2019 SEWBBA Autumn Festival

Congratulations to City of Cardiff Band, winners of the third and final leg of the 2019 Welsh League series, which took place in Stanwell School in Penarth last weekend. It was an excellent day of competitive action hosted by organisers Kapitol Promotions on behalf of the South East Wales Brass Band Association, with a high standard of playing in each section. Under conductor Christopher Bond, City of Cardiff impressed with an own choice programme that included 'Somewhere Out There' followed by 'Armenian Fire Dance', 'One Day I'll Fly Away', 'Cute' and 'An American Tale'.
 
There was no overall Welsh League Champion this year as no band played in at least two Welsh League contests of the series, but fourth placed BTM and Pontardulais in fifth shared the First Section Welsh League Champion title. 
 
Congratulations are also owed Newport Borough, the Second Division winners, who under Robin Hackett made it a clean-sweep of all three contests to take the Welsh League title for the second year in a row. There was also contest success for Taff Vale Brass in the Third Section as the Welsh Area champion and National Championship runner-up secured victory under MD Gareth Ritter.
 
There was a keenly fought battle in the Fourth Section, where the honours on the day were claimed by Cwmtawe led by Wayne Pedrick, but the overall Welsh League title for a second year in a row went to second placed Gwaun Cae Gurwen conducted by Robert Burnett. His contribution to Welsh banding was marked with a presentation of a Life Membership certificate. 
 
Results:
Championship/First Section:
Adjudicator: David Hirst
1. City of Cardiff M1 (Christopher Bond)
2. Ebbw Valley (Nigel Seaman)
3. Tongwynlais Temperance (Carl Saunders)
4. BTM (Jeff Hutcherson)
5. Pontardulais Town (Paul Jenkins)
6. Markham & District (Matt Rowe)
Best First Section Band: BTM
Best Instrumentalist: Tim Jones (Euphonium) — BTM
Best Trombone: Bethan Cooke (Trombone) — Ebbw Valley
Best Bass Section: BTM
 
Second Section:
Adjudicator: David Hirst
1. Newport Borough (Robin Hackett)
2. Abertillery Town (Joshua Ruck)
3. Mid Rhondda Thomas Coaches (Alan Gibbs)
Best Instrumentalist: Amy Hackett (flugel) — Newport Borough
 
Third Section:
Adjudicator: Christopher Bond
1. Taff Vale (Gareth Ritter)
2. City of Cardiff M2 (Martyn Ford)
3. RAF St Athan Voluntary (Alan Bourne)
4. Severn Tunnel (Gavin Clemons)
5. Briton Ferry Silver (Jeff Pearce)
6. Ynyshir (Dean Evans)
7. Upper Rhondda (Graham Shepherd)
Best Instrumentalist: Claire Bourne (cornet) — RAF St Athan Voluntary
Best Horn Section: Taff Vale
Youngest Player in Sections 4/3: Noah Jones (Ynyshir)
 
Fourth Section:
Adjudicator: Christopher Bond
1. Cwmtawe (Wayne Pedrick)
2. Gwaun Cae Gurwen (Robert Burnett)
3. Crosskeys Silver (Sion Rhys Jones)
4. Cwmbran (Adrian Browning)
5. Oakdale Silver (Kerry Bowden)
6. Newbridge Celynen (Geraint Barnes)
Best Instrumentalist — Ellis Davies (Principal Cornet, Crosskeys Silver)
 
Youth Section:
Adjudicator: Nigel Seaman
M3 (Carol Flanery-Davies) — Gold
Ebbw Valley Academy (Bethan Cooke) — Silver
Rhondda Fach Youth (Angela Westacott) — Silver
M4 (Rebecca Cale) — Bronze
Best Instrumentalist: Soprano Cornet (M3)
Best Cornet: Rhondda Fach Youth
Best Percussion: M3
 
2019 Welsh League Champions:
First Section:
Champion Bands (Joint): BTM, Pontardulais Town
Runner-up: Markham & District
Second Section:
Champion Band: Newport Borough
Runner-up: Mid Rhondda (Thomas Coaches)
Third Section: 
Champion Band: RAF St Athan Voluntary
Runners-up: Severn Tunnel, Taff Vale
Fourth Section:
Champion Band: Gwaun Cae Gurwen
Runner-up: Cwmtawe

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