Blaenavon Town Band Wychavon  Festival of Brass

Sunday 17th September 2006

Wychavon Festival of Brass

IT WAS a long way to go and it was a very early start but the end results justified the effort made when the band played at the Wychavon Festival of Brass held in Evesham on September 17th.

It was nearly a clean sweep of the Third Section and only some minor slips prevented us from claiming first prize according to adjudicator David Hirst. As it was, we were awarded the Best Percussion cup and the Best Soloist cup. The winners of this section were West Mercia Constabulary Band. So very often the percussion section of a band is overshadowed by the brass players but on this occasion our percussionists, John Corcoran, Jan Jones and Chris Sefton, came to the fore and were rewarded with the percussion cup. Joanne Corcoran, as ever, was absolutely spot on in tone and delivery with her flugel solo, “Marianne”.

In view of a limited rehearsal time between the Eisteddfod in August and Wychavon, musical director, Alun Hathaway, (he got married in the interval) elected to play the same programme of James Curnow’s “Fanfare”, Rimmer’s “Old Comrades”, “Marianne”, “Ticket to Ride” and the last section of “Laudate Dominum”.

The alarm clock that went off in some households at 5am and the coach drive up the M50 in thick mist were forgotten in the euphoria of this successful contest. However, the band feels that maybe second best is not good enough and we will be going to Ammanford in October determined to emulate our Eisteddfod performance and come away with the first prize. Our chosen piece is again “Laudate Dominum.” 

Thanks to players who helped us out – Dave on Bbb bass, Neil on baritone, Dave on horn and Chris on percussion.

Third Section:
1. Band of West Mercia Constabulary (Steve Pritchard-Jones) – 86pts
2. Blaenavon Town (Alun Hathaway) – 85pts
3. Avonbank (Evesham) (Nick Smith) – 84pts
4. Bratton Silver (Mike Winter) – 83pts
5. Malvern Hills and District (Mike West) – 82pts

Adjudicator: David Hirst

Best Soloist: Joanne Corcoran, flugel (Blaenavon Town)
Best Percussion: Blaenavon Town