*
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    


Tameside

Results: 2026 Tameside Whit Friday

June 2 • Foden's retain their Whit Friday title with a Presidential flourish in Tameside.


Scotland

Scottish banding battles for success

June 1 • A recent article in one of Scotland's leading newspapers has highlighted both the successes and challenges faced by its banding organisations.


Cross

Death of David Banwell

June 1 • The death has been announced of David Banwell, the widely respected former player, conductor and member of the 4BR team.


Whit Friday

Whitsuntide celebration on Radio 4

May 31 • The celebration of Whitsuntide in Saddleworth has been marked on Radio 4 — accompanied by brass band music


The Hepworth Band - Brassband Burgermusik Luzern

Saturday 30 May • Dewsbury Minster, Vicarage Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire WF12 8DD


Dobcross Silver Band - Unite the Union Band

Sunday 31 May • c/o Dobcross Band Club. Platt Lane. Dobcross Saddleworth OL3 5AD


Regent Hall Concerts - Ithaca Brass

Tuesday 2 June • Regent Hall (The Salvation Army). 275 Oxford Street. London W1C2DJ


Fulham Brass Band - Summer Concert

Friday 5 June • St Dionis Church, Parsons Green SW6 4UH


Yorkshire Imperial - Roger Webster & The Colne Valley Male Voice Choir

Saturday 6 June • St George's Hall, Bridge Street, Bradford BD1 1JT


Chinnor Silver

June 2 • We are looking for PERCUSSIONIST (kit/tuned) to join us in an exciting time for this 1st Section band.We rehearse on Wednesdays in our own bandroom (no setting up for each rehearsal)Good sensible book of concerts and contests possible foreign trip 2027.


Crewe Brass

June 2 • Crewe Brass are looking for a FRONT ROW CORNET player to join our highly motivated 4th section band. We are a very welcoming and sociable band, with a positive outlook and a reasonably busy calendar of engagements. Other enquiries are welcome.


Crewe Brass

June 2 • Crewe Brass are looking for a Eb BASS player to join our highly motivated 4th section band. We are a very welcoming and sociable band, with a positive outlook and a reasonably busy calendar of engagements. Other enquiries are welcome.


Darren R. Hawken

PGdip, BMus(hons) PGCE, dipABRSM, LRSM
Conductor, Arranger, Teacher, Adjudicator, Band Trainer


               

 © 2026 4barsrest.com Ltd