Comments ~ 2006: July

Marple got it right; test piece amusement and even something about three old stooges as we head into the long summer and the start of yet another football season...

Marple got it right

If my memory serves me right, Marple Band were conducted on that occasion by Garry Cutt (their 1996 British Open win).

In my opinion, he was one of the few conductors on the day who had taken note of the name at the top of the score (Edward Elgar) and got the band to play the piece in an appropriate manner.

Carl Woodman

Adjudicating surprise

Wow what a surprise!!!!! (Albert Hall adjudicators)

The same old names keep on coming up. I wonder if the three stooges will be able to get the results right this time???? When are we going to see some new fresh faced and younger adjudicators given the chance at the top?

How many of  you when you saw the list for the Championship Section thought -  great not again? God help all the top section bands because I can here a bingo caller shouting from the box or is that a lottery draw.

E. Whitehead

Test piece amusement  

The recent flurry of comments about test pieces has given me some amusement.  Frankly I am staggered by some of the attitudes being displayed to what are fabulous pieces of music. 

The pomposity of overwhelming and I think people need to buck up.  We need to take pride in delivering the best performance of a piece of music we can given our own personal limitations.  Some of the most satisfying performances I have ever done were of excellent performances of music that was not technically challenging.  It still needs to be played with good intonation, rhythm and ensemble!  I've heard many a great player come a cropper on the middle movement of ‘A Moorside Suite'… but when it is played well – what a feeling! 

‘Judges' might not be everyone's favourite piece of Berlioz, but it is still a great Overture, exciting to listen to, interesting to rehearse – so where's the problem?  As for Salute to Youth for the Areas – comments have already been made that you underestimate it at your peril.  I dusted down my ‘Complete Champions' cd the other day and enjoyed listening to a fine recording of it.  Even that great Black Dyke band didn't nail the syncopated bit towards the end (for the recording at least – I didn't hear their Open winning performance).

Is it time that as a movement we try to adapt a pattern that enables us to enjoy old pieces from our repertoire whilst also giving good opportunities for new composers to make their mark.  On a rotation basis competition organisers could follow the Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue…  for example Something Old (Salute to Youth), Something New (..new composition), Something Borrowed (Judges of the Secret Court), Something Blue (Jazz). 

This would give bands a great mix repertoire to rehearse over the course of a year,,, a new piece for the area, a new one for the Open, an arrangement for the Nationals… - and then juggle it the next year.  The same approach should be used for lower section test pieces. 

Why should bands at the regionals only rarely get the chance to play a new commission?  (correct me if I'm wrong but I am not sure this hasn't happened for quite a while… Waverley Overture arr. Snell and Variations on a Theme of Haydn arr. Nash spring to mind – but I'm not sure if either of those were explicitly commissioned for the areas and they were both arrangements).   

To date the Open seems to have been better at re-using old masters than the Nationals – so I applaud this years Nationals choice as they seem to be rectifying this at last. 

One plea though, if we do recycle an old master that happens to not have much percussion, let's not make something up just to keep them entertained in rehearsals...  the next contest will give them plenty to do! 

There's plenty of great pieces that never come out for contests in favour of others that come out all the time.  Give me a few performances of High Peak to break the countless 'Journey's Into Freedom'…  let 'John O Gaunt' do battle with the 'Year of the Dragon'… and let's give 'Images' another go because I reckon it won't sound quite so outlandish as it did when it last came out!

Andy Wyatt

Belle Isle March found

Further to the enquiry from Shirley Michael, the Belle Isle March was recorded by the Combined Corps of Drums of the 1st & 2nd Batt. Grenadier Guards on a Bandleader recording entitled "Drums & Fifes".  It is
listed on the Midland cd club web site:

http://www.ukcd.net/details.asp?ref=828

Peter Bale

A question of commitment

I was not surprised at the news that Stan Lippeatt had resigned from a leading championship band, due to a lack of commitment from some members.

As a shift worker I have always done my best to attend band practices, often driving like a madman from the band and then doing a night shift, using holiday weeks for contests and jobs and generally loosing a vast amount of money in my 30 plus years of banding.

BUT NOT ANY MORE.

There is nothing worse than getting up from nights, going to a practice and finding 10 or 12 players missing for various feeble reasons (usually the 9 to 5 pen pushers). Stan's ex band is not alone in this problem. Despite various brass band organisations painting a rosy picture, the fact is the movement, apart from the very top bands, is on its knees.

I know this because I often have to switch the phone off as I am bombarded with calls from bands, some of which have no bass players at all. I would be out 7 nights a week if I said yes to them all. Some of the fees offered in desperation also confirm how bad things are. It's no wonder so many players are packing it in and finding other hobbies. I don't know what the answer is, but let's face it - does Joe Public really want to listen to some of the delightfully unmusical test pieces that we have had to endure, and do we as players really enjoy wasting three months of our time on awful area pieces?

I was at Greenfield on Whit Friday waiting my turn when one of our top bands started to form up, a young girl turned to her mother and said,  ''Mummy who are those silly men in those silly clothes''. This just about summed it all up. Are bus and train spotters really in a minority hobby? 

Stuart Haigh

Members of the Baritone Union has its say...

Why is it when you portray bands and the principal positions the poor old baritones get left out? In the 4th Section ‘Valerious Variations' the baritones have a very prominent part to play.

I also know in a lot of modern pieces for they no longer are treated as secondary players. Please 4BR please recognise the position of the baritone in the band in your reviews.

Alan Pearce

Baritone Extraordinaire!!

As a long serving baritone ("barking iron") blower both first and second player, in a range of bands and grades, I have come to realise, through a gain of enlightenment, that the position was never meant to be one that would gain one a great deal of recognition...and believe that 1st Baritone should continue to retain its Cinderella tag!
 
I realised, after getting a bit huffy (youger man at that time) that I was doing some decent barking when the conductor ignored me (not always easy in my case...please ask Messrs Bastable, Renton and Evans along with a range of long suffering band masters!).

I believe that while the instrument has become more important in terms of short solo lines in pieces the tag of "solo baritone" is one that is in most cases is undeserved as the true list of corner instruments remain pretty well as they always have!

So for those in the 1st seat who crave recognition...let it lie...it could be worse you could be a second player and have 4barsrest randomly picking whoever they want for the band of the year!

J. Corrigan
(Solo Second Baritone..and you better believe it!)

4BR Reply:
Lads, lads. For those bands taking part in the Lower Section Finals all can name their star baritone player, as not to mss out. We will try better in future to make sure we don't forget you.

A 10 year old opinion?

Ian said.... "Everybody is entitled to his or her opinion!!....I will cast his mind back to the British Open 1996 -Severn Suite-all the top bands were licking there lips as they thought what an easy piece- who won? Marple (underdogs), Dyke were 14th and Brighouse 20th".

Well in my opinion that result was a fiasco! I'd like to hear a recording of Dyke / Marple and make sure it wasn't just me...... Everyone is entitled to their own opinion!

Paul Oldfield
ps. Marple were quite good by the way!  Im my opinion.....!!!

4BR Reply:
4BR remembers it well - especially a certain sorpano player who played like a plonker and saw victory denied by the last band in stage because of his too numerous slips!

Well done Golborne  
 
I have today, been to Haigh Hall in Wigan for a day out with my pensioner pals. Most of us have played with brass bands at one time or another and tend to think we know a bit.
 
I have lived in the Wigan area for all my 78years, and have always showed an interest in our local bands.
Obviously, the likes of Pemberton Old Band are always the first to be mentioned in any conversation around here, because they are our local Championship Band.
 
However, two years ago, I went to watch the Golborne Band play at a concert in Newton le Willows and at the time I was very disappointed, I do not know who was conducting but there appeared to be a distinct lack of effort and attention to detail from all concerned.
 
I saw them again at last years Fleetwood Contest. They had a new conductor, David Ashworth.

David is very well known in this area, and has an excellent reputation for all his hard work and efforts. I know that he also conducts the Goodshaw Band from Rossendale. At Fleetwood it was obvious that he had not had them a long time and as a result there were one or two very nervy contributions. I saw them at the Areas this year and boy, what a change. They sounded like a band who where interested again. I think they came 8th in the 4th Section just after Uppermill. An achievement to be very proud of.
 
And today I have seen them in concert at Haigh Hall, Wigan. What a fantastic about turn David has done with them. They where full of confidence, I notice a young lady is now playing Principal. It was excellent.

The solo horn player was superb playing 'Over the Rainbow', and the sop player, we all know him as Martin Halliwell, Brian's son was fantastic in his solo. Sorry didn't catch what it was called.
 
All I can say is well done David, the band should be proud having such talent in front of them. And to the Golborne Band, it's good to see you walk round with pride. As we say round here ‘It where CHAMPION'.
 
Joe Taylor.
Abram.
Wigan.

The Kirby Contest - the final clearing up
 
To clear the air over the Kirby contest once and for all.

Denton band have no problem with the Glossopdale band competing at Kirby as a youth band and if they had won the contest as such there would be no issue!!

However Glossopdale band entered the contest as a 4th section band and played at least 6 or seven championship players including ones from high profile Yorkshire bands! This is a clear breach of the rules of 4th Section and that is the reason we felt we needed to post something on 4barsrest!

On a happier note well done on your playing at Kirby Gloppospdale it was a well earned. Win, but please, please do it as a youth band next time!!!!

Clive Fox
Musical Director Denton Band

Looking for the Belle Isle March
 
I would be most interested to obtain a recording of the Belle Isle March(e.g. as played in the 16 October 2004 event by the Royal Marines Band).

Have you any suggestions as to where and how I might get a recording?  (My interest - I am researching the Invasion of Belle Isle by the British 1761-63).  Thank you in advance for your reply.

Shirley Michael

4BR Reply:
Can anyone ot there help?

A comment from Yorkshire

I  have read with interest the communication from Nigel Morgan, Treasurer, BFBB.

How reassuring to be told that in his opinion, and I quote "I do not believe that any National body would want to, or need to, replace the Regional organisations ….."

Why should anyone wish to replace them ?   The Regional Committees do a good job in organising what is in effect 5 individual championships for their region to ensure their best bands go forward to represent them at the Finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.

Which brings me to the Finals and Nigel's comment "... the Welsh, Scottish and Irish have in the past been able to arrive at who was their champion band, the English have had to accept the best placed band in the Great Britain Nationals contest. So, boldly, the BFBB decided to embark on the English Nationals to move the situation forward."

Please BFBB don't make the excuse for creating the English National Contest as the opportunity to find the English champion band and what is meant by "move the situation forward".  My top two Yorkshire bands, Black Dyke (World Rank 1) and Grimethorpe Colliery (U.K.Coal), the current Yorkshire Champions (World Rank 5), didn't compete in your contest. How can you call that "moving the situation forward".  If you wish to run another contest then run one without making excuses.

The BFBB do their best to support and look after the interests of banding in this country and are successful in their ventures but I am not convinced the English National was created for the right reason. 

There is only one contest which can guarantee the Champion Band of England, Scotland and Wales and that is the Championship Section Finals of the National  Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.  The only contest where you can guarantee that every champion band will attend, with pride, to represent their region and in my opinion this is the championships from which bands should go forward to represent their country in the European Championships.

This contest is the most important contest in Britain, by some rated as the most important in the world, and the highest placed band from England, Scotland and Wales has to be the worthy representative of their country.

Thank you to all the competing bands who support the Regional Championships and in doing so support the National Championships and thank you to Kapitol for taking the financial risk of supporting the National Championships. They are doing their best to ensure the future of this great contest.

It seems such a pity that the body which claims to be our national voice and the organisers of our most important contest don't seem able to find a common ground on which to work together in harmony for the common good of banding in general.

Peggy Tomlinson
Yorkshire Regional Secretary

P.S. The above are my personal opinions and are not necessarily shared by other  members of the Yorkshire Regional Committee.

Give us a baritone break! 
 
Give us long suffering baritone players a break and get some names down on the list of principal players.  While I understand that you don want to publish a complete list of the band playing, we are the only section in the band that has been missed out.  Fairs fair.
 
Joe Kirk
 
PS. My name won't be appearing in any of your lists as I am not playing at the finals - I put this idea forward for the good of a much undervalued instrument in the band.

4BR Reply:
Thanks Joe. If bands wish to send in the name of their much indervalued, overworked and poorly rewarded baritone players, please feel free, but no more please.

Blessed with National doo-doo?

Should I be blessed with honour of being asked to supply a test piece for the National Finals, I would be far from "Chilled. I think it might take me another year to come down from the Gods at the AH!
 
But, to be in and around the brass band forum is to "Critique". And, if everyone was not so opinionated and interested in gossip and rankings and woes, site's like 4BR wouldn't exist! Not that there isn't plenty of positive things for the great and good report though!! (NB. In the orchestral/classic world please note, no one can do no wrong anywhere, ever?????).
 
However my main thrust (on the duffer test piece) is about the actual piece, and sure, I don't think we should have ye old brown transcriptions anyway for a AH work, but I agree with you in part that there is something leveling in a work like "Severn Suite" or "Downland" or "Moorside" all of which are compositions of great calibre and not brown 2nd class transcriptions of a slightly iffy composition!
 
I'd be quite happy to have mud flung at me should I be the chosen composer for the AH, but there's nowt new there me mucker, as it's been flung at every composer apart from Eric Ball and Gilbert Vinter. 
 
Heaton, Simpson, Bourgeois, Ball, Pickard, Butterworth, Sparke have all been encased in doo-doo that has been chucked at one time or another (once everyone gives it a good listen and 5 years later it becomes a master piece - take "Contest Music"), and I'd be more than happy to be in that line up!
 
But so far my main work out there on CD, and for over a year too, is my concerto "Blaze", and I'm still waiting for the first doo-doo salvo to hit?
 
Phil Lawrence

BFBB puts its money where its mouth is

A little while ago John James (4barsrest) referred to me putting my money where my mouth was when I became a member of the Executive Committee of the British Federation of Brass Bands, as Treasurer.  I had always been opposed to 'third parties' making money from the Brass Band movement and I wanted the Movement to really develop and succeed without private enterprise making the most from our amateur interest and enjoyment. Then I became the BFBB treasurer!
 
As treasurer for BFBB I have now experienced two major events promoted by the Federation; First, the National Youth Championships and just recently the first ever English National Brass Band Championships. The BFBB sought every source of sponsorship and support but we all know that Besson were no longer around to assist with the Youth Championships and so the BFBB made sure the event took place by underwriting it.
 
Although the Welsh, Scottish and Irish have in the past been able to arrive at who was their champion band, the English have had to accept the best placed English band in the Great Britain Nationals contest.  So, boldly, the BFBB decided to embark on the English Nationals to move the situation forward.  Again seeking all support and sponsorship, including a major financial input by TimeLine Vision, the first ever English National Championships was held. 

Most commentators have declared it a success on many counts and are looking forward to next year.  I really believe that had a certain very important football match not been taking place at the same time the event would also have been a financial success, even in its first year. Next year I am confident it should return a surplus, which will go back into the Federation for the benefit of all bands.
 
But what of the Nationals?  An event or rather events that have been the centre and focus for all bands in Great Britain for as long as anybody reading this can remember!  It starts with the Regionals.  Very expertly held and run by each Regional Committee.  The organisation of the regional competitions, without the Regional Committees, would require a large number of well paid managers to successfully hold them in each Country and Region.  I do not believe that any National body would want to, or need to, replace the Regional organisations and certainly no private enterprise would be likely to invest the time and money that would be necessary.
 
After the Regionals the bands look for a 'Finale'. Traditionally held at the RAH and other London venues but now for the lower sections held at Harrogate.  The cost of mounting five finals must be enormous!  The risk of financial success, considerable!

The movement has never had these financial resources and have always had to rely on corporate support; The Daily Herald, Besson et al.  And now Kapitol.  They know that they are taking a very big financial risk which ultimately may be successful for them and thus for banding.  All we need from them is not to take the people that play in these finals for granted and to be careful how they turn this very risky financial venture into a reasonable but not excessive return on their investment.
 
As I said at the BFBB Annual General Meeting, and reported by John James, the BFBB is funded, at present, almost equally, by its members and the Arts Council. I am afraid the financial commitment from each band would have to be much greater than it is today if everyone's aspirations for the movement were to be fulfilled.  However, the BFBB is continuing to work hard to represent and further the interests of the Brass Band movement in the United Kingdom, as laid down in its objectives.  Remember there is no other National organisation working for the movement and, as Treasurer, I am looking to work with the Executive towards the funding of banding interests other than just contesting. We may not be able to deliver everything at once but the BFBB is eager to hear what bands and bandsmen want.
 
Nigel Morgan
BFBB Treasurer

Opinions, opinions

Everybody is entitled to there opinion!!

He obviously isn't happy with the test piece that has been chosen. I will cast his mind back to the British Open 1996 -Severn Suite-all the top bands were licking there lips as they thought what an easy piece- who won Marple (underdogs), Dyke were 14th and Brighouse 20th.

What I am trying to say is put a hard piece on the stand that is technically difficult all the top bands will play it -change it to a less difficult piece with slow passages in and tight ensembles and every band can struggle.
At the end of the day it is upto the men in the box-if they don't like the interpretation then you are dead.
"Chill phil" when you get awarded the finals test piece then people can criticise you.

Ian

The Enigma of the Enigma? 

Can you tell me who publish the contest version of enigma variations arranged by eric ball?(theme and eight variations)

Sebastien Stil

4BR Reply:
It was published by Novello.

Glossopdale response

Firstly I would like to say well done to everyone that played that day, very enjoyable despite the weather!
Anyway, after reading a comment from Eileen of Denton Brass, I thought I would set a few things straight.

She said we (Glossopdale) had 5/6 Glossop Old players in our band. Yes, we had 4, however, all 4 are students at our school, age 13-17, and according to the rules thats allowed. We also did have Nigel down as the conductor, because when we entered Nigel was our conductor, and only recently Mark took over as Nigel cannot devote enough time to the band due to other commitments.

He played with us because he is the Brass tutor at our school, and has been for years, as well as attending the school himself. He merely sat there to give confidence to our Flugal player during solos, but if you had actually looked, barely played.

Being a school band in the early stages of building ourselves up again after the loss of several great players in the last few years, we merely went to have some fun and gain some experience playing in contests. Some how, I don't think that 5 players can have made such a huge difference to a 30 piece band, maybe some people are just bitter...

Emily
Glossopdale Band

One from the new Editor 

I am certainly flattered by your kind remarks as I enter the world of brass journalism after 21 great years with Auntie. It will certainly be very different, but I am really looking forward to the task ahead of reflecting the world of brass bands and the brass community in the pages of BBW. I was brought up with brass bands in the Salvation Army. Widening out to embrace other musical genres has never diminished my love of brass music and musicians.  

My playing days (trombone) reached their peak at about 18 (!) – I reached a much higher level as a professional singer in the 1980s – but I have followed the fortunes of bands with great interest. When I conducted Besses o' th' Barn in the early 90s, I felt some of the competitive spirit that lifts performance. As a BBC producer, I always wanted to do the best I could for bands on BBC Radio 3 and so I was often behind the scenes at the Open or Nationals recording the performances or having a hand in commissioning the music.  

Working with the rising generation is something that I consider to be vital and it was the main reason why I set up the Brass Band Heritage Trust and managed the National Youth Championships, with the whole-hearted support of the  British Federation of Brass Bands for a number of very enjoyable years. 

I am remaining in touch with former colleagues over brass band coverage. Radio 3 will have a presence at the 2007 RNCM Festival of Brass for example.  

I'll be editing BBW alongside other production, teaching, writing and editing work for the BBC, RNCM  and others and looking forward to the start of a third career working for a medium that I continue to be passionate about. 

Paul Hindmarsh

Don Lusher
 
Very sad to hear (on Radio 2) about the sad loss of Don Lusher, a true musical legend.
 
The first time I went to see the National Finals was in 1975 and I remember Don Lusher coming on the stage at the evening concert at the RAH to play Gordon Langfords 'Rhapsody for Trombone. I was in awe of the fantastic performance of Band and soloist and at the earliest opportunity purchased the LP  which featured Don Lusher and Black Dyke.
 
The last time I heard Don Lusher play was last May in the Norbeck Castle Hotel in Blackpool. My band, Bournemouth, were staying at this monster of a hotel on the North prom. After a really crappy curry a number of us returned to the hotel and to our delight discovered that the hotel had booked a jazz weekend which included 'The best of British jazz' Don being one of the performers. Despite a small audience in a huge function room, the band worked hard to entertain and it was wonderful to see a true legend in action, still playing to a high standard.
 
After their last set Don walked across to our table and every one of us gave him a great ovation. We told him that we were brass band people and he was really pleased to stop and chat about brass bands and particularly trombones! Before leaving he shook everybody by the hand and wished us well. A true gentleman and friend of brass bands.
 
Steve Rowland
Bournemouth Concert Brass

The Leyland Band and exorcism...
 
Just read your article about the English National concert last Saturday at Manchester.
 
I'm a bit concerned about the players from Leyland.  Your article says "As an interlude, the band's percussion feature gave a virtuoso display of their talents before the band went in ‘Eyala' – music from the pen of Norwegian Jan Magne Forde that featured some fine trombone playing Runar Vaernes along with the band excising their vocal chords." I assume Malcolm Wood meant to say "exercising their vocal chords".  If he didn't what have they done to deserve that sort of treatment? 8-}
 
Best wishes and keep up the good work.
 
John Farrar

4BR Reply:
Thanks for pointing out our rather strange mistake...

Making sure even the tea lady gets a mention
 
Our tea-lady is called Jean Harrison, she is ably assisted by her husband Jim on '2nd tea-lady'. She hasn't quite mastered biscuitry as yet, but her performance on the tea urn holds her up as one of the best in the London & Southern Counties region.

Jean & Jim go on holiday in a few weeks time- and we are actively looking for deps (we believe we're allowed to sign up two on 'day transfer' forms) to fill in for them. If you're serious about making tea at the highest level, please apply in the normal way.
 
David Howell
Becontree Brass Band

The English Nationals:

Good effort against stern odds

After spending the day at the English Nationals I would like to add my own opinions about the contest.

The venue didn't really suit the bands. Acoustically the stage was as dead as a dodo and logistically the changing rooms were too small and cramped and there wasn't a great deal of good access for the bands and their equipment at the back of the hall to load and unload. Prices seemed to be a bit high (although to be fair that is a problem at any concert hall) and the audience wasn't as large as hoped.

However that was off set by a wonderful test piece, excellent bands, good organization and a fair result. Given that there was a major football game going on at the same time, the weather was unbelievably hot and there were road works near the hall, it was an encouraging start to what I hope will be a permanent event.    
The BFBB should be congratulated for their efforts against some stern odds.

Paul Randall
Birmingham

All that was missing was Eddie Waring...

This weekends inaugural contest at The Lowry seems to be descending into what Eddie Waring and Stuart Hall would have once described as the ‘Fils Rouge' if my ancient memory serves me right. (For those younger than 30, it was the daftest part of a silly games show where teams played silly games and generally clowned around).

How many Bands are actually going to turn up with their own members ?

 Thank goodness it's only the qualifying event for an English band to represent us in the European and not a serious event with strict rules of engagement like the Open or The Nationals.

Maybe we should form a Brass Band Federation or some such organisation with the interest of bands at heart to sort out this kind of nonsense. In the meantime I'll try and get the dead moss out of my lawn with my new electric rake !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John M. Gillam

No big deal about the judges

I can't really see what the big deal is. Too much is being made of the fact that we don't know who the judges are until the day of the contest - so what!

If we know it gives us the opportunity to slag them off with comments about hearing aids etc. If we don't know them, then less emails will be buzzing through the network and that saved time perhaps could be spent rehearsing a bit more!
 
The problem I have seen, when judges are known beforehand, is that some bands have tried and succeeded to get those judges to take one or two rehearsals on the test piece. Whether this gives that band an unfair advantage or puts the integrity of the judge in question is open for debate.
 
I can't really see what the big deal is about when the test pieces are announced as if you set a date when they will be made known, there will always be the intrepid reporter will try and find out, or a spy in the camp who may release the details beforehand to said reporter. So does it really matter whether the details are released immediately after the regionals or any other time?
 
Let's not blow it all out of proportion.
 
Bill Willis
Secretary
Bournemouth Concert Brass

Percussionists take offence

I have to take offence at the suggestion that being principal percussion with a brass band makes you in line with every body and the tea lady.
 
4BR Reply:
Why indeed Jenny. We will try our best for the next major contest, although we don't want to start printing every player plus the tea lady just ti keep everyone happy!
 
It has taken a lot of work to get to hold the Principal Post with Brighouse and Rastrick Band and it includes a lot of work like every other principal post does.  I would like to point out that as principal of the percussion section there is a ton of work to do, sorting out the set ups, organising the gear, Hiring in the items you don't have, making sure you have enough players for the pieces you have to play, and not to mention being able to master a variety of instruments that when you do get to the contest stage, are usually different to the ones you have worked with.  (unlike the brass who have 'their' instrument)
 
It's not just a case of turning up and banging a few drums!!  Come on - give the percussionists some respect. I'm sick and tired of the brass band world thinking of the hard working guys at the back as the kitchen sink department.  It takes a lot of time, effort, dedication, and skill to be a percussionist.  We are the first guys at the bandroom on a job and usually the last to leave.  So please.  Next time you are in a rehearsal at your band. Take two minutes and appreciate the percussion team you have. 

This is not to say that the Brass Players don't have an equally difficult job to do, its just sickening that we are seen as second class players.

Jason Poulston B.Mus(hons)
Head of Music Vermuyden School
Principal Percussionist -  Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band

4BR Reply:
Thanks Jason, but we were not down grading the importance of the percussionists, just mearly stating that we just don't have the room to put everyone's name on our player list for each contest. Next time though we will try and include you and your fellow players.

Peddling in the right place

Your comments on BASS pedal notes was very interesting, after spending three months on Journey To The Centre Of The Earth with the impossible pedal notes for BB BASS, I took to the stage at Bradford and managed to get all notes written below the stave, however I got no mention in the judges remarks, this was further confirmed when I spoke to other players.

Some players octaved these notes up and gained a higher position. I recently played on a Doyen C.D and put plenty of padals in...I think it sounds wonderful in the right place on the right piece.

Stuart Margaret

Lets hear it for our grand band stands
 
Last Sunday afternoon Macclesfield Youth Brass Band set itself a challenge which was to perform a short concert on each of the bandstands in three of Macclesfield's Parks.  Blessed with scorching weather we thoroughly enjoyed a fine afternoon entertaining a very appreciative audience.

It was particularly pleasing to play on the bandstands in South Park and Victoria Park, both are acoustically excellent and situated in lovely, well maintained gardens.  I wonder why they have been allowed to be left unused for so many years and would urge the Council and the local bands to bring them back to life with regular concerts.  It would certainly attract more people into the parks and be a step forward in enriching the cultural life of our town.
 
Louise Renshaw
Musical Director
Macclesfield Youth Brass Band

Open date?

Some advice please. On the Symphony Hall website it states that this year's competition is on the 9th September but on the Symphony Hall "what's on and ticketing information" website it says that the competition is on Sunday 17th September. Please can you confirm the actual date?

Michael Britton

4BR Reply:
According to what we know Michael the contest takes place on the 9th September.

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