Festival showcase for Scottish brass

The 15th edition of the Scottish Festival of Brass takes place over the last two weekends of November in Perth Concert Hall, starting first with the Band Supplies Scottish Challenge on 18 November, when 25 bands across sections 1 - 4 will battle for the Scottish Challenge Trophy on own-choice programmes. The contest commences at 9.30am with the split draw on contest day at 8.30am (for 13 bands) and 12.30am (or 12 bands), and the adjudicators will be Owen Farr and Dave Barringer.

This is the third year that Band Supplies, which has three well-known retail outlets in Leeds and Glasgow, has donated the Scottish Challenge prize money. Band Supplies additionally supports two workshops at the Scottish Challenge, which will this year be led by the international Italian trombone artist, Lito Fontana, who will also give a short recital before the results are announced.

Said Band Supplies MD, Ronnie Tennant: “Band Supplies is keen to support the Scottish Challenge because it’s good for the development of banding in Scotland and we always hope to attract entries from south of the Border. Lower section bands don’t always enjoy as much profile as Championship Section outfits, so it’s essential that we get behind an event such as this one, which gives them a promotional boost.”

As part of the Festival, Fountain City Brass from the USA (competing at Brass in Concert the weekend before) will present a Gala Concert with tuba soloist, Les Neish, on 24 November at 7.30pm, in St. Leonard’s Church, Perth.

Saturday (25th) sees the start of the Scottish Youth Band Championships at 9.00am, which continue on the Sunday (26th) and will be judged by a panel comprising Mark Wilkinson, John Doyle, Steven Mead, Alan Morrison and Les Neish.

As part of the Youth Championships, Salford Graduation Band will give a concert, and a programme of workshops and master classes are also being offered.

The Scottish Open commences at 1.30pm on the Saturday (25th), when 16 bands will be out to impress judges Alan Morrison and Steven Mead on an own-choice test-piece from the following prescribed list of Peter Graham pieces: Harrison’s Dream, Montage, Metropolis 1927 and The Essence of Time.

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