The first contest of the 2013 Welsh League Championship took place on the weekend, with a healthy entry of 37 bands battling for the prizes at the SEWBBA Festival contest in Ebbw Vale.

It meant that it was a long day for the hard working organisers, with the first band in the Fourth Section taking to the stage at 9.30am and the final top section competitor performing around 12 hours later.

Championship Section:

With four of the six Championship Section contenders having recently competed at the Spring Festival in Blackpool, adjudicator Ian Porthouse had the tricky task of separating out some well prepared performances.

In the end it was reigning Welsh League Champion Burry Port who claimed the RTB Trophy and £200 first prize thanks to a stylish reprise of ‘Capriccio Italien’ — the piece that saw them gain qualification to the 2014 Grand Shield at the Winter Gardens.

It was the band’s sixth consecutive Welsh League victory, and was one that certainly impressed the man in thkapitolpromotion@btconnect.come box.

“There were a number of solidly delivered performances in the top section, and it was close between the top three bands,” Ian later told 4BR.

“There was so much style to the playing and understanding about the score from Nigel Seaman with Burry Port that just gave them the edge.”

City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) certainly put behind them their Senior Trophy disappointment by pushing the winners close, thanks to a well worked reprise of ‘Journey into Freedom’.

First Section Welsh Area champion Tylorstown also gave another outing to ‘Capriccio Italien’ to end third, with Karen Fletcher winning the ‘Best Horn’ Award.

Matthew Jenkins enjoyed a fine day with both euphonium and baton as he took the Harold Hearn Trophy as ‘Best Instrumentalist’ for his contribution to fourth placed Pontardulais’s ‘Journey into Freedom’.

First Section:

There was a double triumph for conductor Nigel Seaman as he led Llwydcoed to victory in the First Section.

After just missing out on a trip to the Cheltenham finals in Swansea, they notched up the first win of their 101st year to claim the Mark Constance Memorial Trophy. Their boldly coloured rendition of ‘John O’Gaunt’ also drew praise from adjudicator John Maines.

“There were some well chosen works on display today, and some fine playing,” he said. “The winner’s though just had that little bit of extra control and quality to make the difference.”

The Third Section nationally graded RAF St Athan showed that they are becoming a force to reckon with by coming second on their well chosen ‘Five Blooms in a Welsh Garden’, thanks in no small part to the excellent playing of Claire Bourne who won the TWW Trophy as Best Instrumentalist.

The 'Best Soprano' award was won by Andy Watkins of Blaenavon.

In what turned out to be a closely fought contest, Lewis Merthyr took third with their solid rendition of ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’.

Lucinda Gough, principal cornet of fourth placed Blaenavon Town took the ‘Best Instrumentalist’ award for her playing on ‘The Plantagenets’.

Second Section:

Ian Porthouse had eight own choice performances to compare and contrast in the Second Section – although as he later stated, it was not the pieces that he was looking to judge, but the quality of the playing.

“There were some interesting choices today – and some interesting playing playing too,” he said.

“Two bands stood out, but lost points with some poor muted tuning, whilst the others just needed to concentrate more on the rhythmic pulse of the music. It certainly made for a close contest.”

In the end it was reigning Welsh League champion Goodwick who added the Haydn Evans Memorial Trophy to the Welsh Area title they won in Swansea, thanks to a polished reprise of ‘The Plantagenets’ under the baton of Matthew Jenkins.

One of their inexhaustible supply of talented youngsters, 14 year old tenor horn player Geraint Harris, won the Will Wood Award as ‘Best Instrumentalist’.

Parc & Dare’s welcome recent return to Welsh contesting life saw them add a second place finish to their 2013 CV with a solidly portrayed account of ‘Symphonic Suite for Brass Band’. Crwbin put behind them their disappointing Swansea result by claiming a well deserved podium finish thanks to their rendition of ‘Music for a Festival’.

Third Section:

There was a first Welsh League contesting success with the baton for Cory’s trombone player Gareth Robinson in the Third Section, as he led Upper Rhondda to victory with a purposeful account of ‘A Saddleworth Festival Overture’.

It proved to be just enough to pip rivals Thomas Coaches Mid Rhondda, who continued their return to contesting strength by coming second on ‘Kaleidoscope’. Flugel player Jayne Moxon claimed the Colin White Trophy as ‘Best Instrumentalist’.

Third place went to Ogmore Valley who performed ‘Olympus’, whilst the ‘Best Euphonium’ Award went to John Ayres of fourth placed Severn Tunnel.

Fourth Section:

Reigning Welsh League champion Ebbw Valley continued their excellent 2013 form by adding the Fourth Section honours to the Welsh Regional title they won in Swansea.

Their commanding performance of ‘Kaleidoscope’ off the number 1 draw saw them take the Toby Trophy by a three point margin, with principal cornet player Nanette Jones also claiming the ‘Best Instrumentalist’ Award.

Usk Brass continued their good run of form by coming second thanks to a well delivered rendition of ‘A Lindum Suite’, with Newport Borough ending third playing ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’.

Adjudicator Ian Porthouse was full of praise for the winners, but did warn some MDs that they had to be careful not to pick choices that were perhaps a bit too ambitious for their bands.

“Congratulations to the winners and the MD. They really were a fine example of a very good Fourth Section band – excellently prepared on a piece they could play very well.”

Junior Section:

There was further encouragement for Welsh banding with five ensembles taking part in the Junior Section.

Each band provided adjudicator John Maines with a 15 minute programme to evaluate, with BTM New Generation, City of Cardiff M3 and Cwmtawe gaining Gold Awards, with Blaenavon Town and City of Cardiff M4, Silver Awards.

John told the audience: “Seeing these bands perform today is such good news not just for Wales, but for British and world banding too. One band had a 5 year old playing bass drum with such enjoyment! It was great to see and I must congratulate all the MDs and the players for their efforts.”

Rising star 16 year old Ryan Brown claimed the ‘Best Instrumentalist’ Award for his fine playing with Blaenavon with the talented team from City of Cardiff M3 taking the ‘Best Percussion’ Award.

The little 5 year old in question was Megan Jones of Ebbw Valley.

At the other end of the banding scale there were Lifetime Membership Awards for Darryl Preece and Janet Jones who between them have contributed 97 years of dedicated service to Blaenavon Town Band.

Seeing these bands perform today is such good news not just for Wales, but for British and world banding too. One band had a 5 year old playing bass drum with such enjoyment!John Maines

Results:

Championship Section:
Adjudicator: Ian Porthouse

1. Burry Port (Nigel Seaman) — 194
2. City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) (Gareth Ritter) — 193
3. Tylorstown (Gary Davies) — 192
4. Pontardulais (Paul Jenkins) — 190
5. Markham & District (Gareth Pritchard) — 189
6. Abergavenny Borough (Craig Roberts) — 188

Best Instrumentalist: Matthew Jenkins – euphonium (Pontardulais)
Best Horn Player: Karen Fletcher (Tylorstown)

First Section:
Adjudicator: John Maines

1. Llwydcoed (Nigel Seaman) — 193
2. RAF St Athan (Alan Bourne) — 192
3. Lewis Merthyr (Gareth Pritchard) — 191
4. Blaenavon Town (Andrew Protheroe Jones) — 189
5. Penclawdd Brass (Tony Small) — 188

Best Instrumentalist: Claire Bourne (cornet) – RAF St Athan
Best Soprano: Andy Watkins — Blaenavon Town

Second Section:
Adjudicator: Ian Porthouse

1. Goodwick (Matthew Jenkins) — 192
2. Parc & Dare (Andrew Jones) — 191
3. Crwbin (Colin Hogg) — 190
4. Ammnford Town (Glyn Davies) — 189
5. Ynyshir (Gary Davies) — 188
6. Gwaun Cae Gurwen (Malcolm Read) — 186
7. Crosskeys (Keri Bowden) — 185
8. Briton Ferry (Michael Pilley) — 184

Best Instrumentalist: Geraint Harris (horn) – Goodwick

Third Section:
Adjudicator: John Maines

1. Upper Rhondda (Gareth Robinson) — 184
2. Thomas Coaches Mid Rhondda (Alan F Gibbs) — 183
3. Ogmore Valley (Alice Jones) — 181
4. Severn Tunnel (Christopher Bond) — 179
5. Abertillery & District (Kerry Bowden) — 178
6. Ystradgynlais Public (Alex Parker) — 177
7. Oakdale (Adrian Browning) — 176

Best Instrumentalist: Jayne Moxon (flugel) – Thomas Coaches Mid Rhondda
Best Euphonium Player: N/K

Fourth Section:
Adjudicator: Ian Porthouse

1. Ebbw Valley (Gareth Ritter) — 187
2. Usk Brass (Jeff Jones) — 184
3. Newport Borough (Robin Hackett) — 183
4. Vale of Glamorgan (David Short) — 182
5. Pontypool Brass (Owen Farr) — 181
6. Cwmtawe (Wayne Pedrick) — 180

Best Instrumentalist: Nanette Jones (cornet) – Ebbw Valley

Junior Section:
Adjudicator: John Maines

Gold Awards:
BTM New Generation (Mark Hutcherson)
City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) 3 (Gareth Ritter)
Cwmtawe & District Youth (Wayne Pedrick)

Silver Awards:
Blaenavon Town (Evan Smith)
City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) 4 (Gareth Jones)

Ev-entz Best Percussion: City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) 3
Best Instrumentalist: Ryan Brown (euphonium) — Blaenavon Town