Northern Open Championships
Theatre Royal, St.Helens

The Northern Open Championships is a hard contest to win.
It is one where bands seem up their game to round out the contest season on a high, of that there is no doubt.

The same just as much applied to this contest in 2010 with bands producing a seriously good level of playing.

That said though and without question the future of this contest was seriously in doubt without the sponsorship of Brian Halliwell. His address to the audience at the prize-giving was heart-felt and impassioned receiving appropriately a long, warm and equally responsive applause from all present.

Of the contest itself Hammonds Saltaire retained the Northern Open Crown with a perfomance both warm and full of poetry.
City of Bradford made it two out of three for Yorkshire in Section B with stylish playing full of tonal bloom and Yorks Railway Institute made it a white rose hat-trick beguiling the ear in the C Section.

It was local band Parr who held up the Lancashire flag taking Section D noted for their clarity of articulation and rhythmic attack.

In the A Section Longridge giving a nicely judged performance of expressive feeling and taken together with a Beaumaris performance of flair and a 'dancing' sparkle the Hammonds win was all the more impressive.

In Section B City of Bradford Brass (formerly known as the YBS Concert Brass) gave a crisp and stylish account of 'Blazon' to deservedly clean sweep the awards. Flixton delivered a performance with strong personality whilst Haydock revisited their Pontins winning piece and delivered with considerable power and maturity.

Yorks Railway Institute took on the challenging Diadem of Gold and whilst it may have had noticable clips and splits demonstrated some natural musicianship reward by the adjudicator in Section C.

The other prizes went to Crofton who produced a performance where the musical lines flowed well and Blackley who gave a musically coherent account of Royal Mile Suite.
Whilst not in the ensemble awards the solo trombone work with the Formby Band was a crisp and clear performance taking the solo prize.

In Section D the fresh and effective approach, beautifully supported throughout with a lovely open tone from principal cornet, Parr took the the top awards.

Fairfield (Buxton) and Rivington & Adlington both kept the basics of tuning and balance in check a point the adjudictor Mike Hughes noted in his summation.

Overall and once again the Northern Open did not fail but to deliver a compelling and enjoyable day.

Section A:
Adjudicator: Ian Brownbill

1. Hammonds Saltaire – Morgan Griffiths (7) 191pts
Between the Moon and Mexico (Philip Sparke)

2. Longridge – Mark Peacock (6) 189pts
Journey to the Centre of the Earth (Peter Graham)

3. Beaumaris – Gwyn Williams (8) 188pts
Le Roi Dy's (Lalo)

4. Drighlington – Jim Davies (5) 187pts
Rococco Variations (Edward Gregson)

5. Kippax – David Lancaster (4) 186pts
Tallis Variations (Philip Sparke)

6. Hade Edge – Simon Wood (3) 183pts
Paganini Variations (Philip Wilby)

7. Hebden Bridge – Roy Cuuran (2) 181pts
Diversions on a Bass Theme (George Lloyd)

8. Blackpool Brass – Roy Waite (1) 179pts
Epic Symphony (Percy Fletcher)

Best Soloist: Longridge — Cornet
Best Soprano: Drighlington
Best Euphonium: Hammonds Saltaire

Withdrawn
Co-operative Band (Crewe) – Jef Sparkes
Silk Brass — D.Holling
Thoresby Colliery – Huw Thomas

Section B:
Adjudicator: Ian Brownbill

1. City of Bradford Brass – Lee Skipsey (3) 186pts
Blazon (Peter Graham)

2. Flixton – Steve Curtis (1) 183pts
Rennaissance (Peter Graham)

3. Haydock – Mark Quinn (5) 181pts
Californian Legend (Bruce Broughton)

4. Dobcross Silver – Grenville Moore (2) 180pts
Rise of the Phoenix (Darroll Barry)

5. Tyldesley – Rob Taylor (8) 179pts
Variations on Maccabeus (Kevin Norbury)

6. Besses o’ th’ Barn – James Holt (7) 178pts
Three Part Invention (Kenneth Downie)

7. Greenall’s – Karl Stott (6) 176pts
Tournament for Brass (Eric Ball)

8. Old Hall Brass – John North (4) 175pts
Rhapsody in Brass (Dean Goffin)

Best Soloist: Bradford — Cornet
Best Basses: Bradford

Withdrawn
Hoover Bolton – Trevor Halliwell

Section C:
Adjudicator: Mike Hughes

1. Yorks Railway Institute – Gordon Eddison (7) 175pts
Diadem of Gold (arr. F.Wright)

2. Crofton Silver – Tim Sidwell (3) 174pts
Oceans (Goff Richards)

3. Blackley – Adrian Smith (2) 173pts
Royal Mile Suite (Alan Fernie)

4. Farnworth & Walkden – Peter Ashley (1) 172pts
Rhapsody in Brass (Dean Goffin)

5. Formby – Louise Hough (4) 171pts
Prelude & Jubilate (Darroll Barry)

6. Besses Boys – James Holt (5) 170pts
Northern Landscapes (Peter Graham)

7. Delph (6) 169pts
The Dark Side of the Moon (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)

Best Soloist: Yorks Railway Institute — Soprano
Best Cornet: Blackley
Best Trombone: Formby

Section D:
Adjudicator: Mike Hughes

1. Parr St.Helens – John Ludden (9) 172pts
The Dark Side of the Moon (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)

2. Fairfield (Buxton) – Charles Kitchen (10) 171pts
Variations on 'Laudate Dominum' (Edward Gregson)

3. Rivington & Adlington – Malcolm Wilson (2) 170pts
Dimensions — (Peter Graham)

4. Boarshurst Silver – David Ashworth (11) 169pts
Caladonian Journey (Alan Fernie)

5. Nelson Brass – Steve Brodie (7) 168pts
Aeronauts (Goff Richards)

6. Golborne – Jason Smith (6) 167pts
Facets of Glass (Goff Richards)

7. Ellenbrook & Boothstown – Matthew Sale (8) 166pts
The Dark Side of the Moon (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)

8.City of Chester Brass – Phil Mottershead (4) 165pts
Saint-Saens Variations (Philip Sparke)

9. Littleborough Public Brass – Adrian Woodhead (3) 164pts
Saint-Saens Variations (Philip Sparke)

10. Deeside Silver – Chris Barnes (5) 162pts
Anglian Dances (Alan Fernie)

11. Tarleton Brass – Barry Taylor (1) 160pts
The Dark Side of the Moon (Paul Lovatt-Cooper)

Best Soloist: Parr-Cornet