A warm and inviting Melbourne recently played host to the 2012 Yamaha National Band Championships, at the Sebel Hotel in Albert Park.

Heavyweight trio

The Championship A Grade provided the high class centrepiece to the event, as for the first time since 2008, Australia's three leading bands — Brisbane Excelsior, Gunnedah Shire Band and Kew Band Melbourne, lined up against each other at Australia’s premier brass band contest.

Reigning champion Kew, 2010 winner Brisbane Excelsior and 2009 victor Gunnedah Shire were expected to battle it out for the famous Fireman’s Helmet Trophy, which has been presented to the winning band at the Championships since 1971.

Did not disappoint

The trio did not disappoint, as they locked horns to provide the large and knowledgeable audience with performances to savour.

It was also the first time the trio had squared up against each other since the 2011 FABB contest, where Gunnedah and Excelsior shared the honours, so the sense of anticipation was palpable.

Intrigue

Brisbane Excelsior's former conductor, Howard Taylor was now at the helm of Gunnedah Shire, whilst the band’s regular MD Jason Katsikaris, who is taking a break from conducting, was to be found playing repiano cornet.

However, a strong challenge was also expected from a resurgent Darebin City Brass lead by Tom Paulin, and exceptionally strong St Mary's Band Club, recently coached by Professor David King.

They were conducted by emerging superstar Ben Crocker, whilst there were many people who fancied the chances of last year's runner up, the powerful Footscray-Yarrville City Band.

Vibrant

The vibrant atmosphere was enhanced by a host of bands staying at the hotel complex itself, whilst live streaming of the event provided by the www.brassbanned.com website, enabled the whole of the banding world to sit back and enjoy the action, with coverage of each of the sections that took place in the two large function rooms within the Sebel Hotel.

Thrilling

After a thrilling top section contest, where there was standing room only in the main concert hall, the Championship title was claimed by Gunnedah Shire in emphatic fashion – topping all four disciplines of Sacred Item and Test Piece on the Friday, as well as the Own Choice and Stage March the following day.

News of their victory even made the front page of their area newspaper, the Naomi Valley ‘Independent’, where the local mayor Adam Marshall described them as, ‘absolutely brilliant ... a superb group of musicians.’

Closer margin

Gunnedah’s performances of the set work, ‘Cambridge Variations’, own choice selection of ‘The Legend of King Arthur’ by Pete Meechan, plus their hymn and march disciplines gave them a six point winning margin over runner up Brisbane Excelsior, with Kew Band in third.

It was a much closer contest that the points tally may have suggested however.

Immense challenge

It still meant though that Gunnedah had repelled the immense challenge of Brisbane Excelsior, conducted by Allan Withington, who opted for Edward Gregson’s ‘Rococo Variations’ as their own choice selection, and Kew, after Mark Ford had led them in defence of their title with an own choice selection of Philip Wilby’s ‘Revelations’.

Enjoy

There was so much to enjoy in each of the band’s quartet of performances over the two days.

Brisbane Excelsior produced a wonderful full band sound with Dean Morley and Steve Riddler leading the lower and middle sections and with soprano Jamie Brown in exceptional form.

Meanwhile, Kew’s powerful playing was contrasted with a sublime sense of musicality; especially from the euphonium duet of Matthew van Emmerick and Patrick Mudge in the Wilby own choice selection.

Unbeatable

Gunnedah Shire though was on unbeatable form, led with consummate class by New Zealand principal cornet John Lewis, whilst baritone player Kristy Rowe and tuba heavyweight Iain Fisher also shining.

It was their thrilling performance of Peter Meechan’s, ‘The Legend of King Arthur’ that sealed the Championship title – played with a sense of raw energy and vibrancy that brought the score to life and drew prolonged applause from the audience.

Howard Taylor drew every last drop of emotion out of his band in what was a performance out of the very top draw of overall quality.

After a thrilling top section contest, where there was standing room only in the main concert hall, the Championship title was claimed by Gunnedah Shire in emphatic fashion4BR

Champions

In the B Grade there was a comprehensive victory for City of Holroyd Brass who topped all four disciplines to take the title from Toronto Brass, with Townsville Brass in third.

In the C Grade, it was Marion City Band that claimed a comprehensive victory over their rivals, with a tremendous battle for the podium places finally being claimed by second placed Enfield Brass with Sunshine Community Brass in third.

In the Youth Sections, Gunnedah also celebrated success with their Juniors winning the Junior A Grade for an 11th time under debutant conductor Anthony Rowe. Warriparinga Youth took the B Section honours with Bendigo Youth Brass winning the C Grade.

With thanks to Tim Kelly of www.brassbanned.com

Go to:
http://www.brassbanned.com/

Results:

Championship A Grade:
Hymn/Test/Own Choice/March =Total

Adjudicator: Peter Walmsley OAM

1. Gunnedah Shire Band (Howard Taylor): 48/195/197/47 = 487
2. Brisbane Excelsior (Allan Withington): 47/194/195/45 = 481
3. Kew Band Melbourne (Mark Ford): 41/191/196/46 = 474
4. Footscray-Yarraville City (Phillipa Edwards): 46/192/192/41) = 471
5. St Marys Club Brass (Benjamin Crocker): 45/190/191/41 = 467
6. Boroondara Brass (Daniel Van Bergen): 41/186/190/42 = 459
7. Brisbane Brass (Ian Wilson): 39/180/194/42 = 455
7. South Brisbane Federal (Russell Gray): 40/178/193/44 = 455
9. Warringah Concert Brass (John Saunders): 43/185/182/40 = 450
10. Royal Agricultural Society of WA Brass (Alan Lourens): 43/182/185/39 = 449
11. Darebin City Brass Preston Band (Tom Paulin): 38/83/182/39 = 442
12. Hawthorn Band (Wayne Bowden): 38/177/184/40 = 439
13. Geelong West Brass Band (Jeff Steele): 39/175/183/40 = 437
14. Glenorchy City Concert Brass (Dean Hunt): 40/180/173/38 = 431
15. K&N Spring Gully Brass (Kevin Cameron): 41/180/171/37 = 429

B Grade Brass:

1. City of Holroyd Brass = 490
2. Toronto Brass = 485
3. Townsville Brass = 482
4. Diamond Valley Brass Band = 479*
5. City of Greater Dandenong = 479
6. Wonthaggi Citizens = 478
7. Canning City Brass = 477
8. Maroondah Brass = 476
9. Brisbane Brass 2 = 474*
10. Hall Village Brass = 474
11. Box Hill City Band = 470
* Higher points on set work

C Grade:

1. Marion City Band = 480
2. Enfield Brass = 472*
3. Sunshine Community Brass = 472*
4. Moonee Valley Brass = 472
5. Warringah Concert Brass = 470
6. Marist Brothers Band = 469
7. Darebin City Brass Northern Brass = 464
8. Boroondara Harmony Brass = 463*
9. Frankston City Band = 463
10. City of Greater Bendigo = 462
11. Mitcham City Brass = 460
12. Bankstown City Brass = 455

* Higher points on set work

Junior A Grade Brass:
1. Gunnedah Shire Band = 484

Junior B Grade Brass:
1. Warriparinga Youth = 447
2. Whitehorse Brass

Junior Grade C Brass:
1. Bendigo Youth Brass = 409
2. Hyde Street Youth = 401

Full results of all sections on http://www.vbl.org.au/