The 2011 scaba Autumn Contest held in the Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone at the weekend was tinged with mixed feelings.

Fantastic day

As a contest day it was a fantastic day. Thirty bands (no withdrawals) presented themselves to adjudicators Kevin Wadsworth and Paul Norley who, by their comments, stated they thoroughly enjoyed what the bands had to offer.

New venue

However, after 45 years the contest is set to move to a new venue at The Hawth at Crawley, which is already the home of the scaba Entertainments contest. From next year The Hawth will be the home for the three main scaba contests.

There was a great variety of music throughout the day, with Philip Sparke the preferred composer of the day with no less than eight of his works performed!

Full circle

Back in 1966 at the first contest in the Leas Cliff Hall, Snowdown Colliery won their section, so it was somewhat appropriate that they won their section again – although now known as Snowdown Colliery Brass.

Cllr Susan Carey from Shepway District Council told 4BR: "Shepway District Council and their predecessors, the Borough of Folkestone are owed a huge debt and wholehearted thanks from the brass band movement for such solid support and commitment over the last 45 years to this event."

Results:
Championship Section:
Adjudicator: Kevin Wadsworth

1. Friary Guildford (Chris King)
2. Wantage Silver A (Phil Bailey)
3. Soham Comrades (Keith Schroeter)

Best Instrumentalist: Ross Anderson Trombone – Wantage Silver A
Best Percussion Section: Wantage Silver A
Best Euphonium: Chris Straker – Friary Guildford
Best Bass Section: Friary Guildford
Conductors Prize: Chris King – Friary Guildford
Highest placed Member Band: Friary Guildford

First Section:
Adjudicator: Kevin Wadsworth

1. Brass Band Gent (Lieven Dobbelaere)
2. Alder Valley Brass (Roger Burke)
3. BAE SYSTEMS Brass (Keith Woodger)
4. Tilbury (Andrew Austin)
5. Colchester (Peter Ivey)
6. Horsham Borough (Linda Cole)
7. Littleport Brass (Nigel Bramley)
8. Northfleet Brass (Melvin White)
9. Epping Forest (Denis Desmond)
10. Fairlop Brass (Kevin Jordan)
11. Chichester City (Ross Hunt)

Best Instrumentalist: Ron Rees-Davies Bb Bass — Tilbury
Best Euphonium: Hendrik Dobbelaere — Brass Band Gent
Best Bass Section Brass Band: Gent
Conductors Prize: Lieven Dobbelaere – Brass Band Gent

Second Section:
Adjudicator: Paul Norley

1. Amersham (Paul Fisher)
2. Wantage Silver B (Danny Dullforce)
3. Medway Concert Brass (Garrie Harvey)
4. Cold Ash Brass (Steve Sizeland)
5. Shanklin Town Brass (Malcolm Lewis)
6. Hitchin (Craig Patterson)
7. Oxted (Martin Beaumont)
8. Cranbrook Town (Ian Lanceley)
9. Brighton & Hove City Brass (Matthew Hackett)
10. St Sebastian Wokingham (Lee Woodward)

Best Instrumentalist: Andrea Lewis Flugel — Shanklin Town Brass
Best Horn Section: Amersham
Best Horn James Dickinson: Amersham
Best Percussion Section: Amersham
Conductors Prize: Paul Fisher – Amersham

Third Section:
Adjudicator: Kevin Wadsworth

1. Snowdown Colliery Brass (Keith Twyman)
2. Sussex Brass (Hastings) (Steve Hollamby)
3. Cobham (Robin Langdon)
4. Charles Church Camberley (Robert Cherry)

Best Instrumentalist: Mick Sole – Snowdown Colliery Brass
Best Back Row Cornets: Snowdown Colliery Brass
Best Bass Section: Sussex Brass (Hastings)
Best Percussion Section: Sussex Brass (Hastings)
Conductors Prize: Keith Twyman – Snowdown Colliery Brass

Youth Section:
Adjudicator: Kevin Wadsworth

1. Wantage Youth Brass (Roger Middlebrook)
2. Shanklin Town Youth (Malcolm Lewis)

Best Instrumentalist: Alex Newcomb Bass Trombone – Wantage Youth
Conductors Prize: Malcolm Lewis – Shanklin Town Youth

scaba Band of the Year 2011:
Snowdown Colliery Brass