Tough Choice for Ton
Tongwynlais Temperance Band have secured Championship status and are taking their next steps on journey to rebuild and refocus.
With an historic past and legacy but with challenges common to all aspiring bands the Tongwynlais Temperance Band returned to the Area contest with the single mission to secure its place in the hotly contested Wales Championship section.
Under the direction of MD Carl Saunders, the band drew number two, performing in between Welsh giants Tredegar and Cory and thanks to a well managed performance the Cardiff-based band, who surprised many with their determined return, achieved fifth place to secure their status in the top-flight in Wales.
Despite the immediate success the band’s up and downs have been well documented. According to Band Manger Gareth Hann, “Ton have been privileged to compete on the highest stage in Wales, the UK and in Europe” he said, speaking after the contest, “We’ve also been able to provide a launch pad for some of the emerging talent in banding. But this time last year we reached a real crossroads and have had to do a lot of soul searching to determine the way forward.”
Based on recent experiences the band will focus on local contests and the Nationals competition but will forgo its place in the Spring Festival. Gareth continued, “Contesting will remain an important platform for us, but we also need to concentrate on developing our local audience and supporters. We’re also keen to welcome back previous members as well as new players as we plan for the future. Our performance on the weekend was possible due to the generous support we received from a few individual players joining us for the contest and the hard work and commitment of our core members.”
The story will be familiar with many bands. However, challenges on the contest stage haven’t diminished the band’s commitment to the next generation of musicians. In recent years, the band has been developing its Tongwynlais Music Academy in its purpose-built facility in north Cardiff. The Academy offers a wide range of instrumental and ensemble tuition, including woodwind, strings and pop music. It also provides a home to Taff Vale Brass band who for the third time secured a place in the national finals in Cheltenham.
Recently appointed MD, Carl Saunders concluded, “The band’s work ethic has been immense these last few weeks and is part of a wider rebuilding programme that will hopefully open up new avenues to bring top class brass music to a wider audience. With hard work and commitment, it’s also a chance to put brass banding firmly on the map within the capital city of Wales and hopefully much further afield.”
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