Bare Trees Community Band conducted by John Collins won the fourteenth Tameside Youth Brass Festival at Dukinfield Town Hall earlier today.

With freezing conditions outside, it was the Oldham-based band who took the first prize where the overall standard of playing warmed everyone up who'd made the journey to Dukinfield.

Winning contribution

Playing third out of the eight competitors, Bare Trees Community programme commenced with a performance of the tv theme, 'Stingray' before the band's flugel player, Toni Heywood demonstrated a delightfully warm sound during her performance of the classic, 'Concerto D'Aranjeuz'.

The band's winning programme continued with Stephen Roberts' arrangement of 'Past time with Good Company' before wrapping up victory with a solid performance of Paul Lovatt Cooper's 'The Dark Side of the Moon'.

Williams' praise

Prior to the announcement of the results, adjudicator Glyn Williams praised the bands for their efforts and whilst he had to place bands in an order of merit, the Foden's Principal Euphonium reaffirmed the point to all involved that they were all winners for competing in the competition.

Glyn's assessment of Bare Trees performance was 'A Fantastic Show'.

A Fantastic ShowAdjudicator, Glyn Williams' written verdict on Bare Trees Community Band's winning performance

Local winner

With Glyn's assessment over, Bare Trees Community from Oldham tasted victory for the first time and it not only gave them an initial £1000 but they made the short journey home with £1300 in the bank courtesy of having the best flugel (Toni Heywood), percussion and bass sections which earnt them a grand total of £1300.

Delighted

Just before leaving Dukinfield for some celebrations, conductor John Collins told 4BR that he was chuffed to bits at taking the title having finished second a year ago and praised his band for the dedication and effort in preparing for the competition which had come not long after a high profile appearance at The Royal Albert Hall in London.

Musical approach for Saints

St Helens Youth conductor Mark Bousie directed his band into second place after they produced a performance that benefited from attention to detail, control and musicality. The £700 runners up prize was enhanced by a further £100 for having the best Euphonium of the contest. Having opened up with Goff Richards' march 'The Jaguar', 'The Saints' were in fine form in Curnow's 'Jubilation'. Principal Euphonium, Daniel Morgan produced an excellent performance of the classic 'Rule Britannia' before the band closed with 'American Trilogy'.

Reigning champions third

Close behind in third place was the reigning champions, Youth Brass 2000 under Chris Jeans who made the journey North in search of a hat-trick of victories at the contest. After an up beat opening 'Valero',the band's Principal Cornet, thirteen year old, Thomas Fountain showed that he is just as impressive on cornet as the other members of the Fountain family. Thomas's older brother James gave the band an extra £100 for his performance on soprano which meant an overall prize fund of £600 for the band who'd travelled North in treacherous driving conditions.

Delight for Hade Edge

The final podium place went to the talented Hade Edge Youth and Simon Wood who simply enjoyed the opportunity to perform at the competition in a full hall. Simon's charges were in great form during their varied programme which opened up with all concerned playing Yorkshire's own anthem,'On Ilkley Moor Bah Tat', followed by showcasing the trombones in 'I Wanna Be Like You' before finishing off with music from The Kaiser Chiefs and 'Pirates from the Caribbean'.

The remaining four

Bolton Schools, Dobcross Youth, Macclesfield Youth and Poynton Youth gave it their best shot with some ecletic programmes but it wasn't to be their day.

Bolton Schools and Helen Minshall was the only band not to feature a soloist but they did perform the march 'Glemdene' and Sullivan's 'The Lost Chord'.

Trombonist the star for Dobcross

Saddleworth's Dobcross Youth and conductor James Garlick opted for a programme that included film and religious music including the band's Principal Trombonist picking up £100 for his overall contribution which included a cracking rendition of 'Blessed Assurance'.

Macc's Soloists

Louise Renshaw's Macclesfield Youth got the contest unde rway at 12 noon and in addition to playing Peter Meechan's 'Fanfare for a Festival' showcased a trio of soloists. The band's Principal Cornet was in fine form in Steadman-Allen's 'Someone Cares' before their euphonium's dueted in the popular 'Me and My Shadow'.

Not Poynton's day

Poynton Youth and Andy Hirst performed in between the prize winners, Youth Brass 2000 and Hade Edge and although their presented performance included Elgar Howarth's arrangement of 'Music from an Elizabethan Court' and their euphonium's dueting in 'Softly As I Leave You' they didn't quite have the impact of the top four.

Continued Council support

The contest was once again supported by the Arts and Leisure Department within Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council, who also support the annual Tameside Open in March, Whit Friday and the British Open Solo and Quartet Championships held three weekends ago.

The Mayoress of Tameside was on hand to present the prizes with a prize fund of £3100 on offer for the Youth contest alone with included all of the Best Instrumentalists pocketing £100. The generous financial contribution was an increase of £500 from twelve months ago.

The date for next year's contest has been pencilled in for Sunday 27th November.

Programme of Music:

Bare Trees Community (John Collins)

Stingray, Barney Gray, arr Sandy Smith
Flugel Solo, Toni Heywood: Concerto D’Aranjeuz, arr Kevin Bolton
Pastime with Good Company, arr Stephen Roberts
The Dark Side of the Moon, Paul Lovatt-Cooper

St Helens Youth (Mark Bousie)

March: The Jaguar, Goff Richards
Jubilation, James Curnow
Euphonium Solo, Daniel Morgan: Rule Britannia, John Hartman arr. Denzil Stephens
American Trilogy, Goff Richards

Youth Brass 2000 (Chris Jeans)

Valero, Swearingen, arr Sandy Smith
Cornet Solo, Thomas Fountain: Share my Yolk, Joy Webb
Variations on Ladaute Dominum, (original version), Edward Gregson

Hade Edge Youth (Simon Wood)

On Ilkley Moor Bah’t ‘At
I Wanna Be Like You
Feature for Trombones: On top of the World
I Predict a Riot
Music from Pirates of the Caribbean

Bolton Schools (Helen Minshall)

March: Glemdene, John Carr
The Lost Chord, Sullivan arr. Langford
Doyen, Goff Richards
Choral and Rock Out, Ted Huggens

Dobcross Youth (James Garlick)

James Bond Theme, Monty Norman arr. William Relton
Cornet Solo: George Broadbent, Georgia On My Mind, Hogey Carmichael arr Alan Morrison
Hymn Tune: Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, CH Parry, arr Cecil Bolton and Eric Banks
Trombone Solo: Andy Leeming, Blessed Assurance, J F Knapp, arr Simon Wood
Trail Blaze, Goff Richards

Macclesfield Youth (Louise Renshaw)

Fanfare for a Festival, Peter Meechan
Cornet Solo: Someone Cares, Ray Steadman–Allen
Euphonium duet: Me and My Shadow
Hymn tune: Silver Hill
Adventures in Brass, Ray Farr

Poynton Youth (Andy Hirst)

Music from an Elizabethan Court: Earl of Oxford’s March and Pavane, arr Howarth
Euphonium duet: Softly as I Leave You, arr Catherall
Adventures in Brass, Ray Farr
American Trilogy, arr Goff Richards

Results:

1. Bare Trees Community (John Collins) — 192pts
2. St Helens Youth (Mark Bousie) — 189pts
3. Youth Brass 2000 (Chris Jeans) — 187pts
4. Hade Edge (Simon Wood) — 184pts

Individual awards

Cornet: Soprano, James Fountain, Youth Brass 2000
Horn: Flugel, Toni Heywood, Bare Trees Community
Euphonium: Daniel Morgan, St Helens Youth,
Trombone: Andy Leeming, Dobcross Youth
Basses: Bare Trees Community
Percussion: Bare Trees Community
Youngest Player: Phoebe Collins, Bare Trees Community (7)

Other competing bands:

Bolton Schools (Helen Minshall)
Dobcross Youth (James Garlick)
Macclesfield Youth (Louise Renshaw)
Poynton Youth (Andy Hirst)

The adjudicator was Glyn Williams