The 50th anniversary of Tredegar Junior Band winning the Butlins National Youth Brass Band Championship of Great Britain is to be marked by a special reunion evening in February.

It is being organised former members Melanie Kennedy and Julie Rooke, both of whom were part of the band that claimed the title at the Royal Albert Hall in 1974.

Welsh and National champion

The night will also mark the Welsh title victory against eight other rivals in Swansea also under conductor Tudor Williams.

Later the same day, 8 members of the band and the MD also helped the senior Tredegar Band qualify for the Royal Albert Hall National Final.

The first Butlins National Championship Final took place at the Royal Albert Hall on 5th October with the band claiming the title against eight rivals playing 'Torch of Freedom' by Eric Ball and 'Patterns' by Edward Gregson.

National title winning conductors

Players in the ranks that day included both a trio of players who all went on the conduct National title winning bands in their own right — Robert and Nicholas Childs with Cory and Black Dyke, and Nigel Weeks who claimed both New Zealand and Australian honours. The youngest member of the band was 9 year old Iwan Fox.

The band returned to Wales as the first holders of the Butlins Trophy (later used as the prize for the most entertaining Championship Section at the Butlins Mineworkers Championships in Skegness and as part of their prize made a LP recording on the Decca label. They also went on to retain the title in 1975.

Details

The evening is being held in Tredegar on Friday 21st February, with over half the original band already confirmed as attending.

For further details please contact Melanie Kennedy on: melanie598@btinternet.com