There were plenty of celebrations as well as outstanding playing to enjoy at the recent Besson Scottish Solo & Ensemble Championships at the Regal Theatre in Bathgate.

Blue Riband

Brass trombonist Kyle MacCorquodale took the 'Blue Riband' Open Solo honours, as the BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Award semi-finalist left adjudicators David Childs and Davur Juul Magnussen in no doubt after his superb rendition of 'Riffs, Tammuz and Kislev', by Daniel Schnyder.

It enabled Kyle (above) to beat off the challenge of a very strong field of rivals — led by runner-up Rachel Neil on horn with Ray Munday on flugel completing the podium finishers.

Experience

Elsewhere, the highly experienced Iain Fleming was once again crowned Slow Melody champion following his lyrical rendition of 'Demelza', with success also for Co-operative Funeralcare Band's trombone quartet, which claimed the Ensemble Award, whilst Heather Wilson was crowned Percussion Solo Champion and a group from James Young High School won the Ensemble Award.

Youth winners

The weekend also saw regional qualifiers gathered in Livingston for the finals of the various youth competitions.

Rising euphonium starr Chris Flynn, of Co-operative Funeralcare, took the honours in the Intermediate Solo Competition with a commanding performance, whilst members of Campbeltown Brass returned to Kintyre delighted after enjoying considerable success.

Horn player Andrew McMillan came out on top in the Under 12 solo contest playing 'La Belle Americaine', ahead of fellow member, Erin McLellan. Ensembles from the band also enjoyed victories in the Junior and Intermediate contests.

Proud

Other victories saw euphonium player Sarah Knight from Carnoustie, win the Youth Solo competition and the quartet from Dalmellington come out on top in the Youth Ensemble category.

Carrie Boax, SBBA President, commented: "Scotland's solo and ensemble players have done themselves proud. Over two days, we were treated to some fantastic music making from performers of all ages and levels of experience.

The importance of playing a solo or as part of an ensemble cannot be underestimated in a player's development so we were delighted to see so many soloists and ensembles, on brass and percussion, taking part."

Brass trombonist Kyle MacCorquodale took the 'Blue Riband' Open Solo honours, leaving adjudicators David Childs and Davur Juul Magnussen in no doubt after his superb rendition of 'Riffs, Tammuz and Kislev'4BR

Results:
Adjudicators: David Childs, Davur Juul Manussen, Alasdair Rankin

Open Solo:
1. Kyle MacCorquodale (bass trombone) — 98
2. Rachel Neil (horn) — 96
3. Ray Munday (flugel) — 94
4. David McKellar (euphonium) — 93
5. Iain Fleming (horn) — 92
6. Dean Bromage (cornet) — 91
7. Sarah Knight (euphonium) — 90
8. Gareth Ross (baritone) — 89
9. Carole Ednie (baritone) — 88
10. Shona Hutchison (horn) — 87
11. John Walker (euphonium) — 86
12. Ross Bahlaj (trombone) — 85

Champion of Champions: Kyle MacCorquodale
Phillip McCann Award for Best Cornet: Dean Bromage
George Gilmour Award for Best Trombone: Kyle MacCorquodale
Bram Thomson Award for Best Horn: Rachel Neil
John Stark Award for Best Euphonium: David McKellar
David Young Award for Best Over 40 Soloist: Ray Munday
Best Flugel: Ray Munday
Best Baritone: Gareth Ross

Open Slow Melody:
1. Iain Fleming (horn) — 90
2. Dean Bromage (cornet) — 88
3. Shona Hutchison (horn) — 87
4. Stuart Black (flugel) — 86
5. Rachel Neil (horn) — 84
6. Karen Hamilton (soprano) — 83
7. David McKellar (euphonium) — 82
8. Alan Douglas (baritone) — 81
9. John Walker (euphonium) — 80
10. Frazer Kirk (euphonium) — 79
11. Mark Elwis (cornet) — 78
12. Gareth Ross (baritone) — 77
13. Euan Meikle (flugel) — 76
14. Rhegan Fraser (horn) — 75
15. Carole Ednie (baritone) — 74
16. Georgia Adamson (cornet) — 73
17. Ross Bahlaj (trombone) — 72

Open Ensembles:
1. Co-operative Funeralcare trombone quartet — 94
2. Kingdom Brass Baribones — 90

Open Duets:
1. Karen Hamilton & Carole Ednie — 82
2. Joanne Koziel & Claire Miller — 81

Open Percussion Solo:
1. Heather Wilson — 94
2. Amber Wilson — 93

Open Percussion Ensembles:
1. James Young High School — 93
2. Deans Community High School — 92

Youth Ensembles:
1. Dalmellington Band
2. Bathgate Band
3. Argyll Brass
4. Tullis Russell Mills Youth Band

Youth Solo:
1.) Sarah Knight (euphonium) — 90
2.) Leighton Griffin (euphonium) — 89
3.) Rebecca Wilson (cornet) — 88
4.) Rhegan Fraser (horn) — 86
5.) Mark Elwis (cornet) — 85
6.) Harry Marshall (cornet) — 83
7.) Paul Jamieson (tuba) — 80
8.) Rachel O' Conner (horn) — 79
9= Naomi Henderson (euphonium) — 77
9= Andrew Pennycook (tuba) — 77

Intermediate Ensemble:
1. Campbeltown Quartet A (Gold)
2. Hawick High School (Gold)
3. Carnoustie B (Gold)

Silver:
Campbeltown Quartet B
Carnoustie A
James Young High School

Bronze:
Coalburn Bronze
Tullis Russell Mills Youth A
Tullis Russell Mills Youth B
Tullis Russell Mills Youth C

Intermediate Solo:
1. Chris Flynn (euphonium) (Gold)
2. Jordan Robertson (trombone) (Gold)
3. Carol Ednie (baritone) (Gold)

Gold:
Gavin Johnson (tuba)
Owen Pickering (bass trombone)

Silver:
Calum Blair (cornet)
Madeline Hume (flugel)
Molly Marshall (tuba)
Finlay McGhee (euphonium)
Calum Robb (cornet)
Morgan Tait (cornet)

Bronze:
Georgia Adamson (cornet)
Tanera Calleghan (cornet)
Amy Gray (trombone)
Paul Mathiers (baritone)

Junior Ensembles:
1. Campbeltown Brass A (Gold)
2. Carnoustie (Silver)
3. Berwickshire Brass (Bronze)

Bronze:
Campbeltown Brass B

Junior Solos:
1. Andrew McMillan (horn) — Campbeltown (Gold)
2. Erin McLellan (cornet) — Campbeltown (Gold)
3. Gregor Koziel (cornet) — Tullis Russell Mills (Gold)

Gold:
Kyle Paterson (euphonium) — Campbeltown Brass

Silver:
Lucy Crabb (horn) — Brechin City
Kyle O'Neil (cornet) — Tullis Russell Mills
Christopher Yeaman (cornet) — Carnoustie | Silver

Bronze:
Callum Anderson (cornet) — St Ronan's
Eliza Bevan (trombone) — Duns Primary
Jemima Bevan (trumpet) — Duns Primary
Emma Brown (cornet) — Whitburn Youth Band
Cameron Hamilton (cornet) — Tullis Russell Mills
Emma Jenkins (cornet) — Newtongrange Junior
Thomas Kobine (horn) — Monikie Primary
Ben Mapston (cornet) — Loanhead Brass Roots
Freya McLeman (cornet) — Galashiels Town