Band Number 17: Black Dyke

Very nice opening, lovely control. Good balance and great precision across the band. Very neat and very effective. Nice big sound and balance maintained. Good detail is making this a strong performance.

Precision is outstanding in this performance, the flow is wonderful and everything is being heard. The solo sections are balanced and work well together. A performance with a bit of everything. A great finish to a great performance, I think the adjudicators will like this. BB 21-10-23

My overriding thought of the wonderful contest was the chosen test piece, I will stand on the highest point possible and ask for a new piece of music, but there is no doubt in my mind that ‘of Men and Mountains’ was a great choice for the contest. A piece that is over 17 minutes but didn’t feel like it, has some edge of the seat moments while at the same time having sit back and enjoy moments. Very few bands came away from their performance unscathed, the top 3 placings were the bands that really brought the piece to life, painted us all a picture and took us on a journey.

What I also enjoyed is that some of the bands that didn’t feature in the prizes put in great performances, there were a few slips, but the piece was well presented and had a lovely flow. I really enjoyed some of the bands performances that came away in the 2nd half of the results.

Huge congratulations to Black Dyke on a memorable win, to Foden’s and Cory for pushing them so hard and to Edward Gregson for a great piece.

Thanks also to Kapitol for a very well run contest, in a time when everything is so expensive they continue to give us all the very best for banding, top venue, top test pieces and top adjudicators, the cost of running the contest is eye watering.

To those that made the journey to London, your support of the contest is essential, I am sure we all spent a little more than we had planned, but in doing so we support the event continuing in this iconic venue, we keep the contest promoters happy that their huge investment in this contest is worth while and we can all look forward to another great day out for the National Finals in 2024.

1.   Black Dyke                               

2.  Foden's                                       

3.  Cory                                   

4.  Tredegar                                         

5.  Brighouse & Rastrick                   

6.  Hammonds

7.  Llwydcoed

8.  GUS Band

9.  Zone One

10. Aldbourne                                     

11. Whitburn

12. EverReady Band

13. Camborne

14. Flowers                                           

15. Leyland

16. WFEL Fairey

17. the cooperation band

18. Friary Brass                                     

19. NASUWT Riverside

20. Ratby Co-operative