Scottish Co-op back on top in Scotland after yet another victory for Russell Gray.

by Robert Richardson

The West of England Regional Championships in Torquay are always a joy to visit. A good standard of bands in every section, extremely helpful administrative staff and a friendly atmosphere amongst competitors ensures that this region is one in which brass bands will remain strong for generations to come. With some great choices for test-pieces, the weekend was always going to see plenty of good playing and, despite some claims that certain pieces are unsuitable for the section to which they have been assigned, bands in every section here tackled their respective tests with great merit and fine performances were given over both days of contesting.

Megan Allan reports from Swansea.

With only a total of 39 bands making it to the starting line at the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea this year, there was a slightly downbeat feeling to last weekend's Regional Championships in Wales. However, despite the reduction in quantity, the quality of the qualifying performances was highly encouraging in all the five sections, topped by a Championship winning rendition of Salute to Youth from the European Champion, Cory Band, that brought the written comment from adjudicator David Read, ‘Gilbert [Vinter] would have liked this. I can pay you no higher compliment!'
Directed by Dr. Robert Childs, it was also a performance that wrestled the Regional Challenge Trophy out of the grip of reigning champion, Tredegar, directed by Ian Porthouse, which had earlier posted a high-quality defence of the title to book a place at the Royal Albert Hall in October.

by Christopher Thomas

It was in 2003 that Desford Colliery last retained the Midland Regional Championship and, by rights, the band's victory in Bedworth on Sunday should have been a reason to celebrate in style, as it not only sealed the crown and a place at the Royal Albert Hall come October, but also cemented its recently-formed relationship with Russell Gray. The fact that this year's win had something of a hollow feel about it, however, was in part down to the fact that most of the players had already left Bedworth Civic Hall by the time the results were announced, frustrated by the band's performance of Salute to Youth. It was a situation that contributed to a strangely subdued response to John Slater's announcement of the 2009 Champion. Subdued, that is, in contrast to the delighted cheers of Newstead, which will join Desford as this year's Midland representatives in London.

Rothwell storms to victory at Yorkshire Championships

Foden's continues to dominate in the North West

Russell Gray steers Desford to another victory in the Midlands

More glory for Cory as the European Champion regains the Welsh title

Camborne Town returns to the top at the West of England Regional Championships

Following on from last week’s profile of Mike Kilroy, Hammonds Saltaire Band’s principal euphonium reveals his views on the contemporary brass band scene and its future in the UK

by Alan Jenkins

Surprise and business-as-usual were on the menu for visitors to Blackpool last Sunday (1st). En route from the car park to the Winter Gardens in the early morning drizzle, there was time to reflect on the surprising news that Adolf Hitler had ordered the Luftwaffe not to bomb Blackpool as he intended to spend some of his holidays there. Most of the reflection centred upon what would be spared by the wrecking ball, bearing in mind the words of the Führer, revealed in his favourite architect’s Memoirs: ‘Hitler liked to say that the purpose of his building was to transmit his time and its spirit to posterity. Ultimately, all that remained to remind men of the great epochs of history was their monumental architecture…’

by Kenneth Crookston

After the recent Royal Northern College of Music Festival of Brass, it was suggested by this writer that the overall (but not exclusively) meagre standard of performance in the tribute to Gilbert Vinter that took place over that entire weekend may have been a consequence of underestimation of the music’s content and lack of available preparation time, a hypothesis made all the more likely by the complex nature of much of the other music programmed in Manchester. 

The European Brass Band Association (EBBA) has announced an impressive line-up of competing bands for this year’s European Brass Band Championships, which will take place in the Kursall, Ostend, from 30 April to 3 May.

by David B. Diggs, Lehigh University

Waterloo Chamber, Windsor Castle, was the recent venue of a spectacular evening of music and celebration, conceived by Sir Michael Rose, 28th Colonel of the Coldstream Guards, as an opportunity to reflect on the history of the Regiment and its contribution to the music of the nation. A reception in St. George’s Hall for the officers and guests of the Regiment began the evening, followed by the concert in the Waterloo Chamber. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, Senior Colonel Foot Guards, were in attendance for the concert, and to anyone’s recollection, this is the first Regimental concert performed with the Royal Family as guests.

The Scottish Brass Band Association (SBBA) has announced a groundbreaking new initiative, which will see the introduction of an additional element to next weekend’s Scottish Championships.