The Fodens Band conducted by Garry Cutt has been crowned the All England Masters International Champions for a seventh time in Cambridge on Sunday evening.
Highest quality
With a performance that was described by one adjudicator as 'of the very highest quality and class' the band took the £4,000 first prize off the early number 4 draw, to regain the title they last won in 2007.
Special band
A delighted Garry Cutt told 4BR that he felt this was a performance to be proud of from the band, especially as they knew they had to pull out all the stops off such an early draw. "It makes it special, but this is a special band," he said as he clutched the Masters Trophy and the Stanley Boddington Trophy as winning conductor.
It makes it special, but this is a special bandGarry Cutt
Space and Time
Bruce Broughton’s set work, 'Masters of Space and Time' certainly tested the bands – '…some needed more space and time', adjudicator Derek Broadbent told 4BR, in a contest that saw numerous challenges fall by the wayside after Fodens had played.
Best Instrumentalist
Fodens winning performance was not only hallmarked by outstanding ensemble control and subtle changes in pace and timbre, but also by top quality solo leads too – none more so than 4BR Best Instrumentalist prize winner, Glyn Williams.
"I’m delighted for myself, but even more for the band," he told 4BR after the results.
Reigning champions
In the end it was left to reigning champions Desford to put up the bravest of defences of their title under the baton of Australian Jason Katsikaris. As last band of the day, they very nearly held onto their crown only to be denied by a mixture of Fodens brilliance and one nasty ensemble wobble in a cultured reading. They left Cambridge happy though in picking up £2,000 and the BBC Shield.
Powerful
In third place came Wingates, who delivered a purposeful and very powerful performance under John Hinckley to take the £1,000 prize and the Biggs Franklin Cup, whilst there was Welsh joy after BTM’s impressive reading under Tom Davoren saw them come fourth and pocket £750 and the City of Cambridge Cup.
Well deserved
On the stroke of 10.00am it was Willebroek from Belgium who opened the contest with a cultured reading of the score under Frans Violet, which gave the former European Champions a well deserved fifth place, whilst the last mention off the stage went to the confident Virtuosi GUS Band conducted by John Berryman.
Further coverage
Further pictures of the day can be found on 4BR twitter's site,
http://twitter.com/4barsrest
Retrospectives and interviews from the day will appear on Monday evening.
Test piece:
Masters of Space and Time, Bruce Broughton.
Adjudicators:
Derek Broadbent, Ronald Holz, Steve Sykes
Results
1. Fodens Richardson, Garry Cutt, 4
2. Desford Colliery, Jason Katsikaris, 18
3. Wingates, John Hinckley, 16
4. Bedwas Trethomas and Machen (BTM), Tom Davoren, 11
5. Brass Band Willebroek, Frans Violet, 1
6. Virtuosi GUS, John Berryman, 7,
7. Carlton Main Frickley Colliery, Russell Gray, 14
8. Reg Vardy, Nicholas Childs, 12
9. Aveley and Newham, Nigel Taken, 8
10. Rothwell Temperance, David Roberts, 5
11. Metropole Brass Band, Guy Audenaert, 9
12. Brass Band Buizingen, Luc Vertommen, 6
13. Sovereign Brass, Jason Glyn, 17
14. Pemberton Old Wigan JJB, Mark Bentham, 10
15. Redbridge, Jeremy Wise, 3
16. 1st Old Boys Association Silver, Stephen Cairns, 15
17. Zone One, Richard Ward, 2
18. Jaguar (Coventry), David Lea, 13
4barsrest.com — Best Instrumentalist:
Glyn Williams (Euphonium) — Fodens Richardson
