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2011 London & Southern Counties Regional Championship — Stevenage preview

Banding south of the Watford gap is bucking the trend it seems — numbers are up and there are successes to boast about too.

StevenageWith the rest of UK banding feeling the pinch it seems the long awaited green shoots of recovery may well be sprouting in the London & Southern Counties region.

No double dip

It’s still a little hit and miss in places, but overall things are looking encouraging – no double dip recession for certain.  

Amazingly, numbers have increased (just the one extra, but a great effort considering there are 77 bands taking to the stage). It’s good to see City of Oxford and Cottenham return to the contesting fold after a period away.

Harrogate success

Success has come on the contest stage too - especially at the lower sections in Harrogate last year.

Friary Guildford came back as First Section National champions, whist there were seven other bands claiming top 10 finishes.

The top section bands didn’t make an impression on the tent at the Royal Albert Hall, but their counterparts certainly did at the International Conference Centre.

Healthy numbers

Hopefully that will continue this year, although the problem with having such a large entry list is that some of the contests here are pretty unwieldy beasts – with a bloated Championship Section contest of 12 bands.

There is still a great entry list in the lower sections with a number of bands starting to gain success at other national events in the last couple of years.

And whilst there is currently no regional representative at the British Open, the likes of Redbridge, Aveley and Zone One have started to make an impression on their travels – from Butlins to Brass in Concert, Blackpool to Yeovil.

Amazing job

Dave Hobbs and his team do a quite amazing job in keeping things ticking over at the Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre, and whilst it is not the prettiest contest venue in the world, it certainly does its job.

The region may not have the strength in depth of others, but the organisation of local events has been revitalised of late – especially with the Southern Counties Amateur Bands Association events at Folkestone and Hove.

Could it be that ‘southern’ banding is starting to lead the way into the second decade of the new Millennium? It may well look like it is.

Iwan Fox



The Hepworth Band - A Summer Proms Concert

Sunday 20 July • Hepworth United Sports Club, Far Lane, Hepworth, Holmfirth. HD9 1RN


Petworth Town Band - Ebernoe Horn Fair

Friday 25 July • Ebernoe Cricket Ground GU28 9LD


Petworth Town Band - Dorset House School Fete

Saturday 26 July • Dorset House School RH20 1PB


Haverhill Silver Band - A Nightingale Sang... (an evening concert)

Saturday 2 August • Foakes Hall, Dunmow CM6 1DG


Haverhill Silver Band - East Anglian Beer & Cider Festival

Sunday 24 August • St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1QX


Rushden Town Band

July 18 • Second Trombone vacancy. A friendly Midlands 1st Section Band, Rushden are looking for a Second Trombone player to come and join us. Great repertoire and concerts plus contests twice per year. Every other year, the band goes on tour.


Welwyn Garden City Band

July 18 • We are a friendly & sociable Second Section Band with an exciting and varied summer season of concerts. Due to an employment relocation, we have an immediate vacancy for a FRONT ROW CORNET player.


Bedford Town Band

July 18 • Bedford Town Band have vacancies for 1st trombone, 1st horn, EEb and BBb bass. We have several concerts and Wychavon contest in the Autumn. In the last few years the band won the Butlins 2nd section , been promoted to 1st section then 3rd at Wychavon


Alex McGee

MA BMus PGCE
Conductor & Composer


               

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