Scotland's hopefuls all set for Cheltenham

The stage is set at The Centaur, Cheltenham

Scotland’s eight participants in the coming weekend’s National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain will hopefully use the remarkable runners-up result achieved by Whitburn at last weekend’s British Open as a spur to success as they make the long trip south to compete against qualifiers from the other seven UK regions at The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse.

 Steven Ponsford’s Music of a Legacy is the set test-piece for Saturday morning’s 2nd Section contest which sees Scottish representatives Dalkeith and Monktonhall (James Chamberlain) and Arbroath Instrumental (Michael Robertson) attempt to reverse the recent trend of disappointing Cheltenham returns for Scottish bands, particularly in the 2nd Section. Dalkeith’s last ‘Nationals’ appearance was in the 1st Section contest in 2012 while Arbroath appeared at the 2nd Section final at Harrogate in 2009. Paul Holland and Tom Davoren will be on hand to adjudicate the first of four weekend contests at the Gloucestershire racecourse. 

Scottish 2nd Section champion, Arbroath Instrumental

On Saturday afternoon, the resurgent duo of Dysart Colliery (Ross Brotherston) and Newmains and District (Michael Marzella) will tackle Eric Ball’s Petite Suite de Ballet in the 4th Section in front of a judging panel consisting of Stan Lippeatt and Mark Wilkinson. Dysart Colliery will be hopeful that its detailed planning ahead of the event, which included a recent weekend collaboration with the Whitburn Band, will stand it in good stead on the national stage while Newmains and District will endeavour to continue its phoenix-like return from 20 years in the wilderness with a bold show at the National Championships.

Dysart securing 4th Section title in Perth

 Sunday morning at ‘The Centaur’ at Cheltenham Racecourse venue sees Irvine and Dreghorn (Helen Douthwaite-Teesdale) and St. David’s Brass (John Dickson) perform Gareth Wood’s Hinemoa in the 3rd Section, in front of two of banding’s current crop of top ‘end-chairs’ in Mark Wilkinson, principal cornet at Foden’s, and Cory euphonium virtuoso Glyn Williams. Having made an immediate return to the 2nd Section in March, Irvine and Dreghorn returns to Cheltenham only two years after competing in the same 3rd Section National Final, finishing a creditable 8th on the previous occasion. St. David’s was also a recent combatant at Cheltenham, contesting the 2nd Section in 2014 – the Midlothian based outfit will hope to achieve a higher placing this time around.

Irvine and Dreghorn celebrating Area victory

 Scotland’s 1st Section representatives this year are Newtongrange Silver (Andrew Duncan) and Bathgate (Anne Crookston). For Newtongrange, the contest will be nothing new, their seemingly biennial trip to the Cotswolds meaning a third excursion in five years. It is a band trending in the right direction at the event too with excellent finishes of 7th (2013) and 4th (2015) at the last two attempts. Bathgate also has a decent record at this event, albeit a bit more historically, winning the second-tier contest in 1989 and 2nd Section in 1997. Both bands have been set Eric Ball's Tournament for Brass as their test-piece and will hope to impress the experienced adjudicating duo of Michael Fowles and Paul Holland. 

Newtongrange collecting 1st prize at Scottish

 The curtain will close on the National Finals only very briefly on Sunday as both Co-operative Funeralcare and Whitburn (the top British band at last weekend’s British Open) make their assault on the Championship Section contest at the Royal Albert Hall on 14 October.

 We wish all competing bands the very best of luck at the forthcoming championships. Hopefully, the Scottish participants can follow Whitburn’s example and bring some silverware back across the border!