2007 Scottish Regional Championship - Third Section
5-Mar-2007The Third Section in Scotland is healthy, and a few bands will be fancying their chances in Dundee on Darrol Barry’s delightful Prelude and Jubilate.
Saturday 10th March
Adjudicators: Richard Evans & Stephen Roberts
Test Piece: Prelude and Jubilate - Darrol Barry
Commences: Following Fourth Section results
Draw: 11.15am
Bon Accord Silver B
Conductor: Bruce Wallace
Last 11 Years:
2006: 2nd in Fourth Section (B. Wallace) (prom)
2005: 3rd (B. Wallace)
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 in Third Section (rel)
1996: Winners of Fourth Section (prom)
Bruce Wallace and Bon-Accord ‘B' finally managed to get promoted from the fourth section after nine years of close calls.
Its only trip down the long road south since then was to the Lower Section Nationals, where it finished a disappointing eighteenth. Bon-Accord may struggle here, but it will work hard so it doesn't fall back down to the fourth section.
Campbeltown Brass
Conductor: Craig Anderson
Last 11 Years:
2006: 4th (C. Anderson)
2005: 6th (C. Anderson)
2004: 6th (R. Farmer)
2003: 7th (G. Evans)
2002: 10th (G. Evans)
2001: DNC
2000: 6th in Second Section (rel) (G. Evans)
1999: 10th in Second Section
1998: 6th in Second Section
1997: 6th in Second Section
1996: 2nd (prom)
The Argyll band will be one of the favorites at this contest, with Craig Anderson conducting a talented bunch of youngsters and some older heads. Campbeltown are very pro-active in its preparation for every contest it attends, and its enthusiasm and extensive preparation.
The band has not been in second section for six years, but it will have a good chance to make it back in Dundee.
Coalburn Silver
Conductor: Gareth Bowman
Last 11 Years:
2006: 3rd (G. Bowman)
2005: 2nd in Fourth Section (prom) (G. Bowman)
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
Like Campbeltown, Coalburn will be thinking they can do some damage here. And they should following recent form.
It won the Scottish Challenge Cup, taking scalps of all of the five second section bands competing, while it won its section and finished ninth overall at Troon. However, it was disappointing at the Fife Charities (eleventh). Nevertheless, we think it will do well here.
Dunfermline Town
Conductor: David Neil
Last 11 Years:
2006: 5th (D. Neil)
2005: 9th (S. Duncan)
2004: Winners of Fourth Section (S. Duncan) (prom)
2003: 8th in Third Section (S. Duncan)
2002: 7th (S. Duncan)
2001: 11th (S. Duncan)
2000: 3rd (S. Duncan)
1999: 7th
1998: 5th
1997: 3rd
1996: 10th
Fifth for Dunfermline was a good result last year with David Neil, who will conduct it again this time.
Ninth at the Scottish Challenge Cup, tenth at Land O' Burns and fourteenth at the Fife charities has been its recent form. We think it will struggle a bit to make an impression in this company.
Irvine and Dreghorn Brass
Conductor: D. McKellar
Last 11 Years:
2006: 8th (D. McKellar)
2005: 11th (D. McKellar)
2004: 3rd (J. Boax)
2003: 6th in Second Section (J. Boax) (rel)
2002: 10th in Second Section (J. Boax)
2001: DNC
2000: 4th in Second Section (J. Boax)
1999: 6th in Second Section
1998: 2nd in Third Section (prom)
1997: 7th in Second Section (rel)
1996: 11th in Second Section
Irvine has struggled here for the past few years with its conductor David McKellar, euphonium soloist with Dalmellington.
Ninth at Brass in the Park was its only contest performance over the past year, so it will be hoping to screw the nut a little tighter for a credible challenge this term.
MacTaggart Scott Loanhead
Conductor: Alan Fernie
Last 11 Years:
2006: 9th (A. Fernie)
2005: 8th (A. Fernie)
2004: 5th (A. Fernie)
2003: 5th (A. Fernie)
2002: 5th (A. Fernie)
2001: 7th (D. McLeod)
2000: 11th (G. Williamson)
1999: 3rd
1998: 4th
1997: 5th
1996: 3rd
McTaggart's have been working hard recently for Dundee in a performance that (it hopes) will keep it in the third section. Second at the Borders, when it beat several more fancied outfits, including St Ronan's, Tullis, Selkirk and Coalburn.
Reports from the band hall note that Robert Fraser, tuba player with Whitburn and student at the RSAMD, has been rehearsing the band hard in preparation for Alan Fernie. Nevertheless, McTaggarts will need to show some quality to retain its position in the third section.
Newland Concert Brass (Bathgate)
Conductor: S. Baird
Last 11 Years:
2006: 11th (M. Bell)
2005: 4th (M. Bell)
2004: 2nd in Fourth Section (M. Bell) (prom)
2003: DNC
2002: 10th (W. Smith)
2001: 8th (W. Smith)
2000: 12th in Third Section (rel) (W. Smith)
1999: 7th in Third Section
1998: 11th in Second Section (rel)
1997: 10th in Second Section
1996: 9th in Second Section
Newlands Band from Bathgate is another who will have to play very well to try and retain its position in the section, although a fourth place in 2005 with Mark Bell will help its situation, as relegations in Scotland are determined over the past three years results.
Seventh place at the Borders is its only result since last year's Scottish. The West Lothian ensemble will have to work hard to keep its head above third section water.
Peebles Burgh
Conductor: Derek Broadbent
Last 11 Years:
2006: 6th (D. Broadbent)
2005: 5th (D. Broadbent)
2004: DNC
2003: 2nd in Fourth Section (D. Broadbent) (prom)
2002: 5th (D. O'Connor)
2001: 10th (W. Smith)
2000: DNC
1999: DNC
1998: DNC
1997: DNC
1996: DNC
Peebles have done well here in the past two years here with Derek Broadbent conducting.
However, since its effort last year, it has finished second last at both contests attended (Brass in the Park and the Borders), so it will have to put in a little extra practice to prevent it having another bad one.
Perthshire Brass
Conductor: G. Annan
Last 11 Years:
2006: 7th (G. Annan)
2005: 7th (G. Annan)
2004: 7th (G. Annan)
2003: 9th (G. Annan)
2002: 8th (G. Annan)
2001: 8th (G. Annan)
2000: 10th in Second Section (rel) (G. Annan)
1999: 8th in Second Section
1998: 8th in Second Section
1997: 4th
1996: 10th in Second Section (rel)
Three seventh places in the past three years have consolidated its place in the section, but the band from the ‘Big County' will be hoping to do more with George Annan.
A ninth place at the Northern Counties was disappointing, but then it went on to an excellent second place at the Scottish Challenge Cup when, like Coalburn, it beat a host of second, third and fourth section bands. It will be interesting to see if that result was a rogue one, or the mark of a change of fortunes for the band.
St. David's Brass
Conductor: John Dickson
Last 11 Years:
2006: 11th in Second Section (J. Dickson) (rel)
2005: 11th (J. Dickson)
2004: Winners of Third Section (J. Dickson) (prom)
2003: 3rd (J. Dickson)
2002: 3rd (J. Dickson)
2001: 4th (J. Dickson)
2000: 9th (J. Dickson)
1999: 7th
1998: Winners of Fourth Section
1997: 7th in Fourth Section
1996: 11th in Fourth Section
Following its relegation from the second section, St David's will be one of the strong contenders to go straight back up.
Thirteenth at Land O' Burns has been its only performance recently, but you can bet your bottom dollar that John Dickson will prepare his young band for another strike.
Tayport Instrumental
Conductor: F. Culross
Last 11 Years:
2006: 12th in Second Section (B. Deans) (rel)
2005: 8th (P. Ratnik)
2004: 9th in First Section (I. Davey) (rel)
2003: 8th (R. MacDonald)
2002: 5th (R. MacDonald)
2001: 2nd in Second Section (prom) (R. MacDonald)
2000: 9th in First Section (rel) (R. MacDonald)
1999: 6th
1998: Winners of Second Section (prom)
1997: 9th (rel)
1996: 7th
The other band to be relegated last year to this section, Tayport will be hoping to stop its slide down the sections in recent years.
Conducted by Frank Culross (father of YBS' new principal cornet Iain), the band finished sixth at the Northern Counties, so it should give a good fight here in the third section.
Turriff Silver
Conductor: Frank Cranna
Last 11 Years:
2006: Winners in Fourth Section (F. Cranna) (prom)
2005: DNC (rel)
2004: DNC
2003: Withdrew (rel)
2002: 11th in Second Section
2001: 9th
2000: 9th
The fourth section champions of Scotland last year, Frank Cranna's Turriff Silver will probably struggle this time round.
It finished eleventh at its only Scottish appearance since then (at the Northern Counties) and an extremely disappointing twenty-first at Harrogate. However, Turriff will be aiming to relive its fortunes of 1999, when it won this section.
Past Qualifiers:
2006: Tullis Russell Mills, Broxburn Silver
2005: Shott's St. Patrick's, Selkirk Silver
2004: St. Davids Brass, Jedforest Instrumental
2003: Lochgelly, St. Ronan's
2002: Shotts St. Patrick's Brass, Arbroath Instrumental
2001: Clydebank Burgh, Tullis Russell Mills
2000: Livingston Brass, Kirkintilloch Kelvin Brass
1999: Turriff Silver, City of Discovery Brass
1998: Renfrew Burgh, Irvine and Dreghorn
1997: Kepston Q Fab Whitburn Brass, Annan Town
1996: Kilmarnock Concert Brass, Campbeltown Brass
1995: Barrhead and District, Newland Concert
Scottish bands at the Finals:
2006: 3rd, 6th
2005: 11th, 16th
2004: 10th, 16th
2003: 12th, 13th
2002: 12th, 14th
2001: 12th, 15th
2000: 1st, 2nd
1999: 5th, 14th
1998: 3rd, 17th
4BR Prediction:
We think, like the first section, this will be extremely close, but Coalburn and Campbeltown should prevail here.
Perthshire had a very good result at the Scottish Challenge Cup that will stand it in good stead while Tayport and St David's will use its recent second section experience to its advantage.
1. Coalburn
2. Campbeltown Brass
3. Perthshire Brass
4. St David's Brass
5. Tayport Instrumental
6. McTaggart's Scott Loanhead
Dark Horse: Irvine and Dreghorn
