A warm Yorkshire sun welcomed over 500 student competitors and plenty of high spirited supporters to the Harrogate International Section for what was a splendid 2017 UniBrass Championships.

Event chairman Andy Straiton had promised that everyone would enjoy a wonderful day of friendly competition, and he certainly wasn't wrong as the celebrations began some time before the UniBrass Trophy and Shield titles were eventually announced as heading to the Royal Northern College of Music and Durham University.

Blistering RNCM

Competing for the first time as a separate entity (they had previously performed in partnership with the University of Manchester), the RNCM turned in a blistering concert set to claim victory and also secure three of the major individual awards on offer.

It was a clear-cut victory for adjudicators Anne Crookston and Philip Harper, as the quality of the ensemble made up of some of the brightest young talents in the banding movement was showcased in superb fashion under the direction of their highly impressive student MD Callum Harrison.

For a second year in a row it meant that the students of Birmingham Conservatoire had to be content with second place whilst former champion University of Huddersfield was third.

Sumptuous Aussie lead

After the flamboyant opening from the latest 'Star Wars' film, Brighouse & Rastrick principal cornet Dominic Longhurst showed why he is so highly regarded, as the young Aussie took the soloist award with a sumptuous rendition of 'Sunshine of Your Smile' — played with a swaggering elan.

His transcription talents were also featured on Debussy's 'Claire de Lune', which also took the 'Best New Arrangement' award thanks to its notable use of percussion colours and timbres. The finale, in the form of the full band version of Andy Scott's 'Salt of the Earth', pulsating with its funky jazz inflections, was a bit of a tour-de-force of wizard technique and thumping style, as the band raced towards the title.

Quality on top

In her clear analysis of the day's competition, adjudicator Anne Crookston (above) remarked that the best bands showed their quality to come out on top, although she also added that 'there was some clever thinking behind the programmes of bands that came lower down the results'.

She added that both she and Philip (who had to go and rehearse Cory for the evening concert) were 'very impressed' on what was had been 'a hugely enjoyable and rewarding day', although she added with a smile that they did have to survive on traditional student rations of 'a bag of hula-hoops and a sandwich for lunch!'

Same again

For the players of Birmingham Conservatoire, it was a case of 'same again', as under MD Ian Porthouse they eventually came a clear runner-up.

'Phenomena', with cornets and trombones arranged around the band was impressive antiphonal opener, whilst the performance of trombonist Ryan Richards of Gavin Higgin's remarkably black-witted 'Freaks' was an undoubted highlight of the day — especially as it came with projected excerpts of Tod Browning's 1932 film. It certainly had everyone transfixed and quite a few terrified!

With a fine performance of 'Shine as the Light' as their finale, on any other day it would have perhaps won the title with something to spare had it not been for those pesky rivals from Manchester!

Avian potential

The final podium slot went to former champions University of Huddersfield, with an engaging set that perhaps didn't quite fulfilled its avian potential.

'Blackbird Special', the hymn tune 'The Golden Bird' ('Aurelia'), the march 'Under the Double Eagle' (played with Germanic bombast to take the 'Best March' accolade) and Matthew Hall's 'Nightingale Dances' had their great moments, but perhaps the inclusion of a vocalist instead of an instrumentalist on 'Brown Bird Singing' didn't quite come off.

Themes and variations

Just behind them came a host of bands that certainly used all the talents of their various students to come up with themes and ideas that mostly worked brilliantly, and only occasionally left you scratching your head.

For instance, fourth placed University of Manchester started with a 'finisher' with 'The Great Gate of Kiev' and finished with a new arrangement of Coldplay's 'Viva la Vida', whilst Warwick University took the 'Most Entertaining Band' prize thanks to a brilliantly put together 'Radio Days' theme that included everything from 'Calling All Workers' to 'I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'.

There was also a great deal to enjoy from University of Birmingham's lively set (even 'The Cossack' march was played at a tempo steroid even enhanced Russian athletes would have found hard to have kept up with), whilst Nottingham University's programme was presented by a toga wearing 'Prometheus'.

With Bangor and Southampton also mixing obvious enjoyment with plenty of spirited playing there was something for everyone to enjoy — although at the top end of the results table there was little doubt that the students of the RNCM in Manchester deservedly claimed the title with a performance worthy of a first class degree in anyone's book.

Steve Jack

The judges were 'very impressed' on what was had been 'a hugely enjoyable and rewarding day', although she added with a smile that they did have to survive on traditional student rations of a bag of hula-hoops and a sandwich for lunch!4BR

Unibrass Trophy

Adjudicators: Anne Crookston and Philip Harper

1. Royal Northern College of Music (Callum Harrison) — 137
2. Birmingham Conservatoire (Ian Porthouse) — 131
3. University of Huddersfield (Jonathan Beatty) — 126
4. University of Manchester (James Keirle) — 125
5. University of Warwick (Simon Hogg) — 123
6. University of Birmingham (Stuart Birnie) — 120
7. University of Nottingham (Kieren Williams and Matthew Husbands) — 117*
8. Bangor University (Rachel Hinchcliffe) — 112
9. University of Southampton (William Wilkins/Billy Fisher) — 111

Soloist: Dominic Longhurst (cornet) — RNCM
Best Performance of a March: (Under the Double Eagle) University of Huddersfield
Percussion: Birmingham Conservatoire
Most Entertaining Band: University of Warwick
Best Student Conductor: Callum Harrison (RNCM)

*denotes 2 point time penalty