Tongwynlais Temperance warmed up for the defence of their Welsh Regional title in March with a comprehensive victory at the seventeenth Welsh Open Entertainment Championship in Porthcawl on the weekend.

High class

Directed by Steve Sykes they provided a packed Pavilion Theatre with a high class programme to claim the magnificent CISWO Challenge Trophy and boost their bank account to the tune of £1000.

Speaking to 4BR, adjudicator Stan Lippeatt was in no doubt about the quality of the new champions.

"It was a very good programme, well organised and performed. They were very classy with a great soloist and excellently directed. The margin of victory was clear and well deserved."

Growing

2013 National First Section Champion Tylorstown confirmed their growing contesting maturity as they prepare for their top flight debut on ‘St Magnus’ by picking up the £500 prize as runner-up, with City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) enjoying themselves before the rigours of Kenneth Downie’s Area set-work by bagging a prize package of £600 in third and winning the ‘Most Entertaining Stage Presentation’ award.

First victory

Tongwynlais’s first victory at Welsh domestic season opener sets them up for a busy contest schedule that will see them defend their Area crown in Llandudno, as well as take part in the televised Band Cymru contest, Grand Shield and European Championships before the end of May.

"It’s a great start to the year," a delighted Steve Sykes told 4BR, after also enjoying seeing his beloved Arsenal claim victory in the FA Cup 24 hours after his band’s success. "If every weekend was as good as this I think 2014 will be a pretty memorable year!"

The band opened with the upbeat ‘Birdland’, before ‘Best Instrumentalist’ winner Grant Jameson showed why he has just qualified for the Radio 2 Young Brass Musician of the Year final with a stunning rendition of ‘Troika Tidy!’ from the Karl Jenkins ‘Euphonium Concerto’ to claim the splendid Secretary’s Bowl solo prize.

Contrast

Contrast was provided by the simple beauty of Elgar Howarth’s ‘The Bonnie Brier Bush’ before Reid Gilje’s arrangement of the sprightly ‘Wedding Dance’ led into Ray Farr’s arrangement of themes from Khachaturian’s ‘3rd Symphony’ to close.

"It’s going to be a very busy, and hopefully successful few months for the band," Steve added.

"The players have been working so hard and are looking forward to the challenge of three major test pieces in just one week at the Grand Shield and European Championships. This has given us just the start to build on for the rest of the year."

Closer battle

With Tongwynlais showing their class in claiming their three point winning margin from adjudicator Stan Lippeatt, there was a much closer battle for second place with well delivered performances from both Tylorstown and City of Cardiff (Melingriffith).

In the end, it was the Rhondda Valley band under the baton of Gary Davies that prevailed with a set that was inspired by the forthcoming centenary of the outbreak of the First World War.

It included ’Phoenix’ from ‘War of the Worlds ’by Peter Graham and a superb new finale entitled, ‘Patrean Aeternam’ by Dean Jones, specially written for the band.

Challenge

Tylorstown MD Gary Davies was also delighted that his band has started 2014 in good form — especially with the challenge of ‘St Magnus’ to come.

"It’s been good to mix and match our preparation for Llandudno with the work on our entertainment programme. ‘St Magnus’ is going to be a real test, but I think we have shown that we are continuing to improve with each contest outing and that we will be able to present a real challenge for a qualification place for London."

Meanwhile, Gareth Ritter’s City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) opted for a more eclectic approach with everything from Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition’ to a trip to Bombay with the colourful ‘Indian Day Break’.

Clever balance

Their clever balance of presentation and performance took the separate entertainment prize from adjudicator Sarah Harding, with outstanding principal cornet/flugel/trumpet player David Leak claiming the Arthur Batten Memorial Trophy as the ‘Best Cornet Player’ on the day.

"We just thought we may have claimed second place today," Gareth later admitted. "We can’t complain too much though with £600 in the bank and a real boost to our confidence for the Area.

‘St Magnus’ is a huge test, but with two extra places up for grabs for the Albert Hall, we are working so hard to build on this success and get to London."

Varied

In a contest that varied somewhat in standard (and saw some noticeable dep work from well known players), the final top six places went to a solid, well prepared Llwydcoed, 2013 Welsh Miners Eisteddfod winner Parc & Dare and Abergavenny, who also took the £300 on offer as the highest placed First Section band not in the main prizes.

The BTM X Brass ensemble also showed their qualities under MD Mark Hutcherson coming joint seventh with Pontardulais Town.

Impressed

Stan Lippeatt was impressed by the overall standard of performances, noting that Welsh banding seems to have a great deal of strength in depth.

"I thoroughly enjoyed the day — and it was good to see the excellent support a well run contest attracts.

The quality was obvious and it was close between Tylorstown and City of Cardiff with some ensemble problems just being the difference.

There was also much to enjoy from performances from Llwydcoed and the rest of the competitors too — including the ensemble from BTM X Brass.

You can certainly see why Welsh banding is in such a string position at the moment."

Support

The organisers continued support of youth saw 9 year old Carys Lewis presented with the Rosemary Deere Shield as the youngest instrumentalist competing on the day, with Harvey Rees of Tongwynlais, a talented cornet player taught by Tom Hutchinson of Cory presented with the Graham Rees Memorial Bursary Award.

It was a very good programme, well organised and performed. They were very classy with a great soloist and excellently directed. The margin of victory was clear and well deservedStan Lippeatt

Results:
Adjudicator: Stan Lippeatt
Entertainment Judge: Sarah Harding

1. Tongwynlais Temperance (Steve Sykes) — 194
2. Tylorstown (Gary Davies) – 191
3. City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) 1 (Gareth Ritter) — 190
4. Llwydcoed (Chris Turner) — 189
5. Parc & Dare (Andrew Jones) — 188
6. Abergavenny Borough (Craig Roberts) — 187
=7. BTM X Brass (Mark Hutcherson) — 185
=7. Pontardulais Town (Paul Jenkins) — 185

Highest placed First Section band not in prizes: Abergavenny Borough
Most Entertaining Presentation: City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) 1

Best Instrumentalist: Grant Jameson (euphonium) — Tongwynlais Temperance
Best Cornet Player: David Leak City (Cardiff (Melingriffith) 1)

Youngest Instrumentalist: Carys Lewis (Parc & Dare) aged 9
Graham Rees Memorial Bursary 2014: Harvey Rees (Tongwynlais Temperance)