Composer and conductor Leigh Baker was in demand at Butlins this weekend.

Five out of ten

Not only did he conduct the South Yorkshire Police Band into the prizes in the Second section, but also his music was featured by no less than five of the ten Championship Section bands in their entertainment programmes on the Sunday.

There was something old, something new, something borrowed and even something blue in the six pieces featured, much to Leigh’s delight.

Cowboy tuba

Champions Flowers, featured Phil Green on Eb Bass and his unique Western drawl in ‘Play that Country Tuba, Cowboy’, which Leigh specially arranged for him and the band, whilst Redbridge opened up in dramatic style with the biggest drum ever seen in Lincolnshire in his arrangement of ‘Chaos’ from ‘Music for Epcot’.

Lionel Ritchie

Blackburn & Darwen opted to open with the Lionel Ritchie inspired ‘All Night Long’, whilst Thoresby featured Leigh’s lyrical arrangement of the hymn tune ‘Eventide’, before they also used the completely contrasting ‘Saints Fantasy’.

There was something old, something new, something borrowed and even something blue in the six pieces featured, much to Leigh’s delight4BR

Best Soloist

The prestigious ‘Best Soloist’ Award was won in wonderful fashion by Neil Day of EYMS, who chose to perform the atmospheric ‘Y Bore Glas’ (A Blue Mountain)

The arrangement, which Leigh refers to as one of his ‘hidden gems’, features a lone soloist in the first verse, a quartet feature and then full muted band, and was originally written for cornet virtuoso Jim Davies a few years ago.

Grateful

"It was fantastic to hear it again and I’m grateful to Neil and Alan Morrison for including it in their award winning programme," Leigh told 4BR.

He added: "It’s been a great weekend, and what with South Yorkshire Police finishing in the prizes and some of my newer arrangements being released on Saturday at the trade stands, I’m really pleased to have my music performed so well."

More to come

And there is more to come he revealed too: "There’s plenty of new projects on my desk and I’m looking forward to some exciting initiatives this year."