13th September 2009 - British Open
Adjudicators: Michael Ball, William Relton, David Read
Test Piece: Titan’s Progress – Hermann Pallhuber
Venue: Symphony Hall, Birmingham
After our demotion from this contest last year, we were very glad to win the Grand Shield and go straight back up again to compete in this contest without a break. The set test piece was Titan’s Progress by Hermann Pallhuber, a blockbuster of a piece which tested the band to the full. The piece was very tricky, and featured lots of percussion.
The band travelled down the day before the contest. Thankfully, this year there were no traffic problems and everyone was on time. We rehearsed in the hotel which led to a less frantic evening. However, we could hear Desford practising just down the corridor! The ceiling of the rehearsal room did seem to be affected though, dropping bits of tile onto the basses…
On contest day the band met and rehearsed before waiting for the draw. When it came through it was excellent, with us playing eleventh. This was a break from the last few years when we had always drawn early!
We met back later in the day and travelled to the hall to perform. Morale was excellent, and the band was on good form. Our performance was just how we wanted it to be, with just a handful of slips, and we came off stage very pleased with how it had gone.
Come results time we were a bit bewildered to be placed fifteenth out of the eighteen bands competing. We can only think that our performance did not find favour because the judges were looking for something different. Some in the band press had us as high as fifth.
The full results of the contest were:
1 Cory Band, Robert Childs, 6
2 Black Dyke, Nicholas Childs, 16
3 Grimethorpe Colliery, Allan Withington, 3
4 Leyland, Jason Katsikaris, 13
5 Brighouse & Rastrick, David King, 8
6 Foden’s, Garry Cutt, 5
7 Desford Colliery, James Gourlay, 1
8 Co-operative Funeralcare, Michael Fowles, 12
9 Kirkintilloch, Selmer Simonsen, 2
10 Brisbane Excelsior, Howard Taylor, 10
11 Hepworth (Cookson Homes), Ian Porthouse, 14
12 Fairey Band, Philip Chalk, 7
13 Hammonds Saltaire, Morgan Griffiths, 17
14 Virtuosi GUS, John Berryman, 15
15 Rothwell Temperance, David Roberts, 11
16 Carlton Main Frickley Colliery, Russell Gray, 9
17 Whitburn, Steven Mead, 18
18 BTM, Tom Davoren, 4
The band did have great fun on the weekend though, and we will be working hard next year to make sure that we are not relegated again. Congratulations go from the band to Cory on their win.
Thanks go to:
- Dai Hale for adding presence to the front row
- Rich Prentice for covering for a poorly Debs at the last minute (Rich actually went to work between the first rehearsal and performance on Saturday! Dedication!)
- Simon Powell on second trombone
- Nick Collier for covering Eb bass as Ed’s wife was due to give birth around the contest day (congratulations Ed!)
This was Richard Golding’s last performance with us for a while. He is moving down south for a while to do a college course. We wish him all the best.
Tim Sawyer
Percussion
24th Sept 2009
