The first annual Lytham Brass Festival took place on Saturday 21st March at St. Cuthbert’s Church, Lytham.

Organised by Sylvia Howard, and adjudicated by Malcolm Brownbill, there was a healthy entry of solo and quartets with the following results.

Results:

Primary Slow Melody:
1. Gemma Riley (Pemberton Youth Band)
2. Asim Iqbal (St. Annes)

Junior Slow Melody:
1. Jonathan Bates (Thurlston Band)
2. Leslie Harrison (Blackpool Training Band)

Open Slow Melody:
1. Richard Cookson (Bass — Preston)
2. Tom Johnson (Soprano — Blackburn and Darwen Band)

Open Quartet:
1. Freckleton Tuba Quartet
2. United Co-op Crewe Cornet Quartet

Helpful

Malcolm’s comments were, as ever, helpful and constructive whilst completely honest, and he was keen to point out that the Slow Melody and Quartet styles were hard to master as some competitors had shown, while nerves played a part in a number of performances.

The event ran smoothly, with a lovely venue both acoustically and aesthetically, good warm up facilities, healthy prize money and food provided by a Michelin Starred chef to boot4BR

Entries

There were entries from all over the North West, with United Co-op Crewe providing 4 of the 8 quartet entries, and Blackburn and Darwen, the Longridge Trombones, Longridge Basses and Freckleton Tuba Quartet making up the entries. Hopefully next year’s event will attract even more entries and may include an Air-Varie solo section as well.

Smoothly

The event ran smoothly, and to time, with a lovely venue both acoustically and aesthetically, good warm up facilities, healthy prize money and food provided by a Michelin Starred chef to boot.

Gala Concert

The day concluded with a gala concert by the Freckleton Band, with guest soloist internationally renowned Soprano Nicola Howard, also featuring the bands soloists Alex Thomas (cornet), Caroline Cross (horn), Patrick Howard (euphonium) and Peter Lockett(Eb Bass).

No date for next year’s festival is set yet, but it will probably be in April, after Easter, but before the Spring Festival.