Hundreds of performers representing bands from up and down the country, took part in the annual Leicestershire Brass Band Association Spring Festival: Solo, Duet and Quartet competition, at Groby Community College, Leicestershire.

Eleven sections

Adjudicators Steve Pritchard-Jones, Dave Lea and Mark Smith keenly listened to the performances across the eleven sections, with competitors as young as six years of age taking to the stage to perform.

Top names

The growth in the event’s popularity and prestige saw a number of competitors from some of the country’s top bands, with members of Brighouse & Rastrick, Leyland and Fairey featuring in the prizes.

LBBA Chairman Steve Plant told 4BR: "We were delighted with the quality and quantity of the competitors, and particularly the range of bands now entering the contest with new bands entering for the first time each year."

Rising star

In the Junior Sections, rising star Freddie Buchanan of Hathern Youth Band produced a number of excellent performances to claim prizes in the 10 years and under Slow Melody, the Junior Air Varie (18 and under) and the Junior Hymn tune sections.

Meanwhile, leading the field in the Open Slow Melody was trombonist Daniel Brooks, from National Champion Brighouse & Rastrick.

Joining Daniel, in winning the Open Duets title, was bass trombonist Stephen Lomas from Leyland, as they impressed adjudicator Steve Pritchard-Jones with their performance of ‘Conversation for Tenor and Bass Trombone’.

Blidworth and Co-op triumph

In the Open Air and Variations sections, regaining the Open Champion title once more was Sarah Lenton from Fairey, whilst a happy quartet of David Hirst, Jaqui Oswin, Janice Gregory and Andy Baldwin from the Blidworth Miners Welfare Band took first prize in the Open Quartets, performing ‘Air and Rondo’.

It proved to be a very good event for the Leicestershire Co-op Band with Harry Lear taking the Junior Slow Melody title, whilst he then teamed up with Bethan Brown, Chloe Hudson and Marina Slee to take the Junior Quartet title too.

There were also prizes for Sheila Dixon and Jo Priestly the Open Duet class, Hannah Capstack, Frances, Eve Gallimore and Abigail Barham in the Junior Hymn Tune Quartet.

The band’s MD, Graham Jacklin told 4BR: "Our training programme is really starting to pay dividends, we have a number of youngsters who are now playing in the senior band. Their quality is shining through at these contests, which we have always supported and we can now be competitive as well."

We were delighted with the quality and quantity of the competitors, and particularly the range of bands now entering the contest with new bands entering for the first time each yearChairman, Steve Plant

Congratulate

Secretary Lesley Bentley told 4BR: "The LBBA would like to congratulate all of the prize winners, and in particular those young performers participating in their first contest. The association now looks forward to their next solo, duet and quartet event for member bands, which will take place on Sunday 7th October."

Further information and pictures from the event can be found at www.lbba.org.uk

Results:

Section A: Junior Slow Melody (10 years and under)
1. Freddie Buchanan – Hathern Youth
2. Joshua Watson – Harborough
3. James Glover – Crich Brass

Section B: Junior Slow Melody (11-14 years)
1. Harry Lear – Leicestershire Co-operative
2. Harriet Coulton – Ratby Mid
3. Will Thirkell – Shirland Welfare Training

Section C: Junior Slow Melody (15 – 18 years)
1. Lewis Squires – Ireland Colliery
2. Richard Bates – Gresley Colliery
3. Jack Rudin – Enderby

Section D: Junior Air Varie (18 years and under)
1. Freddie Buchanan – Hathern Youth
2. Harry Lear – Leicestershire Co-operative
3= Bethan Brown – Leicestershire Co-operative
3= Lewis Squires – Ireland Colliery

Section E: Open Slow Melody
1. Daniel Brooks – Brighouse & Rastrick
2. Patrica Woodings – Newhall
3. Louise Edgar – Leyland

Section F: Open Air Varie
1. Sarah Lenton – Fairey
2. Glen Birks – Shirebrook (Unison)
3. Daniel Brooks – Brighouse & Rastrick

Section G: Open Duets
1. D. Brooks & S Lomas — Brighouse & Rastrick and Leyland
2. S. Dixon & J Priestly – Leicestershire Co-operative
3. A. Whittle & L Squires – Chapeltown and Ireland Colliery

Section H: Junior Quartet Hymn Tune (14 yrs and under)
1. Hathern Youth
2. Shirland ‘A’
3. Leicestershire Co-operative ‘B’

Section I: Junior Quartet (18 and under)
1. Leics Co-op ‘A’
2. Ratby Youth ‘B’
3. Ratby Youth ‘A’

Section J: Open Quartet
1. Blidworth Miners Welfare
2. The Wigston Band ‘B’
3. Leicestershire Co-operative ‘B’

Section K: Open Percussion
1. Edward Brown – Hathern Training