Tredegar, conducted by Ian Porthouse has won the only brass band competition to be televised live in the UK, by claming the honours at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in Ebbw Vale on Sunday.

Comfort

And despite the sound of what seemed the entire West Indian international samba band permeating through the cavernous surroundings of the main pavilion from an outside stage as they played, the local favourites delivered a highly polished entertainment programme to take the £750 first prize in some comfort.

160,000

The winning MD, was pleased with the victory on what had been a busy weekend for the current Welsh champion at an event which attracts over 160,000 visitors each year – with no less than 25,000 heading for the old Ebbw Vale steelworks site on Sunday alone.

"We wanted to deliver a performance that showed just how well we are playing at the moment," Ian Porthouse told 4BR. "Although the pressure wasn’t as high as other contests, as the local band (Tredegar is situated just 3 miles away) we were determined to keep the title in the area."

We wanted to deliver a performance that showed just how well we are playing at the momentIan Porthouse

Nothing to chance

With the three judges, Steve Pritchard-Jones, John Winterflood and Alan Lewis seated in the open, Tredegar left nothing to chance, opening with Matt Hall’s ‘Activate’, followed by Stephen Sykes with ‘I Loves you Porgy’, ‘Waltzing Matilda’, ‘America’, ‘The Smile’, ‘America’ and ‘Folk Festival’ to close — although the band had little time to celebrate their victory as they had to return later the same day to provide the accompaniment music to the televised Gymanfa Ganu hymn service.

In second place in the four band contest came a confident and well drilled Wrexham Brass, conducted by Wayne Ruston, with spirited Markham & District under Adrian Morton in third. City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) was fourth.

Bourne Supremacy

On the Saturday it was the turn of the bands in Sections, 2, 3 & 4 to provide the televised entertainment, with a delighted St Athan, directed by Alan Bourne taking the honours, and the £400 first prize in the Second Section.

Alan later revealed in a televised interview that he felt the success for his increasingly busy band was built on what he described as, '… a good programme', which certainly found favour with the three judges, even though Alan allowed himself a slight wry smile of embarrassment when the television interviewer described the victory as the 'Bourne Supremacy'!

St Athan opened with ‘Fanfare and Flourishes’, before Claire Bourne delivered a finely judged rendition of ‘Cry me a River’, followed by ‘The Lord Bless You and Keep You’, and closing with music from the ‘Coronation Scene’ from ‘Boris Gudonov’.

In second place in what was a keenly fought ten band field came Tylorstown with Blaenavon in third.

Early national win

There were only three bands competing in the Third Section this year, and it was the Harrogate bound Llwydcoed that ended the contest clutching an early ‘National’ trophy.

Conducted by Gary Davies, they beat off the challenge of Royal Oakeley and Ogmore Valley to claim the £400 first prize, courtesy of a well structured programme that started with the march ‘Mid West’, followed by ‘Swedish Hymn’, ‘Rhapsody for Euphonium’ featuring soloist David Johnson, before finishing with Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s ‘Horizons’.

A band spokesperson told 4BR: "This is a nice confidence boost for the band before we start work on the Harrogate test piece. It shows that the band is in pretty good form at the moment."

M

There was encouragement for the grass roots of Welsh banding in the Fourth Section where M2 (Melingriffith’s junior outfit) directed by Dewi Griffiths took the honours and the £400 first prize in the eight band field – their first contest victory since the Tredegar principal cornet player took over the helm.

Starting with ‘Henffygh y Ddraig’ (Salute to the Dragon’) their programme also featured flugel player David Rhys with ‘Lisa Lan’, ‘Amazing Grace’, trombonist Josh Herman playing ‘The Acrobat’, before finishing with ‘Glasnost’.

Hard work

The delighted MD told 4BR that the hard work, and a little bit of ‘extra’ help on the day paid off for his young band.

"Everyone has been outing in a great deal of effort since I took over," Dewi told 4BR: "It paid off today, and I’m so pleased for them all, although I have to give a special thanks to Ian Porthouse who stepped in at the last moment to play soprano for us. He hasn’t lost his touch!"

Second place went to Cwmtawe Youth whilst there was a rare contesting appearance for Llandudno, who featured two eighty year olds in their ranks, plus three generations of the same family in coming third in the only contest they appear in each year.

Good coverage

With the storm clouds of arts funding cut backs looming, S4C (the Welsh language television station) also featured a number of interviews with conductors, players and the great and good of Welsh speaking banding, as well as covering in some depth the funding issues facing bands in the Principality.

Highlights of some of the prize winning performances over the two days can be found at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/eisteddfo...00801&type=day

Results:
Championship Section:

1. Tredegar
2. Wrexham Brass
3. Markham & District
4. City of Cardiff (Melingriffth)

Second Section:

1. St Athan
2. Tylorstown
3. Blaenavon
4. Deiniolen
5. Newtown
6. Lewis Merthyr
7. Cross Keys
8. Gwaun Cae Gurwen
9. Llanrug
10. Ynyshir

Third Section:

1. Llwydcoed
2. Royal Oakeley
3. Ogmore Valley

Fourth Section:

1. M2 (Melingriffith)
2. Cwmtawe Youth
3. Llandudno Town
4. Abertillery
5. Crwbin
6. Dyffryn Nantlle
7. Cwmbran
8. Llwchwr

Adjudicators: (All Sections)
Steve Pritchard-Jones, Alan Lewis, John Winterflood