The Loxley Silver Band certainly went through the whole range of contesting emotions at the Yorkshire Regional Championships in Huddersfield in the weekend.
On the day they travelled from their base in north Sheffield to rehearse at a local Parish Church ahead of their appearance in the Fourth Section.
Pale and lethargic
However, it soon became apparent that principal trombone player Will Ormesher (who is usually full of life) had become very unwell indeed, with the 19 year old turning pale green and becoming very lethargic.
Thankfully the band has no less than four highly experienced doctors in their ranks, so he was made comfortable on a church pew, quickly assessed and sent to hospital where within the next hour he had undergone an emergency blood transfusion.
Musical triage
Thankfully, Will has made a rapid recovery, but as MD Lee Dunkley told 4BR, on the day it meant some equally quick- thinking triage musical attention.
"The week before the contest our solo baritone had to pull out as his wife was ill in hospital, so we managed to sign James Booth literally minutes before the deadline. James is a cornet player however, but in a week he had mastered the baritone.
However, an hour before we took to the stage I had managed to write a few extra trombone parts out for him to play as well — which he did brilliantly, by using two stands to cope with the extra manuscript!"
it goes to show that when things do go wrong a great brass band full of brilliant people always pulls togetherMD, Lee Dunkley
Podium finish
Incredibly given the circumstances, the band came third, with Lee adding: "To come in the prizes after all that was a brilliant achievement — and it goes to show that when things do go wrong a great brass band full of brilliant people always pulls together.
The whole band would like to pay enormous gratitude to all our doctors especially Dr Becky Hirst for their expert help and to James for his heroics. Will is also on the mend, so after all that, we won't forget our appearance at this Area contest for a very long time!"
