With brass band competitions taking place all over Europe on the weekend, there was a wonderful reminder of the strength in depth, as well as the attraction of UK contesting, with 67 bands taking part in a superbly organised Leicestershire BBA Open Contest held at Charnwood College in Loughborough.

Domestic as well as international visitors were given a warm welcome, especially with the appearance of Tertnes Brass from Norway in the Championship Section event.

Newstead’s Enigma

However, it was to be a band much closer to home that eventually claimed the top flight honours as Newstead Brass conducted by Duncan Beckley carried on their recent good form thanks to well delivered rendition of Philip Sparke’s ‘Variations on an Enigma’.

Not only did it see them take away the winner’s trophy, but they also celebrated with awards for the ‘Best Trombone Section’ and for ‘Best Instrumentalist’, which was won for the second year running by euphonium player Lynden Cooper.

It proved good enough to repel the challenge of Ratby Co-operative’s ‘Of Distant Memories’ conducted by John Berryman, with Derwent Brass under Keith Leonard in third with their performance of ‘Jazz’.

Clacton on Sea Co-operative finished fourth ahead of the Norwegians of Tertnes with Bolsover champion Aveley & Newham in sixth.

There was a wide variety of music for adjudicator Peter Bassano to compare and contrast, with performances of works as diverse as ‘Les Preludes’ and ‘Firestorm’ to ‘Northern Lights’ and ‘Tallis Variations’.

Prism break for Enderby

In the First Section, it was Enderby Band under MD Simon Jones who eventually claimed the LBBA Shield after delivering a solid performance of Peter Graham’s ‘Prisms’.

It gave the Midlanders a clear two point winning margin over the London & Southern Counties visitors Kidlington, who gave a welcome performance of the rarely heard ‘Salamander’ by John McCabe, with Yorkshire travellers Knottingley Silver ending third with their rendition of ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’.

Northfleet’s Connotations

The experienced Melvin White led Northfleet Brass to victory in the Second Section with a well portrayed account of their ambitious choice of ‘Connotations’ by Edward Gregson.

It enabled them to claim the title by a clear two point margin from Daventry Brass who performed ‘Kingdom of Dragons’, with Wigston a further two points further back in third with their rendition of ‘Purcell Variations’.

Dinnington success

There was a Yorkshire success in the Third Section as Dinnington Colliery took a closely fought victory thanks to their fine performance of ‘Between Two Rivers’ under the baton of Jonathan Beatty.

It enabled the band to beat off the challenge of Rolls Royce (Derby) who performed ‘Triptych for Brass Band’ with Rushden Town in third with ‘Music for a Festival’.

Pleasely’s Labour & Love

In a highly competitive Fourth Section, it was a solid rendition of the brass band classic ‘Labour and Love’ that gave Pleasley Colliery victory under the baton of Keith Buxton, with the band’s solo horn player Claire Benson winning the Chris Holmes Remembrance Trophy for her fine individual contribution.

London Area visitors Simon Langton Brass was a close second with their performance of ‘Partita’, with Corby Silver just a point further back in third thanks to their rendition of ‘A Malvern Suite’.

Unregistered triumph

In the Unregistered Section there was plenty of enthusiasm and fine playing on show with Enderby Youth making it a weekend double by talking the honours with their own choice programme ahead of Coleshill Youth Brass and Ratby Co-operative Youth.

it was to be a band much closer to home that eventually claimed the top flight honours as Newstead Brass conducted by Duncan Beckley carried on their recent good form thanks to well delivered rendition of Philip Sparke’s ‘Variations on an Enigma’4BR

Results:

Championship Section
Adjudicator: Peter Bassano

1. Newstead Brass (Duncan Beckley) — 192
2. Ratby Co-operative (John Berryman) — 190
3. Derwent Brass (Keith Leonard) — 189
4. Clacton on Sea Co-operative (Mark Ager) — 188
5. Tertnes Brass (Norway) (Bengt Florvag) — 186
6. Aveley & Newham (Melvin White) — 184
7. Chalford (Steve Tubb) — 182
8. Staines Brass (Jonathan Pippen) — 180
9. Jackfield (Elcock Reisen) (Simon Platford) — 179
10. Oddfellows Brass (Robert Boulter) — 177
11. Gresley Colliery (Simon Jones) — 175

Best Section: Trombones — (Newstead Brass)
Best Instrumentalist: Lynden Cooper (Newstead Brass)

First Section
Adjudicator: Paul Norley

1. Enderby (Simon Jones) — 190
2. Kidlington Concert Brass (Duncan Wilson) — 188
3. Knottingley Silver (Owen Wedgwood) — 187
4. Carlton Brass (Paul Watson) — 186
5. Silk Brass (David Holling) — 185
6. Kibworth (Iain Rayner) — 183
7. Harborough (Chris Groom) — 182
8. City of Coventry (Stephen Cooper) — 181
9. Leicestershire Co-op (Graham Jacklin) — 180
10. City of Cambridge (Peter Bassano) — 179
11. Raunds Temperance (Robin Norman) — 178
12. Littleport (Nigel Bramley) — 177
13. Hathern (David Newman) — 175
14. Blidworth Welfare (Martin Heartfield) — 174
15. Kippax (David Lancaster) — 173

Second Section
Adjudicator: Ian Brownbill

1. Northfleet Brass (Melvin White) — 82
2. Daventry Brass (Bob Stradling) — 80
3. Wigston (Garry Sleath) — 78
4. Epping Forest (Keith Schroeter) — 77
5. Matlock (Andrew Dennis) — 76
6. Crofton Silver (Kevin Belcher) — 75
7. Amington (Wesley Kendrick) — 74
8. Ibstock Brick Brass (Huw Thomas) — 73
9. Towcester Studio (Kevin Steward) — 72
10. Avonbank (Evesham) (Warren Belshaw) — 71
11. Wantage Silver B (Danny Dullforce) — 70

Third Section
Adjudicator: Ian Brownbill

1. Dinnington Colliery (Sheffield) (Jonathan Beatty) — 81
2. Rolls Royce (Derby) (Graham Cardwell) — 80
3. Rushden Town (John Hudson) — 79
4. Foss Dyke (Gareth Westwood) — 78
5. Hucknall & Linby (Paul Whyley) — 76
6. Norfolk Wherry Brass (Andrew Craze) — 74
7. Olney Brass (Martyn France) — 73
8. Stamford Brass (Bob Prew) — 72
9. Amersham (Paul Fisher) — 71
10. Newhall (Kevin Holdgate) — 69
11. Hemel Hempstead (Philip Fisher) — 68
12. Lofthouse 2000 (Andrew Whitaker) — 67

Fourth Section
Adjudicator: Nicholas Garmen

1. Pleasey Colliery Welfare (Keith Buxton) — 177
2. Simon Langton Brass (David Cutting) — 176
3. Corby Silver (C Fountain) — 175
4. University of Warwick (Simon Hogg) — 174
5. Croft Silver (Ian Needham) — 173
6. Bestwood Wefare Black Diamonds (Colin Hartley) — 172
7. Rode Hall Silver (Nigel Butler) — 171
8. Ratby Co-operative Mid (Geoff Newman) 170
9. Melton (Graham Sutton) — 169
10. Clifton & Lightcliffe 'B' (John Clay) — 168
11. Audley Brass (Ian Turner) — 167
12. Syston (Dennis Powell) — 166
13. Burbage Silver (John Randle) — 165

Best Instrumentalist: Claire Benson (Pleasley Collier)

Unregistered Section
Adjudicator: Philip Bailey

1. Enderby Youth & Concert (Trevor Hounsome) — 172
2. Coleshill Youth Brass (Stephen Fagg) — 171
3. Ratby Co-op Youth (Becky Moss) — 170
4= Leicestershire Co-op Training (Liz Barham) — 169
4= Wigston Enterprise (Pat Allsopp) — 169