There was a wonderful day of youth band contesting at the Royal Northern College of Music on Sunday, as some of the finest young brass talent in the UK battled it out for the honour of being crowned ‘National Champions’.
Premier Section
The climax of a long day saw Carnoustie & District Youth conducted by Michael Robertson take the Premier Section title ahead of Northampton Youth Brass and West Lothian Schools.
Quality
The 2010 Advanced Section champion made the move to the Premier class this year and showed all their quality to fine effect, especially on the test piece, ‘Fanfares & Love Songs’ by Gavin Higgins to claim a well deserved Gold Award.
Principal cornet player Eoin Tonner won the ‘Best Instrumentalist’ prize for his superb performance of the second movement of Alan Fernie’s ‘A Scot’s Miscellany’, whilst the band rounded off their set with the ‘Dundonnell’ finale from ‘Hymn of the Highlands’.
The young players rose magnificently to the challenge, although MIchael Robertson commented afterwards that the piece didn’t really ‘click’ until just a few days before the competition.
Michael continued by explaining that this victory is the culmination of four years of steady development of this band: “And there is one more year left before many of the present players move on to make way for younger players and the building process begins all over again”.
Advanced Section
In the Advanced Section, the remarkable Camborne Youth Band returned after a year’s contesting sabbatical to claim another National title under the inspirational baton of Alan Pope.
Since last competing in 2009, and racking up over £40,000 in costs in the last few years on their competitive travels, the band had lost 25 players to college and university.
However, with 13 debutants in the ranks, they produced a classy programme to take the title with a Gold Award performance, which included the set work, ‘Psalms & Alleluias’ as well as a startling ‘Best Instrumentalist’ winning performance from Charlie Hodge on xylophone of ‘Helter Skelter’, the opening ‘Olympic Fanfare’, and the finale of ‘An American Tale’.
In a keenly fought contest, it was Lions Youth Brass who claimed second place and a Silver Award under the direction of Brian Higgs Award winner Nigel Birch, with Silver Award winners Gloucestershire Youth in third.
In the Advanced Section, the remarkable Camborne Youth Band returned after a year’s contesting sabbatical to claim another National title under the inspirational baton of Alan Pope4BR
Intermediate Section
It was Wardle High School Youth under the direction of Lee Rigg who eventually came out on top in the 14 band Intermediate Section.
Unfortunately, travel problems for MK Brass and Sellers Youth meant a delayed start, but the contest eventually got underway 30minutes late with MK Brass eventually taking to the stage as the last band to play on the day.
Wardle High School who finished third last year, finally got their hands on a National title thanks to a programme set that gained a Gold Award and included the set work, ‘Sentinel’ by Peter Meechan as well as ‘Olympic Fanfare and Theme’, ‘City Cruiser’, the march ‘On the Quarter Deck and ‘Highland Cathedral’.
There was a fine standard to be heard in the RNCM Theatre with adjudicator’s Ian Porthouse and Stan Lippeatt giving Gold Awards to second placed Poynton Youth Brass and third placed Rochdale Borough Youth, as well as Aberystwyth Youth and Stockport Schools Senior Bands.
Aberystwyth euphonium player Huw Evans took the Instrumentalist prize for his excellent performance of ‘La Cucaracha’.
Junior Section
An enjoyable Junior Section produced a number of very good performances from the competing bands, but it was Bolton Intermediate conducted by Toby Hobson who eventually came out on top thanks to their Gold Award winning programme
Their set included the theme music from the film ‘Rocky’, a touch of Herb Alpert in ‘Tijuana Taxi’ the hymn tune ‘Aurelia’, ‘Sweet Gingerbread Man’ and the exciting finisher especially written for them, ‘Volcano’ – ‘Eyjafjallajokull’ by James Hatton.
It gave the band the title ahead of the pair of Gold Awardees, Daventry Music Centre Brass and Chalford Youth, with Gwynedd & Mon Brass also gaining Gold for their efforts.
The ‘Best Instrumentalist’ Award was won by horn player Adam Marsh for his fine rendition of ‘Over the Rainbow’ with Fred Longworth High School.
Training Section
In the grass roots Training Section the award as ‘Band of the Day’ went to a delighted Sue Harrison and her small band of just 18 players from Astley Youth Training.
It proved to be an enjoyably difficult decision for judges Malcolm Brownbill and Lucy Pankhurst as there was a great variety in band sizes and standards on the day, but Astley’s neat programme of items by Jock Mackenzie and Chris North proved to be the ideal match of their ability to gain the single award that was presented.
Results:
Training Section
RNCM Concert Hall
Start: 1.15pm
15 minutes own choice playing time
Adjudicators: Lucy Pankhurst & Malcolm Brownbill
Band of the Day: Astley Youth Training Band (Susan Harrison)*
Coleshill Beginner's Brass (Sally Wood)
Bolton Beginnner's Brass Band (Toby Hobson)
Shirland Welfare Training Band (Dave Harvey)
Wardle High 'B' Band (Gwen Smith)
Bolton Junior Brass Band (Anna Hughes-Williams)
Sellers International Little Acorns (Jamie Smith)
Lions Beginners Band (Christopher Thompson)
Warren Wood Primary School Band (Peter Christian)
*No other awards are made in this section
Junior Section
RNCM Concert Hall
Start: 9.00am
Own Choice programme that must include one piece of music composed for brass band and two verses of a hymn tune. 15 minutes playing time
Adjudicators: Lynda Nicholson & Steve Pritchard-Jones
1. Bolton Intermediate (Toby Hobson) — Gold
2. Daventry Music Centre Brass (Lynette Wild) — Gold
3. Chalford Youth (Steve Tubb) — Gold
Gold Award:
Gwynedd and Mon Brass Band (John Glyn Jones)
Silver Awards:
Fred Longworth High School (Helen Robinson)
Gawthorpe Junior Band (Adam Bell)
Bronze Awards:
Lions Junior Brass (Iain Raisbeck)
Coleshill Youth Brass (Stephen Fagg)
Macclesfield Junior Brass Band (Cheryl Slamon)
Best Instrumentalist: Adam Marsh (horn) — Fred Longworth High School
Intermediate Section
RNCM Theatre
Start: 9.15am
Sentinel (Dr Peter Meechan) and Own Choice programme, 20 minutes playing time
Adjudicators: Stan Lippeatt & Ian Porthouse
1. Wardle High School (Lee Rigg) – Gold
2. Poynton Youth Brass Band (Andy Hirst) – Gold
3. Rochdale Borough Youth (Eric Landon) – Gold
Gold Awards:
Aberystwyth Youth (Alan Philips)
Stockport Schools Senior (James Holt)
Silver Awards:
Sellers International (Simon Kerwin)
Hade Edge Youth (Simon Wood)
Tewitt Youth (Malcolm Dibb)
Bronze Awards:
Astley Youth (Simon Minshall)
Dalmellington Junior Band (Ian Taylor)
Macclesfield Youth Brass Band (Louise Renshaw)
Merit Awards:
MK Youth Brass (David Rose)
Enderby Youth (Trevor Hounsome)
Worcestershire Youth (Nicky Daw)
Best Instrumentalist: Huw Evans (euphonium) — Aberystwyth Youth
Band with Most Potential: Astley Youth (Simon Minshall)
Advanced
RNCM Concert Hall
Start: 5.10pm
Psalms and Alleluias (Philip Wilby) and Own Choice Programme, 20 minutes playing time
Adjudicators: Richard Marshall & Steve Pritchard-Jones
1. Camborne Youth Band (Alan Pope) — Gold
2. Lions Youth Brass (Nigel Birch) — Silver
3. Gloucestershire Youth Band (Philip Harper) – Silver
Bronze Award
St Helens Youth Brass Band (Mark Bousie)
Merit Awards
Oldham Music Centre Youth (Jonathan Leedale)
Youth Brass 2000 (Chris Jeans)
Best Instrumentalist: Charlie Hodge (Xylophonis) — Camborne Youth
Brian Hicks Memorial Trophy: Nigel Birch (Lions Youth)
Premier Section
RNCM Theatre
Start: 5.00pm
Fanfares and Love Songs (Gavin Higgins) and Own Choice Programme, 25 minutes playing time
Adjudicators: Lynda Nicholson and James Scott
1. Carnoustie and District Youth Band (Michael Robertson) — Gold
2. Northamptonshire Youth Brass Band (Brad Turnbull) — Silver
3. West Lothian Schools Brass Band (Nigel Boddice MBE) — Bronze
Best Instrumentalist: Eoin Tonner (Principal Cornet) — Carnousitie and District Youth
