Bands now fine tuning their test pieces in preparation for the weekend

All the heavy spadework has been done. Workshops, sectional rehearsals and one-to-one tuition sessions are complete and bands are now fine tuning what they hope will be their winning performances of the test pieces at this weekend’s Scottish Championships.

Fifty competing bands will be vying for silverware in the splendid Perth Concert Hall on Saturday (3rd, 2nd and 1st Sections) and Sunday (4th and Championship Sections), with the top two places in each section qualifying for an invitation to the National Finals later in the year.

Tickets are now available on Eventbrite for what will be a fantastic weekend of music making. For Saturday click here and for Sunday click here.

Commented SBBA president Carrie Boax: “As Scottish brass banding continues to recover and grow after a prolonged period of extreme famine and frustrations caused by the Covid pandemic, I wish every band much success and a highly enjoyable weekend of music making, meeting up with friends and socialising.

“Good luck to everyone, and most of all, please enjoy the weekend!”

The bands taking part, together with approximate timings for each section, are:

Championship section

Sunday 10 March, 2.30pm, Perth Concert Hall

Adjudicators: Tom Davoren and Chris King

Test Piece: Variations on an Enigma by Philip Sparke

Bathgate (Craig Anderson)

Bon-Accord Silver (Adam Cooke)

Coalburn Silver (Gareth Bowman)

Dalkeith & Monktonhall (James Chamberlain)

Dalmellington (Erik Janssen)

Kingdom Brass (Thomas Wyss)

Kirkintilloch Kelvin (Mareika Gray)

the cooperation band (Dr Glenn Van Looy)

Unison Kinneil (Raymond Tennant)

Whitburn (Prof Nicholas Childs)

First section

Saturday 9 March, 4.50pm, Perth Concert Hall

Adjudicators: Tom Davoren and Chris King

Test Piece: High Peak by Eric Ball

Bo’ness & Carriden (Charlie Farren)

Dunaskin Doon (Ralph Brill)

Granite City Brass (Bruce Wallace)

Irvine & Dreghorn (John Boax)

Johnstone (Joshua Parkhill)

Lochgelly (Chris Shanks)

Newmilns & Galston (Alan Friel)

Newtongrange Silver (Anne Crookston)

The Kirkintilloch Band (Hedley Benson)

Second section

Saturday 9 March, 12.50pm, Perth Concert Hall

Adjudicators: Helen Douthwaite-Teasdale and Stan Lippeatt

Test Piece: Triptych by Philip Sparke

Annan Town (Lewis Wilkinson)

Broxburn & Livingston (Bryan Allen)

Campbeltown Brass (Andrew McMillan)

Clackmannan District (Paul Drury)

Jedforest Instrumental (Philip Rosier)

Kilmarnock Concert Brass (Rebecca Wilson)

Newmains & District (Paul McKelvie OBE)

Renfrew Burgh (Mark Good)

Selkirk Silver (Simon Railton)

Shotts St Patrick’s (Andy Shaw)

St David’s Brass (John A Dickson)

Third section

Saturday 9 March, 9.30am, Perth Concert Hall

Adjudicators: Tom Davoren and Chris King

Test Piece: Corineus by Christopher Bond

Brass Sounds Inverclyde (Joshua Parkhill)

Croy Silver (Kenneth Blackwood)

Dysart Colliery (Robert Fraser)

Highland Brass (Mark Bell)

Langholm Town (Chris Bradley)

Peebles Burgh (Vaughan Fleischfresser)

Penicuik Silver (Alan Fernie)

Perthshire Brass (Willie McMullan)

St Ronan’s Silver (Chris Shanks)

Fourth section

Sunday 10 March, 9.30am, Perth Concert Hall

Adjudicators: Stan Lippeatt and John Boax

Test Piece: Music for Jock Tamson by Alan Fernie

Bon-Accord B (Jennifer Cook)

Buckhaven & Methil Miners (Steven Craig)

Coalburn Intermediate (David Fehilly)

Dundee Instrumental (Bob McDonald)

Dunfermline City Brass (Andy Shaw)

Hawick Saxhorn (Stuart Black)

Kirkton Brass Bathgate (Simon Railton)

MacTaggart Scott Loanhead (Peter Holmes)

Stranraer Brass (Angela Miller)

Turriff Silver (Matt Bailey)

Whitburn Heartlands (Andrew McMillan)

Section 4b (non-contesting)

Sunday 10 March, 12.35pm, Perth Concert Hall

Adjudicator: John Boax

Brass Central Strathearn (Tom Smith)

Clackmannan District Youth & Development Brass (Luci Lamb)

Forfar Instrumental (Donald Innes)

That’s the full line-up of bands for this weekend, so buy your tickets and get along to support your favourite musicians. Even if you don’t have an allegiance to any bands, you’re in for a real treat!