This rousing march by Dave Collins is a dedication to the remarkable group of volunteers and the unsung heroes who run the iconic Whit Friday brass band contests each year.

Discount

BrookWright is offering a 25% discount for bands who perform this march at the Whit Friday Contest. To claim the discount, please send a scan or photo of your band's adjudication card after the event to info@brookwrightmusic.com

The Whit Friday contests are synonymous with the brass band tradition in the local Tameside and Saddleworth communities — kept going by the incredible passion of 'The Stewards' who oversee everything from putting out the stands to booking judges, health and safety requirements to raising the thousands of pounds of prize money.

Inspiration

Speaking about the work the composer said: "Traditionally on Whit Friday morning, 'Hail! Smiling Morn', also known as 'Praise Ye the Lord', is heard across the Saddleworth villages. This is where I have taken my inspiration, and the entire march is built upon quotes and references of this joyous work.

'The Stewards' has many traditional elements drawing on the vast repertory of well-known marches, as well as some untraditional techniques and harmonies."

Fun and entertaining

He added: "The work aims to be a good test for the bands in its performance, but also fun and entertaining for the players and audiences alike — featuring a cheeky cornet solo, thunderous bass feature, and lyrical euphonium melodies, before concluding with a triumphant quote from the original source material.

To you all who perform or hear this work, the stewards of the brass band tradition, HAIL!"

To you all who perform or hear this work, the stewards of the brass band tradition, HAIL!Composer, Dave Collins

Follow the score:

To view a follow-the-score video featuring Tredegar Town Band performing the work please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CNgqvc534s

PDF and Sheet Music

PDF download includes score and parts and comes in both A4 size and A5 landscape parts for marching purposes. A single page A5 conductor reduced score is also included.

PDFs available from https://www.brookwrightmusic.com/product-page/march-the-stewards-brass-band-dave-collins

Sheet music:
UK: www.brassband.co.uk or www.durhammusic.co.uk

USA: www.solidbrassmusic.com

Difficulty Level: 3rd Section +