scaba's annual Autumn Contest was held on the weekend at the Hawth in Crawley where 20 bands provided an excellent array of own-choice test-piece music for adjudicators Mike Kilroy (Youth, Third and Second Sections) and Dennis Wilby (Championship and First) to compare and contrast.

High standard

Both praised the competitors on their high standard of playing, but none were better than Wantage Silver.

They gave themselves a pre-National Finals boost of confidence with an impressive rendition of Simon Dobson's 'Journey of the Lone Wolf' to take the top section honours — 'capturing the mood of the music' as adjudicator Denis Wilby said of their technically assured performance.

Albert Hall boost

It not only saw the band successfully defend its title,whilst their fine flugel player Helen Wright took the 'Best Soloist' award with prizes also going to their euphonium and percussion sections to ensure that MD Craig Patterson was more than a happy man with their Albert Hall appearance on the horizon.

"It was a great boost for the band winning the Scaba contest and a great run-out of the test-piece before the National Final,"he said.

"The band felt relaxed on stage which I hope will help us in two weeks time. I was proud of the performance and the soloists all did a great job. The percussion team were well deserving of their prize and Sam Wyne played with such control to win the Euphonium prize."

Close behind them came them came Bournemouth Concert Brass who gave a bold account of 'Year of the Dragon', with Staines Brass in third playing 'Paganini Variations'.

Good Otterbourne

In the First Section a wonderful blood curdling rendition of 'The Saga of Haakon the Good' gave Otterbourne under Melvin White the title honours as they beat off the twin accounts of 'Purcell Variations' from rivals Horsham Borough and Epsom & Ewell.

Memorable day

LGB Brass gave a well worked performance of 'Images for Brass' to win the Second Section under the baton of Ian Stewart to round off a memorable day for the conductor.

Not only did he receive a presentation in acknowledgement of his outstanding half century of commitment and dedication to the banding movement but hLGB Brass was declared scaba 'Band of the Year'. Regent Community Brass was runner-up with Godalming in third.

The Third Section honours went to Simon Langton Brass conducted by David Cutting thanks to their atmospheric performance of 'The Dark Side of the Moon' which saw them repel the challenge of Brighton & Hove City Brass and Snowdown Colliery.

Although there was only one entrant in the Youth Section, Shanklin Youth gave a fine performance of 'Anglian Dances' under the direction of MD Malcolm Lewis.

It was a great boost for the band winning the Scaba contest and a great run-out of the test-piece before the National FinalWantage Silver MD, Craig Patterson

Results:

Championship Section:

Adjudicator: Denis Wilby

1. Wantage Silver (Craig Patterson)
2. Bournemouth Concert Brass (Matthew Brown)
3. Staines Brass (Dan Floyd)
4. Fulham (John Ward)
5. Regent Brass (Andy Kershaw)

Best Hymn Tune: Bournemouth
Best Instrumentalist: Helen Wright (flugel) — Wantage Silver
Best Percussion: Wantage Silver
Best Bass Section: Bournemouth Concert Brass
Best Euphonium: Sam Wyne (Wantage Silver)
Conductor's Prize: Craig Patterson (Wantage Silver)

First Section:

Adjudicator: Denis Wilby

1. Otterbourne (Melvin White)
2. Horsham Borough (Mark McLaughlin)
3. Epsom & Ewell (Paul Graham)
4. BAE Systems Brass (Melvin White)
5. Egham (Gareth Green)
6. Tilbury (Ben Jones)

Best Hymn Tune: Horsham
Best Instrumentalist: Ian Lanceley (cornet) — BAE Systems Brass
Best Euphonium: Graham Jones (Otterbourne)
Conductor's Prize: Melvin White (Otterbourne)

Second Section:

Adjudicator: Mike Kilroy

1. LGB Brass (Ian Stewart)
2. Regent Community Brass (Chris Bearman)
3. Godalming (James Haigh)
4. Shanklin Town (Malcolm Lewis)

Best Hymn Tune: LGB Brass
Best Instrumentalist: William Rowling (percussion) — Godalming
Best Horns: LGB Brass
Best Basses: LGB Brass
Best Percussion Section: Godalming
Best Solo Horn: Angela Holloway (LGB Brass)
Conductor's Prize: Ian Stewart (LGB Brass)

Third Section:

Adjudicator: Mike Kilroy

1. Simon Langton Brass (David Cutting)
2. Brighton & Hove City Brass (Matthew Hackett)
3. Snowdown Colliery (Keith Twyman)
4. Cobham (Glenn Hayter)

Best Hymn Tune: Simon Langton Brass
Best Instrumentalist: Keith Pritchard (cornet) — Snowdown Colliery
Best Back Row Cornets: Snowdown Colliery
Best Bass Section: Simon Langton Brass
Best Percussion : Simon Langton Brass
Conductor's Prize: David Cutting (Simon Langton Brass)

Youth Section:

Adjudicator: Mike Kilroy

1. Shanklin Youth (Malcolm Lewis)

Best Instrumentalist: Alex Warner (cornet)
Best Hymn Tune: Shanklin Youth
Conductor's Prize: Malcolm Lewis

Highest Placed scaba Member Band: Shanklin Youth