Stage is set for this year’s Scottish Festival of Brass

Almost 70 senior and youth brass and percussion ensembles will be gracing the stage in the magnificent Perth Concert Hall over two weekends of the Scottish Festival of Brass, starting on Saturday (16 November) with the Band Supplies Scottish Challenge contest.

Twenty-two bands from Sections 1-4 have entered the Challenge event, playing their own choice of test pieces which will be adjudicated by trombonists Brett Baker and Alan Widdop.

The following Saturday will see the youth percussion ensembles take to the stage before the start of the Scottish Open competition, supported by Besson. An own-choice contest for Championship Section bands, the performances of the 17 entries will be judged by horn player Owen Farr and composer Christopher Bond.

On the Sunday (24 November) the Scottish Youth Championships, supported by Creative Scotland, take place with 24 brass bands participating in four sections – Novice, Non-competitive, Intermediate, Development and Senior. Owen Farr and Christopher Bond will share the adjudication in this event.

Commented a delighted Carrie Boax, president of the Scottish Brass Band Association: “During the three days of our festival, we’re all looking forward to a veritable feast of brass band music – from the finely honed skills of our elite bands to those young musicians who are just starting out on their banding journeys.”

She added: “We’re very grateful to the funders and supporters of our festival without whom it would not be the annual success it has become year after year.”

Trade stands have been booked by Added Brass (Durham Music Shop), Band Supplies, Besson, Geneva Instruments, Studio Music (Just Music), Larch Music, Ministry of Defence recruitment team, Musicwear and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Programme advertisers include The Wind Section, SN Percussion, World of Brass, Brass Repair Lass and Brass Band Insurance Services.

Tickets for the Scottish Festival of Brass are available in advance from Perth Concert Hall or can be purchased from the box office on the day.

The full line-up for the two weekends is:

Scottish Challenge, Perth Concert Hall, Saturday 16 November

Adjudicators: Brett Baker and Alan Widdop

Bo’ness & Carriden (Chris Bradley, 1st section)

Buckhaven & Methil Miners (Steven Craig, 4th)

Campbeltown Brass (Andrew McMillan, 2nd)

Clackmannan District (Paul Drury, 2nd)

Dunaskin Doon (Ralph Brill, 1st)

Dundee Instrumental (Bob McDonald, 4th)

Dunfermline City Brass (Stephen Duncan, 4th)

Dysart Colliery Silver (Robert Fraser, 3rd)

Forfar Instrumental (Donald Innes, 4th)

Granite City Brass (Bruce Wallace, 1st)

Irvine & Dreghorn (Helen Douthwaite Teasdale, 1st)

Johnstone (Joshua Parkhill, 1st)

Kilmarnock Concert Brass (Rebecca Wilson Paterson, 2nd)

Newmains & District (Paul McKelvie OBE, 2nd)

Newmilns & Galston (Alan Friel, 1st)

North Lakes Brass (Gareth Sykes, 3rd)

Perthshire Brass (Willie McMullan, 3rd)

Regent Brass (Alan Duguid, 1st)

St David's Brass (John A Dickson, 2nd)

Shotts St Patrick's (Andy Shaw, 2nd)

The Kirkintilloch Band (Hedley Benson, 1st)

Turriff Silver (Matt Bailey, 4th)

Scottish Youth Championships, Perth Concert Hall, Saturday 23 November

Percussion Ensembles

Coalburn Percussion Academy (Robbie Bremner)

Perth & Kinross (Lynsey Paterson)           

MidlothianPerc Training (Barbara-Jane Waddell)           

MidlothianPerc Ensemble (Barbara-Jane Waddell)

Scottish Open, Perth Concert Hall, Saturday 23 November

Adjudicators: Owen Farr and Christopher Bond

Atlantic Brass (Salvatore Scarpa)

Bathgate (Craig Anderson)

Bon-Accord Silver (Adam Cooke)

Camborne Town (Gareth Churcher)

Coalburn Silver (Gareth Bowman)

Dalkeith & Monktonhall (James Chamberlain)

Dalmellington (Andrew Duncan)

East London Brass (Jayne Murrill)

Kingdom Brass (Katrina Marzella-Wheeler)

Kirkintilloch Kelvin (Mareika Gray)

Milnrow (Christopher Binns)

Pemberton Old DW (Ryan Watkins)

Rainford (Sarah Groarke-Booth)

the cooperation band (Michael Fowles)

Unison Kinneil (Allan Ramsay)

Whitburn (Prof Nicholas Childs)

Woodfalls (Paul Holland)

Scottish Youth Championships, Perth Concert Hall, Sunday 24 November

Adjudicators: Owen Farr and Christopher Bond

Novice Section

Coalburn Bronze Band (Jim Park)

Hawick Saxhornettes (Stuart Black)

Irvine & Dreghorn Brasslets (John Boax)

Kingdom Brass Youth (Denise Crighton-Ward)

Kinneil Youth Band (Scott Gardner)

KIrkton Youth Band (Karen Heenan)

Maroon Brass (Stuart Black)

Perth & Kinross Brass (Elaine Stewart)

Non-competitive Section

St David’s & Penicuik Joint Youth (John A Dickson)

Intermediate Section

Bathgate Youth Band (Stewart Brynes)

Broxburn & Livingston Future Brass (Jim Bone)

Campbeltown Intermediate (Mae Barr)

Galashiels Youth Band (Stuart Black)

King’s Park Junior Brass (Emily Stokes)           

Kirkintilloch Youth Band (Katherine Adams)

Newtongrange Junior Band  (Alice Kane)

Perthshire Youth Brass (Willie McMullen)

Stranraer Brass Training (Angela Miller)           

Whitburn Youth Band (Caroline Farren)

Development Section

Campbeltown Development (Katrina Barr)

Irvine Youth Band (John Boax)

Loanhead Brass Youth Band (Alan Fernie)

Scottish Borders Youth Band (Stuart Black)

Senior Section

Riverside Youth Band (Mark Good)