5th March 2000 - Yorkshire Area (Championship)
Adjudicator: Philip Sparke
Test Piece: Variations on an Enigma, Philip Sparke
Venue: St George’s Hall, Bradford
The band achieved a disappointing 8th place in this year’s area contest at St George’s Hall in Bradford. Too many slips on stage reduced the quality of performance, and the band knew that they could play the piece much better than was apparent on the day.
The piece was very exciting, and taxed all the different sections of the band, with solos for many. It also featured the most percussion we have ever had to use, including a Marimba (like a big xylophone), which hardly any band has. I opted to play the one provided on stage – having never played one before! There was also a huge timp part, which Kath Kearsley played. Kath did not really feel she was strong enough to play the part at the required volume, but performed extremely well on the day.
We drew 6th, which was just before Yorkshire Building Society, the eventual winners of the contest. Brighouse drew 1st, which was perhaps a very good draw as they had already qualified for the finals in London, due to their second place last year. No band playing first has ever won the top section area contest in Yorkshire.
This result brings the band’s record breaking run of six national finals in a row to a close. It was always going to be very hard to maintain the record in the Championship section, and this contest appears to have seen a return to form by the very top bands.
The top results were as follows:
1. Yorkshire Building Society 2. Grimethorpe Colliery RJB 3. Black Dyke Band 4. Todmorden Old 5. Brighouse & Rastrick 6. Sellers International 7. DUT Yorkshire Imps Rothwell 8. Rothwell Temperance 9. Hepworth 10. Calrton Main Frickley Colliery 11. ntl Skelmanthorpe 12. PHG LindleyAll eyes now look forward to the Grand Shield in May. This is the first year that we have been invited to take part in this contest.
Finally, the band would like to offer their congratulations to Glyn Kearsley (Kath’s husband) and the Wetherby Band on their win in the fourth section, and wish them every success in the finals in the Royal Albert Hall in October.
Tim Sawyer
Percussion
6th March 2000
