Cheltenham National Finals

Following a fantastic weekend of banding at Cheltenham Racecourse, four bands have returned to their regions as newly crowned National Champions. The first band to claim the title was Boarshurst Silver Band from the North West area. Under the direction of James Garlick the band impressed judges Paul Holland and Tom Davoren with their performance of Steven Ponsford's Music of a Legacy. The Fourth section completed the first day's contesting with a wonderful performance of Petite Suite de Ballet by Eric Ball from the Scottish band, Newmains and District and their conductor Michael Marzella. 

Sunday brought another exciting day beginning with the Third Section competition, which saw rising star BD1 and their musical director, Lee Skipsey crowned National Champions. The Yorkshire outfit gave a superb performance of Gareth Wood's Hinemoa which found favour with adjudicators Mark Wilkinson and Glyn Williams. The weekend concluded with the First Section competition with 17 performances of another piece from the pen of Eric Ball for judges Michael Fowles and Paul Holland to adjudicate. North West regional champions Pemberton Old Wigan DW were guided to National victory by their conductor Ben Dixon, with a fabulous performance of Tournament for Brass, that also saw their cornet player Joanne Johnson scoop the soloist prize. Congratulations to the organisers, bands, conductors, adjudicators and traders that made the 2017 Cheltenham weekend such a success.  

A full report and photo gallery will appear in the October edition of BBW. 

FIRST SECTION RESULTS 
Test Piece: Tournament for Brass (Eric Ball) 
Adjudicators: Michael Fowles and Paul Holland 

1. Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Ben Dixon)
   2. Bathgate (Anne Crookston)
   3. Kidlington Concert (Duncan Wilson) 
   4. Regent Brass (Paul Archibald) 
   5. Unite the Union (John Roberts) 
   6. Newtongrange Silver (Andrew Duncan) 
   7. Rainford (Gareth Brindle) 
   8. Bournemouth Concert (Melvin White) 
   9. Parc and Dare (Jonathan Pippen) 
   10. Rushden Town (Adele Hudson) 
   11. Shepherd Group (Richard Wilton) 
   12. SW Comms (Chris Spreadbury) 
   13. Marsden Silver (Alan Widdop) 
   14. Hitchin (Graham Chambers) 
   15. Foresters 2000 (John Davis) 
   16. Llanrug (Keith Jones) 
   17. Westoe (Callum Harrison) 

Best Instrumentalist: Joanne Johnson (cornet) Pemberton Old Wigan DW 

SECOND SECTION RESULTS 
Test Piece: Music of a Legacy (Steven Ponsford) 
Adjudicators: Tom Davoren and Paul Holland 

1. BoarshurstSilver (James Garlick) 
   2. Glossop Old (Duncan Beckley) 
   3. Dalkeith & Monktonhall (James Chamberlain) 
   4. Delph (Philip Goodwin) 
   5. Otterbourne Brass (Melvin White) 
   6. Worsbrough (John Hopkinson) 
   7. Amersham (Paul Fisher) 
   8. Flixton (Ian Brownbill) 
   9. Bodmin Town (John Maines) 
   10. Wakefield Metropolitan (Richard Larder) 
   11. Foss Dyke (Michael Howley) 
   12. Helston Town (John Berryman) 
   13. Grimsdyke (Sarah Broughall) 
   14. Houghton Brass (Neil Gibson) 
   15. Arbroath Instrumental (Micahel Robertson) 
   16. Abergavenny Borough (Sean O’Neill) 
   17. Penclawdd (Tony Small BEM) 
   18. Ashington Colliery (David Kendall) 
   Best Instrumentalist: Nigel Fielding (soprano) Glossop Old 

THIRD SECTION RESULTS 
Test Piece: Hinemoa (Gareth Wood) 
Adjudicators: Mark Wilkinson and Glyn Williams 
 

1. BD1 (Lee Skipsey)
   2. Trinity Girls (Ryan Watkins)
   3. Abertillery & District (Joshua Ruck) 
   4. Castleton Brass (Peter Ryan) 
   5. Shirland Welfare (Lynden Cooper) 
   6. Newport Borough (Robin Hackett) 
   7. Ifton Colliery (Scott Lloyd) 
   8. Rolls Royce (Derby) (Graham Cardwell) 
   9. St David’s Brass (John Dickson) 
   10. Irvine & Dreghorn (Helen Douthwaite-Teesdale) 
   11. Rivington & Adlington (Matthew Whitfield) 
   12. Oxford Cherwell (Terry Brotherhood) 
   13. Formby (Louise Hough MBE) 
   14. Cheltenham Silver (Nigel Galliott) 
   15. Midsomer Norton & Radstock Silver (Joanne Sykes) 
   16. Barton Community (Garry Oglesby) 
   17. West Yorkshire Police (Kevin Wadsworth) 
   18. Kingsway Printers (Cleethorpes) (Brian Harper) 
   19. Corsham (Colin Hogg) 

Best Instrumentalist: Alex Crisp (Solo Horn): BD1 Brass 

FOURTH SECTION RESULTS 
Test Piece: Petite Suite de Ballet (Eric Ball) 
Adjudicators: Stan Lippeatt and Mark Wilkinson 

1. Newmains& District (Michael Marzella) 
   2. City of Norwich (Andrew Craze) 
   3. Seindorf Arian yr Oakeley (John Jones) 
   4. Jayess Newbiggin (Andrew Griffiths) 
   5. Brindle (Keith Richmond) 
   6. Hatherleigh Silver (Matthew Green) 
   7. Dysart Colliery (Ross Brotherston) 
   8. Clifton & Lightcliffe B (John Clay) 
   9. Regent Community (Chris Bearman) 
   10. Allerton (Adam Taylor) 
   11. Thornton Cleveleys (Stephen Craig) 
   12. Saltash Town (Robert Julian) 
   13. RAF St Athan Voluntary (Alan Bourne) 
   14. Huddersfield & Ripponden (Adam Bell) 
   15. Shanklin Town (Malcolm Lewis) 
   16. Watford (Ian Graves) 
   17. Corby Silver (Catherine Fountain) 
   18. Cleobury Mortimer Concert (Saphran Ali) 
   19. Fairfield (Buxton) (Charles Kitchen) 
   20. Trimdon Concert (Tina Mortimer) 

Best Instrumentalist: Euphonium, Newmains & District 
Youngest Player: Cornet Player: Matthew Earley (Saltash Town) 

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