|
National Finals 2002:
Championship Section
The adjudicators...
Two very familiar faces and one who is new to the box at the Royal
Albert Hall this year. David Read and William Relton are well known
to players, conductors and audiences alike, whilst Malcolm Brownbill
makes a welcome first appearance after serving a long apprenticeship
through the sections.
Read and Relton are together for the 9th time this year (a bit
like the brass band version of the “Two Ronnies”) so
bands should know what they like, especially if they have kept their
old adjudications. Malcolm Brownbill has also adjudicated at the
top level around the country, so he knows the ropes. Three safe
pair of hands then.
 David
Read:
David Read made his debut as adjudicator at the National
Finals way back in 1985 when he shared the adjudication on “Cloudcatcher
Fells” with Bram Gay and Sir David Willcocks. Since then he
has been the most regular of judges at the Finals in addition to
adjudicating at the British Open (debut 1982), the Masters, the
European and many other major brass band contest all over the world.
2002 sees his 13th appearance as adjudicator and his 8th in a row
in the box at the Royal Albert Hall.
He is a most highly respected judge, who’s written comments
are constructive and detailed and who has an acute ear for musical
shape as well as technical clarity. More importantly he is seen
as a “safe” adjudicator in the eyes of the bandsmen
themselves, in that he invariably gets the vast majority of decisions
concerning the prizewinners correct. This has been further emphasised
by the bands themselves voting him as their first choice to judge
them at the All England Masters for the past few years.
David Read was born in Wales and did his Military service with
the Regimental Band of the Welsh Guards. His playing career came
to fruition with the Askern Colliery Band, followed by a spell with
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery. He later joined the Munn and Feltons
Band (later named GUS) later becoming Principal Cornet. During his
time with the band, GUS became National Champions on four occasions
and World Champions once.
He was also assistant principal cornet for the Virtuosi Band of
Great Britain and Kings of Brass and was three times Champion Cornet
Player of Great Britain and once outright Solo Champion. He was
also a member of the famous GUS quartet that with John Berryman,
John Cobley and Trevor Groom who on a number of occasions were British
Quartet Champions.
He has been an educationalist as Senior Instrumental Teacher for
Cambridge Area Education Authority, and in 1983 was honoured by
the Worshipful Company of Musicians and in 1996 by receiving the
English Masters Dedicated Service Award.
National Championships Adjudicating Record:
13 appearances:
1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002
 William
Relton:
William Relton is a member of the Council of the Royal
Albert Hall and is included on the Panel of Assessors for the Arts
Council of England “Arts for Everyone” Lottery Fund.
His lifetime involvement in music started at the age of fourteen
when he joined the Brighouse and Rastrick band, being appointed
solo cornet at the age of seventeen. After National Service, he
took up the post of Sub Principal Trumpet and Principal Cornet of
the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and left the CBSO after three
years to take up one of the first £1,000 bursaries at the
Royal College of Music.
During his studies at the college, William Relton played with all
the major London orchestras and for one season was at the Royal
Opera House, Covent Garden. He joined the Orchestra of Sadlers Wells
Opera (now ENO) where he was Principal Trumpet.
In 1957 he joined the BBC, first as a player in the BBC Concert
Orchestra, being later appointed music producer. In 1970 he became
Orchestra Manager of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and was promoted
to General Manager in 1975. He has worked with all the great conductors
of our day, from Ashkenazy, Bernstein and Boulex to Zender and Zinman,
and was successful in appointing both Gennadi Rozhdesvensky and
Sir John Pritchard to the post of Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony
Orchestra. He was responsible for all the Orchestra’s activities
including tours of Australia, China, Jpan and most European countries.
He left the BBC to take up the post of General Manager of the Eastern
Orchestral Board, where he was responsible for the financing of
some 250 concerts per year given by professional symphony and chamber
orchestras.
Recently he has devoted more time to conducting and adjudication,
and is on the Management Committee of the Donatella Flick Conductors
Competition.
William Relton has been a familiar face in the “box”
at the since he made his “debut” in 1977 with Havelock
Nelson and Buxton Orr. Since then he has appeared on another 15
occasions, including 9 years in a row from 1986 – 1994 and
a further four consecutive years from 1997 – 2000. He has
also adjudicated at the Open, Masters and European Championships
as well as contests at all levels throughout Europe and the World.
National Championships Adjudicating Record:
17 appearances:
1977, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993,
1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002
 Malcolm
Brownbill:
Malcolm Brownbill has more than 40 years involvement as
player, teacher, conductor and adjudicator within the band movement.
His wide musical experience has involved brass and military bands
plus orchestral and choral work.
Originally staring to play the cornet in the Salvation Army, he
became solo cornetist with several bands, and has conducted brass
bands with prolific success since 1974, winning many prizes at all
levels.
He is a former Police Inspector and Musical Director of the Merseyside
Police Band, completing over 20 years in a position that involved
him organising and directing many highly prestigious engagements.
At the same time Malcolm has been professional conductor of such
bands as Wingates, Cory and Laporte Industries. He has also proved
over the years to be a very successful instrumental teacher and
many of the young people who benefited from his guidance are now
playing with our finest bands.
His experience as an adjudicator is widely appreciated. Malcolm
has officiated at numerous prestigious events throughout the UK,
including Area contests and National Finals. A council member of
the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and a member of the
British Federation’s approved Adjudicators Panel, he holds
the position of Public Relations Officer for the Association of
Brass Band Adjudicators
© 4BarsRest
 back
to top
|
