Following the recent cancellation of the Irish National Band Championships, the Irish Association of Brass and Concert Band organisers decided to run an online solo competition, which has proved to be a great success.
Open contest
The competition was open to all brass, woodwind (who had their own section of results) and percussion players across Ireland, who were required to submit a video of an unaccompanied solo up to 4 minutes in duration.
The entries were divided into age categories of 10 & Under; 11-15; 16-20 and 21 & Over.
134 performers took the opportunity to showcase their playing to give the adjudication panel of Kevin Teers, Stephen Murray, Linda Patton and John Harford a difficult task of picking out the winners.
All of the entries were posted onto our Facebook page of the IABCB
10 & Under (Brass):
1. Rebekah Sharpe (horn) — 1st Old Boys Youth Band
2. Christy Brennan (cornet) — Ballyclare High School Junior Band
3. Archie Dempsey (trumpet), Royal Irish Academy of Music Junior Band
Highly commended: Hugh Davis, Max O'Sullivan, Oliver Green
11-15 years (Brass):
1. Adam Mernin (flugel) — City of Waterford Brass
2. Juliette Harford (trumpet) — Co. Dublin
3. Shane Clinton (trumpet) — Ardee Concert Band
Highly commended: Ronan Tallon, Patrick Dowling, Catherine Finlay, Ciara McKeown, Philip Kelly
Percussion:
1. Duncan Newell (Ballyclare High School Band)
2. Fionn McGrane (Clondalkin Youth Band)
3. Jennifer Rafferty (Knocklyon Concert Band Society)
16-20 years (Brass):
1. Daniel Sharpe (horn) — 1st Old Boys Silver Band
2. Oscar Leamy O'Donovan (euphonium) — Clonakilty Brass Band
3. Andrew Milligan (Eb tuba) — 1st Old Boys Silver Band
Percussion:
1. Niall Black (Eaner Concert Band)
2. Catherine Lynch (Co. Down)
3. Emma Montgomery (Ballyclare High School Wind Band)
21 & Over (Brass):
1. Emma-Lee Meegan (trumpet) — Ardee Concert Band
2. Francis Duffy (cornet) — Navan Silver Band
3. Nigel Hylands (cornet) — 1st Old Boys Silver Band
Best Overall Brass: Daniel Sharpe (Horn) — 1st Old Boys Silver Band
Enjoy the performance
You can enjoy Daniel's performance at: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FbJD4KlOv4eNWFslY0pPcJyDbhwanbVR