The second leg of the 2009 Welsh League competition took place in Burry Port in West Wales on Saturday run by the West Wales Brass Band Association.

Honours

25 bands took part in the five ‘own choice’ sections, with the Championship honours being taken Cwmaman Institute conducted by David Evans.

Sparkes stun

Their performance of ‘Paganini Variations’ certainly found favour with Roy Sparkes in the box, who rather stunned the audience at the end of the six band section with his description of the overall standard of playing as being ‘superb’.

That analysis seemed alarmingly at odds at what others assessed it as – the more general consensus being that the overall standard of playing had rarely managed to reach anything like true championship level.

Opinions

It resulted in some interesting opinions being aired by competing MDs, players, neutral observers and experienced championship level conductors at the end of the contest.

Two competing conductors 4BR spoke to at the end of the contest wondered openly of the value of the adjudications they had been given4BR

Competence

At a time when the question of adjudicator competency has been in the news, Brian Buckley of the Association of Brass Band Adjudicators, who was at the contest as part of ABBA’S Welsh Trainee Adjudicator Scheme, very properly took note of the good natured questions asked in general conversation after the results from a number of rather bewildered listeners.

Given that just minute’s earlier Roy has spoken of his ‘real disappointment’ at the level of playing heard in the Second Section, his assessment of the Championship Section did seem disproportionately over generous to many.

Two competing conductors 4BR spoke to at the end of the contest wondered openly of the value of the adjudications they had been given.

Really shined

Roy was very clear however that in his opinion the winners, ‘had really shined’, and awarded David Evans and his band the high marking of 195 points to claim victory over home town rivals Burry Port with Tylorstown a point further back in third.

Cwmaman’s euphonium player Jeremy Rugman won the ‘Best Instrumentalist’ prize, whilst the band pocketed the top prize of £180 and the W. Islwyn Davies Memorial Challenge Cup.

Undercooked

Earlier, Burry Port warmed up for their forthcoming appearance at Pontins in a fortnight’s time with an understandably undercooked ‘Montage’, whilst Tylorstown’s ‘Essence of Time’ took time to recover from acute tuning and ensemble problems to start.

Markham’s error strewn account of the same Peter Graham work came in fourth, whilst both Abergavenny and Pontardulais failed to come close to mastering their choices of ‘Chivarly’ and ‘Trittico’.

Open adjudication

Earlier in the day, the question of the need for closed adjudication in a four band ‘own choice’ Fourth Section contest, which included one youth band, also seemed relevant, after adjudicator Craig Robert gave an intelligent analysis of what he had heard from the bands.

He felt that his job could have been made much more productive, especially to younger players in need of constructive analysis of their playing if the process was made visually as well as aurally transparent.

Experience

In the end Craig used his experience to give first prize to Goodwick Brass for their performance of ‘A Gallimaufry Suite’, which gained them a clear three point winning margin over Abertillery District Youth, making their return to the contesting scene and Ystradgynalis in third.

Solid

Five bands entered the Third Section, where Philip Harper found a solid performance of Philip Sparke’s ‘Kaleidoscope’ from Llwydcoed more than good enough to take the honours ahead of Upper Rhondda Brass in second and Corus (Port Talbot) in third.

Reprise

In the Second Section Roy Sparkes disappointment at what he heard from the six bands saw him award first prize to Ynyshir conducted by Dean Evans, who reprised their Harrogate First Section National test piece, ‘Oceans’ to take the title off the number 1 draw (which thankfully wasn’t delayed by a gymnastic stair tripping pensioner on this occasion).

Second Section National Champion City of Cardiff also reprised their Harrogate test piece, ‘A Scot’s Miscellany to claim second place, with Cross Keys Silver in third.

Clear cut

In the quartet of bands in the First Section, Rogerstone recorded a clear cut three point win over Penclawdd Brass after their performance of ‘Music for the Common Man’, with Briton Ferry Silver in third.

Overdue

The day ended though in a long overdue win for a delighted Cwmaman, who claimed victory in a contest that perhaps will be remembered more for the generosity of the adjudicator’s remarks than of the performance from the band itself.

The final leg of the Welsh League Contest takes place in Blaenavon on November 21st, a new venue after Treorchy was unable to host the contest this year.

Results:

Championship Section:
1. Cwmaman Institute (D. Evans) – 195
2. Burry Port Town (C. Roberts) – 194
3. Tylorstown (G. Davies) – 193
4. Markham & District (A. Morton) – 192
5. Abergavenny Borough (G. Ritter) – 191
6. Pontardulais Town (Burns Pet Nutrition) (P. Jenkins) – 190

Adjudicator: Roy Sparkes

First Section:
1. Rogerstone (J. Jones) – 190
2. Penclawdd Brass (T. Small) – 187
3. Briton Ferry Silver (DrC. Jenkins) – 184
4. RAF St Athan (A. Bourne) – 183

Adjudicator: Philip Harper

Second Section:
1. Ynyshir (D. Evans) – 188
2. City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) (G. Ritter) – 187
3. Cross Keys Silver (K. Bowden) – 185
4. Gwaun Cae Gurwen (G. Davies) – 184
5. Ogmore Valley Silver (I. Barnett) – 183
6. Lewis Merthyr (G. Pritchard) – 182

Adjudicator: Roy Sparkes

Third Section:
1. Llwydcoed (G. Davies) – 185
2. Upper Rhondda Brass (D. Phillips) – 184
3. Corus (Port Talbot) (C. Hogg) – 183
4. Seindorf Crwbin (J. Jones) – 181
5. Pontypool Brass (P. O’Leary) – 180

Adjudicator: Philip Harper

Fourth Section:
1. Goodwick Brass (M. Jenkins) – 182
2. Abertillery District Youth (D. Evans) – 179
3. Ystradgynalis (A. Morgan) – 178
4. Oakdale Silver (R. Probyn) – 176

Adjudicator: Craig Roberts