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Enderby Youth Band makes top three in National Brass Band Contest

Senior Band surpasses several local rivals

26 January 2010   [Contributor: Brian Screaton]

The Enderby Youth Band take a bow
The Enderby Youth Band take a bow after their outstanding
performance at the National Open Brass Band Festival

(Photo: Brian Screaton)

The Brass Band Contest season kicked off in style over the weekend of the 23rd and 24th January at the Butlins Skyline resort in Skegness, with the 'Butlins Mineworkers National Open Brass Band Festival'.

Once only open to Colliery Bands, the Contest now embraces all Brass Bands, but with special awards for the highest placed Mining Bands.

Enderby Youth Brass Band, under the baton of Musical Director Trevor Hounsome, competed in the Youth Championship section, and produced an outstanding performance.

Starting confidently with the march 'Out of the Blue' (well known to those of a certain age as the erstwhile theme to BBC Sports Report), the Band continued with a spine tingling version of Delibes' 'Flower Duet', with Paul Bosworth and Vikki Day dueting on cornets.

A change of mood came with Quincy Jones' 'Soul Bossa Nova' (best known as the theme to the Austin Powers film series), followed by a beautifully delivered hymn, 'Praise my Soul the King of Heaven'.

Rounding off their programme was a sensational performance of the tricky 'MacArthur Park', written by Jimmy Webb, and originally recorded by Richard Harris.

Intense competition

The judges had a hard task, as the competition was intense in the class, and Enderby Youth came away with third prize, and £200.

Enderby Senior Brass Band, conducted by their MD Jonathan Mott, was competing in the First Section, and was up against stiff competition from the 23 other bands in this section.

All had to perform the test piece 'A Hebridean Suite' by Andrew Duncan, comprising a suite of four movements inspired by the rich Celtic heritage of the Outer Hebrides.

Again the judges had a challenging job, and eventually Enderby were placed 12th out of 24, beating such local rivals as Wigston Band and Ibstock Brick Brass into 21st and 15th places respectively.

Over 5,000 people came to the Festival over the two days, showing the depth of interest in Brass Bands and their music.

The next Contest for the Youth Band is the Action Medical Research Youth Brass Band Entertainment Festival at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool on the 14th February, whilst the Senior Band will be competing in the Midlands Area Brass Band Championships at Bedworth on the 13th/14th March.

Further details can be found on the Bands' website (see link below).

 

Associated links

» Enderby Brass Bands

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