The annual Fife Charities Band Association contest will enjoy a special 70th anniversary celebration this year — making it the longest running domestic regional contest in Scotland.

Although originally run as a 'March & Selection' event with a hymn tune element added in the mid 1960s alongside an open air march, it has since developed in one of the banding nation's most popular occasions.

Sight reading

To bring things even further up to date with the own choice triptych of march, hymn tune and test piece disciplines, the event will be given an extra musical twist this year with competing bands not knowing what hymn tune will be selected for them to perform until they take to the contest stage.

The adjudicator will pre-select five standard Red Hymn Book tunes, with each conductor having to draw out a corresponding number as they step onto the contest platform.

Proper hymn tunes

A contest spokesperson told 4BR: "Adjudicators have remarked how bands have moved away from playing proper hymn tunes at contests, often opting for religious music and some music with just a religious sounding title, with some arrangements like mini test pieces.

At the recent Annual General Meeting a decision was taken so that bands will now play three verses of the hymn tune they draw on the day."

At the recent Annual General Meeting a decision was taken so that bands will now play three verses of the hymn tune they draw on the dayorganisers

Full line-up

4BR has been informed that a full compliment 18 bands will take part across all sections at the Adam Smith Centre in Kirkcaldy on Saturday 26th September, with the first band on stage at 10.00am.