The second packed weekend of the Scottish Festival of Brass takes place at Perth Concert Hall on Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th November.
Saturday sees a keen cross border battle for the Scottish Open title, with defending champion the cooperation band up against a dozen high quality rivals.
Sunday sees a remarkable turn out of youth ensembles for the Scottish Youth Championships.
Astralis
The set-work is 'Astralis' by Philip Wilby, which was given its world premiere at the European Championships in Malmo by Whitburn Band.
It takes its inspiration from the images of the incredible objects, bodies and structures of the universe such as the famous 'Pillars of Creation' which have been captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), since its launch in December 2021.
The composer distils these into five joined sections — the first of which is a 'Prologue' entitled, 'Fire and Ice'. Following the chorale Wilby states that he composed "a soundtrack to one of the JWST zoomed images, moving through space and time towards a distant and very beautifully lit nebula."
The second section explores 'deep field' imagery — infinite mysterious sources that have sent their light to our eyes hundreds of thousands of years before.
A 'Black Hole' section mirrors the inexorable draw of matter and light into ultimate darkness, whilst 'Nebula' explodes thematic matter to reform into new material and new worlds — the music reflecting that iconic image of 'The Pillars of Creation'.
An 'Epilogue' — 'Ad Astra' celebrates man's desire to the explore the universe, its stars and the countless opportunities that the images the James Webb Space Telescope has brought us.
Scottish Open:
Adjudicators: Alan Fernie and Sheona Wade
Bon-Accord Silver (Anne Crookston)
Dalkeith & Monktonhall (James Chamberlain)
Dalmellington (Alan Friel)
Easington Colliery (Stephen Malcolm)
East London Brass (Jayne Murrill)
Elland Silver (Daniel Brooks)
Fishburn (Duncan Beckley)
Hepworth (Ryan Watkins)
Kingdom Brass (Thomas Wyss)
Kirkintilloch Kelvin (Martyn Ramsay)
Rainford (Sarah Groarke-Booth)
the cooperation band (Mike Fowles)
Whitburn (Prof Nicholas Childs)
Scottish Youth Championships:
Sunday 26 November:
Percussion Ensembles:
Adjudicator: Sarah Naish
Coalburn Percussion Academy (Robbie Bremner)
Perth & Kinross (Lynsey Paterson)
MidlothianPerc Ensemble (Barbara-Jane Waddell)
Novice Section:
Adjudicators: Brett Baker, Helen Douthwaite-Teasdale, Scott Walker and Sheona Wade
Bathgate Youth Band (Stewart Byrnes)
Bo'ness & Carriden Junior Band (David Lapsley)
Broxburn & Livingston Future Brass (Jim Bone)
Coalburn Bronze Band (David Fehilly)
Clackmannan District Beginners (Luci Lamb)
Hawick Saxhornettes (Stuart Black)
Irvine & Dreghorn Brasslets (John Boax)
Kingdom Brass Youth Band (Denise Crighton-Ward)
Kinneil Youth Band (Scott Gardner)
Maroon Brass (Stuart Black)
Perthshire Youth Brass (Willie McMullan)
Rhins School Cluster Band (Angela Miller)
Riverside Youth Band (Mark Good)
Whitburn Wee Band (Charlie Farren)
Intermediate Section:
Galashiels Youth Band (Stuart Black)
Kings Park Junior Brass (Emily Stokes)
Kirkintilloch Youth Band (Katherine Adams)
Newtongrange Junior Band (Alan Fernie)
Peebles Burgh Youth Band (Keith Belleville)
St. Ronan's Future Band (Keith Belleville)
Stranraer Junior Brass (Angela Miller)
Wizzards & Cupar Brass Bandits (Denise Crighton-Ward & Alison Milne)
Development Section:
Campbeltown Brass Juniors (Katrina Barr)
Irvine & Dreghorn Youth Band (John Boax)
West Lothian Schools Band (Caroline Farren)
Whitburn Youth Band (Caroline Farren)
Senior Section:
Dalmellington Brass Academy (Cameron Paterson)
Esk Valley Brass (Alan Fernie / John Dickson)
Highlands Future Brass (Mark Bell)
Riverside Youth Band (Mark Good)
Scottish Borders Youth Band (Stuart Black)
