17 year old Ross Knight of Carnoustie High School and Arbroath Instrumental Band carved his own place in the history of the Scottish Solo and Ensemble Championships last weekend.
Trio of victories
The young tuba star took first prize in the three solo events he was eligible to enter, as well as making his own valuable contribution to the winning youth ensemble.
Return
With the event returning to Livingston’s Howden Park Centre, following its recent £8 million renovation, a large and enthusiastic audience enjoyed 85 solo and 28 ensemble performances over the two days.
The event was sponsored by Besson Muysical Instruments and West Lothian Council, and as well as the contest there was an excellent gala concert by West Lothian Schools Band and the current Scottish champion, Co-operative FuneralCare, with guest soloists, Roger Webster and Neil Gallie.
...the young players in Scotland have put on an outstanding demonstration of what can be achieved when they are given an opportunity to perform in a great venue with an enthusiastic audienceAlan Edmond
300 competitors
With 15 qualifiers in each of the solo categories, all having qualified from the five regions in Scotland (almost 300 young soloists took part in total), competition was keen.
The contest showed the dividends currently being enjoyed as a result of Scottish Brass Band Association’s groundbreaking youth development programme, with prizes spread far and wide geographically.
Success
Success was also enjoyed by the groups from Williamston Primary in Livingston and the perennial favourites from Carnoustie, with each taking home Besson student cornets to help their continuing development and encourage new players to compete in the years ahead.
Sunday’s event saw the first ever Scottish Open Slow Melody Championship, which attracted 20 entries to battle it out for the Archie Hutchison Trophy, presented by the Dalmellington cornet legend himself.
Performing 'Romanza' from the 'Concerto for Tuba' by Vaughn Williams, Ross Knight took victory ahead of the Whitburn trio of Ian Fleming, Hayley Edmond and Charles Cullen.
Innovation
Another innovation from SBBA this year was the Percussion Solo Section, won by Lyndsey Paterson of Kingdom Brass, with the same band sponsoring tuition with Simone Rebello for the junior category winners, Craig Knight and Ruaridh Neil.
Rivals in the Open Solo Section were faced with the prospect of Ross Knight on top form performing 'Cappricio Brillante' by Herman Bellstedt.
London bound
Ross, who has now won at every level since this event was rejuvenated in 2003, is due to study in London in the autumn.
Co-operative FuneralCare took the final award of the weekend in the Open Ensemble event, as well as the World of Brass Music Innovation Award for its performance of Peter Meechan’s 'Break it Down'.
Outstanding
At the end of the marathon event, the SBBA’s Development Officer, Alan Edmond, commented to 4BR: "Once again, the young players in Scotland have put on an outstanding demonstration of what can be achieved when they are given an opportunity to perform in a great venue with an enthusiastic audience."
He added: "We were also delighted with the two new contests on Sunday and many of those attending have commented that the Slow Melody Championship represented the most enjoyable couple of hours we’ve had at one of our contests for many years. It turned out to be a real duel between youth and experience and I can’t believe that we’ve waited 115 years to establish this part of the event!"
Results:
Junior Solos: (12 and under)
1. Rebecca Wilson (cornet) (Dalmellington Junior) — Gold Award
2. Harry Marshall (cornet) (Hawick) — Gold
3. Heather Cairns (cornet) (Dalmellington Junior) — Gold
World of Brass Music Innovation Award: Liam Mullan (trombone) Kingdom Brass
Junior Ensembles: (12 and under)
1. Williamston Primary School Quintet – Gold
2. Dalmellington Junior – Gold
3. Carnoustie Primary – Gold
Wilton Primary School, Hawick — Gold
Intermediate Solos: (16 and under)
1. Joanne Frier (horn) (Carnoustie High School) — Gold
2. Iain Mundy (cornet) (MacTaggart Scott) — Gold
3. Andrew Sergeant (euphonium) (Chryston High School) — Gold
Sally Chute (baritone) (Campbeltown Brass) — Gold
Jed Smith (tuba) (Carnoustie) — Gold
World of Brass Music Innovation Award: Jed Smith
Intermediate Ensembles: (16 and under)
1. Carnoustie Quintet — Gold
2. James Young High School Quintet – Gold
3. Carnoustie Quartet — Gold
4. St. Margaret’s Academy — Gold
Youth Solos: (21 and under)
1. Ross Knight (Eb bass) (Carnoustie High School) — 98
2. Michael Fleming (horn) (Whitburn) — 95
3. Rachel Neil (horn) (Kingdom Brass) — 91
4. Murray McFarlane (cornet) (Lochgelly) — 89
World of Brass Music Innovation Award: Joe Walters (trombone) (Carnoustie)
Youth Ensembles: (21 and under)
1. Carnoustie High School — 94
2. Carnoustie and District — 92
3. Broxburn and Livingston — 86
Adjudicators: Roger Webster and Neil Gallie
Open Percussion:
1. Lynsey Paterson (snare drum) (Kingdom Brass) — 97
2. Craig Knight (xylophone/glockenspiel) (Carnoustie) — 95
3. Ruaridh Neil (xylophone) (Dunfermline) — 93
4= Sally Cain (xylophone) (Kingdom Brass Youth) — 91
4= Kieran Adamson (snare drum) — 91
Best under-16: Craig Knight
Best under-12: Ruaridh Neil
Adjudicator: Alasdair Rankine
Open Slow Melody:
1. Ross Knight (Eb bass) (Arbroath Instrumental) — 96
2. Ian Fleming (horn) (Whitburn) — 95
3. Hayley Edmond (flugel) (Whitburn) — 94
4. Charles Cullen (cornet) — 93
Open Solos:
1. Ross Knight (Eb Bass) (Arbroath Instrumental) — 97
2. Charles Cullen (cornet) (Whitburn) — 96
3. Ian Fleming (horn) (Whitburn) — 95
4. Alex Ramsay (cornet) (Co-operative FuneralCare) — 94
Best Cornet: Charles Cullen
Best Horn: Ian Fleming
Best Trombone: Charlie Farren (Co-operative FuneralCare)
Best Tuba: Ross Knight
Best Euphonium or Baritone: Andy Robson (Whitburn)
Best Over-40: Charles Cullen
Open Ensembles:
1. Co-operative FuneralCare — 94
2. Kingdom Brass — 93
3. Bo’ness and Carriden — 88
4. Edinburgh University Brass Band — 86
World of Brass Music Innovation Award: Co-operative FuneralCare
Adjudicators: Bryan Allen and Neil Gallie
