*
banner

Bolsover advent entertainment: No.1 Skelmanthorpe

Highlights from the 2019 Bolsover Festival of Brass — with a reminder of how Skelmanthorpe Band under Martin Heartfield took the top section honours...

Advent
  It's Skelmanthorpe Band behind the first Bolsover Advent Calendar window.

4BR will be opening an advent calendar window each day to be able to look back and enjoy the entertainment provided by the competitors at the 2019 Bolsover Festival of Brass.

There will be something different very different at times from what was a memorable day of playing at the Heritage High School in Clowne in October 2019.

Championship winners

So we may as well start off with the band that took the Championship Section title in fine fashion — Skelmanthorpe led by Martin Heartfield.

They were pitted against 15 rivals, but caught the fancy of adjudicator Alan Morrison with a neatly contrasted programme, played with confident panache to secure the £750 first prize, as well as the 'Viewers Award' and 'Most Entertaining Performance' accolade.

Enjoy

So sit back and enjoy Matthew Hall's 'Activate' and 'Legends of Cyfarthfa', followed by their outstanding tenor horn soloist, Laura Brown, who completed the haul of silverware by winning the 'Best Soloist' prize for a wonderful rendition of the Hoagy Carmichael classic, 'Stardust'.

They rounded things off with 'Romany Fire Dance' and the finale from 'To Boldly Go' by Peter Graham to claim the tile with playing that Alan described as "a joy to listen to".

Tune in:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR86IhJOVyo

Become a supporter and help make our future secure.

4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice. There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world. Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month.

Support us    


Friary

Result: 2025 Wessex BBA Contest

December 2 • Friary made it a double to celebrate in Wessex.


Willebroek

Results: 2025 Belgian National Championships

December 2 • Brassband Willebroek claims a hat-trick of National titles with Festival Brass heading to Linz with them next year.


milnrow

Result: 2025 Scottish Open

November 30 • Milnrow retains their cross border title in Perth.


swiss

Results: 2025 Swiss National Championships

November 30 • Valaisia Brass Band are champions again as BML Talents, Brass Band Kirchenmusik Fluhli, MG Konkordia Aedermannsdorf, MG Ufhusen and Hinterlander Jugend Brass Band claim the National titles in Lucerne.


Garforth Brass - Strawberry Fields Primary School

Friday 5 December • Garforth Methodist Church,. Church Lane,. Garforth,. Leeds LS25 1NW


The Hepworth Band - Christmas Brass & Voices

Saturday 6 December • Thornhill Parish Church, Dewsbury WF12 0JZ


Petworth Town Band - Petworth Town Band Christmas Event

Saturday 6 December • Petworth Town Centre GU28 OAD


Haverhill Silver Band - Family Christmas Concert

Sunday 7 December • Castle Manor Academy, Haverhill CB9 9JE


Petworth Town Band - PetworthTown Band Christmas Concert

Saturday 13 December • St Mary’s Church Petworth GU28 OAD


Haverhill Silver Band

December 2 • Haverhill Silver Band seeks an Eb bass player to join us for the areas and beyond. This is your chance to join East Anglia's premier brass band and compete at the Senior Cup and Whit Friday, as well as performing in great concerts throughout the year!


Haverhill Silver Band

December 2 • Haverhill Silver Band seeks a flugel player to join us for the areas and beyond. This is your chance to join East Anglia's premier brass band and compete at the Senior Cup and Whit Friday, as well as performing in great concerts throughout the year!


Chinnor Silver

December 1 • Having secured promotion to the 1st section from January our Christmas wish is for a Bb BASS and PERCUSSION players to join us.. Rehearsals are on a Wednesday in our own bandroom.. Good but realistic book of concerts and contests planned.


Jason M Smith


Band Trainer (Contest Preparation), Conductor


               

 © 2025 4barsrest.com Ltd