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Saturday 14th May
Test Piece: Benvenuto Cellini — Berlioz arr Dr Christian Jenkins
Draw: 10,15am
Commence: 11.15am
The Spanish Hall

Adjudicators: Stan Lippeatt & Lynda Nicholson

Comments by Andrew Warriner:

Overall a very mixed standard today from the very good to the very average on a test piece that certainly sorted out the best from the rest.

Six bands for us really got to grips with 'Cellini' with Bournemouth Concert coming out on top from Wakefield Metropolitan and Aldbourne for the podium spots and Felling to claim the final promotion place.

Just missing out on this occassion for us are City of Sheffield and Wrexham, with a dark horse of Northop.

4BR Prediction:
1. Bournemouth Concert
2. Wakefield Metropolitan
3. Aldbourne
4. Felling
5. City of Sheffield
6. Wrexham

Dark Horse: Northop

Bournemouth Concert Brass (Captain Dave Barringer), 20

Opening:
Good opening section with good dynamic contrast. Occasional blips don't cause a distraction.

Allegro:
A refined tempo by the MD which allows clear detail. Lovely euph rises above the band and flugel has nice space and time.

Overall:
Another good one that may well feature.

Star Player:
Euph/Sop/Flugel — All shine out today.

Enderby (Jonathan Mott), 19

Opening:
Well shaped but individual errors mount up.

Allegro:
Flows nicely along but again liberally sprinkled with errors.

Overall:
A good attempt but the band were a little stretched as the errors took some of the shine away.

Star Player:
Trombone — Very good sounding instrumentalist

Aldbourne (David Johnson), 18

Opening:
Great opening section with everything heard.

Allegro:
The music flows and all the pieces are kept in place with a well executed plan from the MD.

Overall:
A solid well executed performance with excellent work from the soloists. Really good.

Star Player:
All the solists deserve a pat on the back today.

Wantage Silver 'A' (Philip Bailey), 17

Opening:
Good opening with the slowest tempo today. Tuning and error count is on the high side but MD holds it together.

Allegro:
It has a good feeling with solid ensemble. Band back up sop & flugel very well.

Overall:
Mixed bag. Some tight playing but with a perhaps few too many mishaps to really feature.

Star Player:
Flugel — Solid and good solo work.

Wakefield Metropolitan (Norman Law), 16

Opening:
A good opening with solid bass and sop sounds on show. Very musical stuff from Norman Law and his band. Just the occasional blip but nothing to spoil.

Allegro:
Great transition. Everything heard in detail. This is good playing with super balance and dynamics.

Overall:
A very good performance indeed.

Star Player:
Soprano — Contributed fully and with musical aplomb

City of Coventry (Stephen Cooper), 15

Opening:
A careful opening without any major problems. All balanced.

Allegro:
Things generally go fine but tuning becomes a issues and taked hold. MD keeping things together well.

Overall:
A performance that featured good balance but was a little let down by high error count.

Star Player:
Principal Cornet — Expert lead to the performance.

Felling (Stephen Malcolm), 14

Opening:
Well controlled opening with lovely style. Just the momentary hiccup or two.

Allegro:
Good transition with a really tight sound. All parts are clearly heard and all underpinned with great basses. Excellent build to the end

Overall:
A very good one thhis. Could well be in the mix later.

Star Player:
Soprano — Great playing

Hade Edge (Simon Wood), 13

Opening:
Solid opening led well by baritones. Basses provide a good platform taken up by sop & flugel.

Allegro:
All flows well with just the odd loose moment along the way.

Overall:
A mixed bag with some good stuff in amongst the overall that may catch the judges ear.

Star Player:
Flugel — Played with great style throughout.

Wrexham Glyndwr (Wayne Ruston), 12

Opening:
Fair opening with just the odd moment of dodgy tuning. Middle of the band produce some lovely sounds.

Allegro:
Tempo spot-on going into the allegro. Well controlled and balanced from the MD.

Overall:
A good one this — just the odd tuning issue.

Star Player:
Euphonium — Good sounds throughout

Pontardulais Town (Paul Jenkins), 11

Opening:
Nice opening — just the odd clip. Good show from lower band

Allegro:
Not always together but definately always exciting. Solo flugel is given time and space by good MD.

Overall:
Decent performance with many good moments but a few too many slips.

Star Player:
Euphonium — Added moments of class throughout.

Half way prediction:

It may be a neutered version of Cellini, but it is still causing all sorts of problems today.

Still an open contest to win with 10 more bands to come, but our top three at the halfway point are as follows:

1. City of Sheffield
2. Northop
3. Johnstone

Interval

Stannington (Miles Davison), 10

Opening:
Good opening but the moment is lost by loose playing in upper band.

Allegro:
Good sounds are heard with tight rhythms. Good balance with euph/barits and troms working hard. great sounds towards the conclusion.

Overall:
A good reading but a few too many mishaps today.

Star Player:
Euphonium — Some subtle sounds throughout.

Johnstone Silver (Paul Kiernan), 9

Opening:
Nice opening just a little tuning issue in the longer quieter chords. MD is really in charge.

Allegro:
Everything in the correct place but maybe a little more dynamic contrast needed. Good percussion. The technical demands have stretched some of the team.

Overall:
Not a bad one and may make an impression.

Star Player:
Flugel — Some really lyrical playing.

City of Sheffield (Derek Renshaw), 8

Opening:
Very good opening. Super sounds. Odd blemish but it doesn't detract.

Allegro:
Bright tempo given an exciting feel. Just a few too may blips perhaps but so enjoyable.

Overall:
The best for us so far by some distance. Not without the odd moment but some wonderful playing.

Star Player:
Flugel — Excellent throughout.

Lindley (Neil Jowett), 7

Opening:
Decent opening with just the odd shaky moment.

Allegro:
Good playing with good direction fom MD. just odd moment detracting.

Overall:
A little stretched perhaps but a decent show.

Star Player:
Repiano — a solid and good contribution.

Easington Colliery (David Hirst), 6

Opening:
Slightly troubled opening section. Nice bass sounds but tuning and togetherness rob the effect.

Allegro:
Dynamics are well controlled and all the parts are heard. Just odd hiccup in precision and tuning.

Overall:
Proved to be a stern test that just came off.

Star Player:
Euphonium — Great soloisic style

Newtongange (Nigel Boddice MBE), 5

Opening:
Excellent opening with confident basses. Odd loose moment caught but troms settle things down.

Allegro:
Bright tempo that produces exciting playing. Great balance.

Overall:
So nearly a very good one. Just the odd moment detracts.

Star Player:
Flugel — Tone and style are the just the mark.

Bon Accord (Alan Duguid), 4

Opening:
Good opening just spoilt by odd loose entry. On the whole very enjoyable.

Allegro:
Good style and not overblow. Towards the close the melody isn't always heard and tuning is suspect.

Overall:
Lots to admire with controlled leadership from MD. The tuning problems may prove costly though.

Star Player:
Principal Cornet — A good leader.

Northop Silver (Thomas Wyss), 3

Opening:
Fine start with everything very clear. Good basses although the occasional clanger detracts. It's so musical.

Allegro:
Transition into the allegro is good and balanced. MD oversees performance growing in stature. tempo changes don't settle straight away.

Overall:
A good one — a performance that got better and better.

Star Player:
Euphonium — Tasteful throughout.

St Dennis (Darran Hawken), 2

Opening:
Great start precise and confident but then clips and loose playing take the shine off. Things settle and a warm sound produced with great sop contribution.

Allegro:
Good balance with all parts heard. Just occasional loose moment but it's exiting.

Overall:
Great in faster and louder passages but tuning and looseness in slower passages.

Star Player:
Soprano — delicate and technically sound.

Barton Town (Richard Evans), 1

Opening:
Good opening with all detail heard. Tuning in sustained chords but some fine playing on show.

Allegro:
Big sound but cornets little lost in the balance. playing is settled with good lower end throughout.

Overall:
Good marker that grew in stature. A Nice reading from Mr.Evans

Star Player:
Flugel — Lovely tone & style