003: 3rd (A. Ramsay)
2002: 5th (E. Dunlea)
2001: 8th (J. Hinckley)
2000: 2nd (A. Hutchison)
1999: Winners of First Section
1998: 9th (rel)
1997: 8th
1996: 2nd in First Section (prom)
Past Qualifiers:
2011: Kirkintilloch Kelvin, Broxburn & Livingstone
2010: Lochgelly, Bo’ness & Carriden
2009: Kirkintilloch Kelvin, Newtongrange Silver
2008: Bo’ness & Carriden, Clackmannan District Brass
2007: Newmilns & Galston, Dunaskin Doon
2006: Dalmellington, Broxburn and Livingston
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:
2011: 10th, 18th
2010: 4th, 10th
2009: 5th, 12th
2008: 13th, 14th
2007: 16th, 17th
2006: 4th, 16th
2005: 7th, 8th
2004: 4th, 11th
2003: 10th, 17th
2002: 12th, 17th
2001: 6th, 9th
2000: 8th, 9th
1999: 2nd, 5th
1998: 2nd, 4th
