Bumper entry as Scottish Festival of Brass returns to full health after Covid

Thursday 3 November 2022

Over 60 bands have signed up to take part in this year’s Scottish Festival of Brass which will take place over two weekends in Perth Concert Hall.

On Saturday 12 November the Band Supplies Scottish Challenge contest will see an entry of 20 lower section bands play their own choice of test piece in front of adjudicators Sandy Smith and Alan Fernie.

Two weeks later – on Saturday 26 November – 19 Championship bands will compete in the Scottish Open supported by Besson, again playing their own choice of music for the adjudication of John Doyle and Glyn Williams.

The next day, the Scottish Youth Championships will return in a ‘live’ format for the first time in three years with a healthy entry of one percussion ensemble and 23 bands in various sections which reflect developing levels of playing skills and experience. The adjudicators for this event will be Glyn and Helen Williams and Les Neish.

During the day, visitors will be entertained by the NYBBS Principals brass group, formed by the principal players from the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland summer school in Strathallan earlier this year.

The group, conducted by Les Neish, is made up of: Callum Blair and Gregor Kozeil (cornet), Rona Campbell (flugel horn), Andrew McMillan (tenor horn), Charlie Boax (baritone), Angus Ritchie (euphonium), Anna Biggart (trombone), Mark Gammon (bass trombone), Tomas Barnet (Eb bass), Adam Riddiough (Bb bass) and Daniel Patterson (percussion).

The players are pictured at the NYBBS summer school with musical director Ian Porthouse, SBBA president Carrie Boax and course tutors.

A new trophy is to be awarded to the best principal cornet player in the Scottish Challenge. The Paul Dornan Memorial Award, which carries the name of the former principal cornet player of Clackmannan District Band who sadly passed away last year after a long battle against kidney cancer, will be presented at the contest by Paul’s wife Angela and his family.

Commented Scottish Brass Band Association president Carrie Boax: “In partnership with Creative Scotland, Besson, Band Supplies, Just Music and Perth & Kinross Council, SBBA are delighted to be hosting the Scottish Festival of Brass 2022.

“This three-day event will see over 60 brass and percussion senior and youth organisations taking part in competition and concert programmes and it will be an occasion not to be missed!”

Here is the full list of the runners and riders appearing over the three days of the Scottish Festival of Brass:

Band Supplies Scottish Challenge

Saturday 12 November

Adjudicators: Sandy Smith and Alan Fernie

Annan Town (David McLeod)

Bathgate Band (Craig Anderson)

Bo'ness & Carriden Band (Charlie Farren)

Brass Sounds Inverclyde (Joshua Parkhill)

Buckhaven & Methil Miners (Steven Craig)

Clackmannan District Brass Band (Ross Brotherston)

Coalburn Intermediate Band (David Fehilly)

Coalburn Silver (Paul McKelvie OBE)

Dunaskin Doon Band (Paul Drury)

Dysart Colliery (Kenny Letham)

Granite City Brass (Bruce Wallace)

Highland Brass (Mark Bell)

Kirkton Brass Bathgate (Simon Railton)

Lochgelly Band (Chris Shanks)

Newmains & District (Michael Marzella)

Newmilns & Galston (Alan Freil)

Perthshire Brass (Willie McMullan)

Shotts St Patrick's Brass (Andrew Shaw)

St.David's Brass (John A Dickson)

Whitburn Heartlands (Stephen Duncan)

Scottish Open (supported by Besson)

Saturday 26 November

Adjudicators: John Doyle and Glyn Williams

Bon-Accord Silver (Steven Malcolm)

City of Bradford (Johnathan Bates)

Dalmellington (Gary J Williams)

Easington Colliery (Stephen Malcolm)

East London Brass (Jayne Murrill)

Elland Silver (Daniel Brooks)

Fishburn (Duncan Beckley)

Hepworth (Ryan Watkins)

Johnstone (Mark Good)

Kingdom Brass (Paul Drury)

Kirkintilloch Kelvin (Mareika Gray)

Newtongrange (Anne Crookston)

Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Chris Binns)

Rainford (David Thornton)

the cooperation band (Mike Fowles)

The Kirkintilloch Band (David Roberts)

Unison Kinneil (Raymond Tennant)

Whitburn (Prof Nicholas Childs)

Wingates (Andrea Price)

Scottish Youth Championships

Sunday 27 November

Adjudicators: Glyn and Helen Williams and Les Neish

Big Noise Fallin Band (Andrew Foden/Alistair Gibson)

Bathgate Youth Band (Stewart Brynes)

Boundary Street Brass (Dianne Waugh)

Broxburn & Livingston Future Brass (Jim Bone)

Campbeltown Brass Juniors (Katrina Barr)

Campbeltown Brass Youth (Katrina Barr)

Coalburn Bronze Band (David Fehilly)

Coalburn Percussion Academy (Robbie Bremner)

Cupar Beginners Band (Alison Milne)

Dalmellington Brass Academy (Cameron Paterson)

Esk Valley Brass (Alan Fernie)

Galashiels Youth Band (Stuart Black)

Irvine & Dreghorn Youth Band (John Boax)

King’s Park Junior Brass (TBC)

Kinneil Youth Band (Scott Gardner)

Kirkintilloch Youth Band (Katherine Adams)

Loanhead Brass Rootlets (Alan Fernie)

Maroon Brass (Stuart Black)

Newmilns & Galston Brass Academy (Callum Kerr) – non-competing

Newtongrange Junior Band (Alan Fernie)

St Ronan’s Future Band (Keith Belleville)

Scottish Borders Youth Band (Alan Fernie)

Whitburn Wee Band (Charlie Farren)

Whitburn Youth Band (Caroline Farren)

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Email Nigel Martin: sbbapr@gmail.com