2005 Regionals: Scotland - Preview: Fourth Section
7-Mar-2005A home grown test piece for the 10 bands to get their teeth into here. Written a while ago now for the youth of Scotland, will it still be a test of the best here many years later?
Date: Saturday 12th March
Adjudicators: David Read and Ian Brownbill
Test Piece: Divertimento – Bryan Kelly
Commences: 5.35pm
Draw: 3.30pm
no-photo?
Bon Accord Silver B
Conductor: B. Wallace
Last Nine Years:
2004: 3rd (B. Wallace)
2003: 5th (B. Wallace)
2002: 3rd (B. Wallace)
2001: 4th (B. Wallace)
2000: 3rd (B. Wallace)
1999: 6th
1998: DNC
1997: 11th 3rd Section (rel)
1996: Winners 4th Section (prom)
What have Bon Accord got to do to get a qualification place here eh? In the last five years they have been there or thereabouts and their MD, Bruce Wallace must surely think his time has come just have that extra bit of luck and gain a place at the Finals or even their first title here since 1996. Fingers crossed then.
Brass Sounds Inverclyde
Conductor: TBA
Last Nine Years: Debut this year.
We are afriaid we know next to nothing about this band, although there was an Inverclyde District Band that took part in the Championships off and on up to 1992. Whoever they are, we wish them well indeed.
Broxburn Silver
Conductor: J. Anderson
Last Nine Years:
2004: DNC
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: 10th 3rd Section (rel) (G. Kennedy)
2000: 10th 3rd Section (G. Kennedy)
1999: 4th 3rd Section
1998: 9th 3rd Section
1997: 7th 3rd Section
1996: 6th 3rd Section
A welcome return this year to the contest for the band from Broxburn who have been away from the championships for the past three years. The last time they were here they were battling it out in the Third Section, but this time they must start afresh from the bottom rung of the ladder. We wish them well on the return to the fold.
Coalburn Silver
Conductor: Gareth Bowman
Last Nine Years:
2004: 4th (G. Bowman)
2003: 6th (D. Grey)
2002: 8th (D. Grey)
2001: DNC
2000: 8th (E. Kerr)
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
South Lanarkshire's Coalburn Silver Band coud well be ones to look out for come results time, as in the last three years they have been making very steady progress up the results table. No news as yet (Stop Press: Its Gareth Bowman again), but whoever it is they will be looking to gain a qualification place at least.
Dundee Instrumental (St. Margaret's)
Conductor: J. Tonner
Last NineYears:
2004: 5th (J. Tonner)
2003: 11th 3rd Section (J. Tonner) (rel)
2002: 9th 3rd Section (J. Tonner)
2001: 2nd 4th Section (prom) (J. Tonner)
2000: 7th 4th Section (F. Culross)
1999: 8th 4th Section
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
James Tonner has been doing sterling work with Dundee Instrumental for a good while now and has seen his band gain one promotion up to the Third Section and also suffer one relegation as well. That is sometimes the nature of contesting at the level and after six years away from the contest they still have a good record here since they returned in 1999. They will be hoping though for a possible podium place or even a qualifciation spot this time round.
Dysart Colliery
Conductor: TBA
Last Nine Years:
2004: 11th (F. Culross)
2003: DNC
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
This will be the second successive appearance for the band from Kirkcaldy in Fife after they had been away from the championships since 1981. 11th place then was a fine achievement and we hope they come back this year even stronger. We wish them well.
Hawick Saxhorn
Conductor: TBA
Last Nine Years:
2004: 9th (C. Kemp)
2003: DNC
2002: 8th (R. Hulme)
2001: 7th (C. Kemp)
2000: DNC
Another band with an illustrious history returning to the fold for a second succesive year this year, Hawick Saxhorn came 9th last year under Colin Kemp and will therefore be looking to consolidate their position even more this time around - although we don't know as yet who will be taking them at the contest.
Penicuik Silver
Conductor: F. Culross
Last Nine Years:
2004: 7th (I. Fleming)
2003: 3rd (J. Chamberlain)
2002: 4th (S. Duncan)
2001: 3rd (S. Duncan)
2000: 4th (S. Duncan)
1999: 5th
1998: 6th
1997: 5th
1996: 5th
Penicuik Silver just dropped away a touch last year here when under Iain Fleming they couldn't improve on the good form they had shown over the past few years and came 7th - just one place better than their worse result here since they returned to the championships in 1994. A new MD at the helm this time then and hopes that they will be able to return to the type of form that has made them strong challengers here in the past. A possible qualification place is up for grabs if they do.
Queensferry Community
Conductor: J. Anderson
Last Nine Years:
2004: 10th (J. Anderson)
2003: 4th (J. Anderson)
2002: DNC
2001: DNC
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
Making their third appearance at the Scottish Championship, Jim Anderson's Queensferry band, from under the shadows of the Forth Bridges return this year hoping to put the disappointing result of last year's 10th place well and truly behind them. On their debut they came a very good 4th, and a return to that type of form will be most welcome indeed.
Stranraer Brass
Conductor: I. Munro
Last Nine Years:
2004: 8th (I. Munro)
2003: 6th (I. Munro)
2002: 11th (I. Munro)
2001: DNC
2000: 13th (H. Uriarte)
1999: 10th
1998: DNC
1997: 10th 3rd Section (rel)
1996: 9th 3rd Section
Ian Munro leads his Stranraer Barss once more to the contest for the fourth successive year, and they will surely be hoping to just arrest the trend of the past two years that has seen them drop down the prize list from 6th in 2003 to 8th last year. The band has been coming here since 1985, with just one or two little blips, so it will do them a power of good if they force their way into the top six once more.
Past Qualifiers:
2004: Dunfermline Town, Newland Concert Brass
2003: Dumfries Town, Peebles Burgh
2002: Lochgelly, Jedforest Instrumental
2001: Arbroath Instrumental, Dundee Instrumental
2000: Clydebank Burgh, North Ayrshire Band
1999: St. Ronan's Silver, Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass
1998: St. David's Brass, Fauldhouse Miners Brass
1997: City of Discovery Brass, Buckhaven and Methil
1996: Bon Accord Silver B, Turriff Silver
1995: Whitburn Burgh Juniors, Stranraer Youth
2004: 14th, 21st
2003: 18th, 19th
2002: 8th, 13th
2001: 16th, 17th
2000: 7th, 9th
1999: 5th, 13th
1998: 6th, 11th
Whatever the outcome here, we think the bands will certainly enjoy the test piece - a real suite of nice tunes and flowing melodic lines with something to test everyone. Whether or not it proves too much for some of the competitors we will have to wait and see, but it should make for a good little contest.
Picking a winner at this level is more guesswork that form guide at the best of times, but a bit of local knowledge has been passed our way and we have been reliably informed (don't start laughing now) that a couple of bands here will stick out in class nad should make it to Harrogate with a bit of comfort to spare.
One such is Bon Accord B, who have been so close in recent years that it must be time for them to go on and win it, whilst Queensferry Community Brass played very well last year we are informed and came away with nothing. If they play like that again then they should feature highly.
After these two it becomes a bit of a toss up, but we have opted for a top six that will be made up of Dundee Instrumental, Penicuik Silver, Coalburn and Hawick with our very dark horse indeed being the new band Brass Sounds Inverclyde
1. Bon Accord B
2. Queensferry Community Brass
3. Dundee Instrumental
4. Penicuik Silver
5. Coalburn
6. Hawick
Dark Horse: Brass Sounds Inverclyde
