The East Yorkshire Motor Services Brass Band has announced that they have secured the services of Frans Violet to conduct them at the 2008 Spring Festival.

The Band is competing in the Senior Cup, and is determined to improve on the 6th and 5th placings gained in 2006 and 2007.

Elgar Variations

To help achieve this, it was decided by the Band’s Management Committee to approach Frans with a view to taking them to Blackpool this year. Frans was only too delighted to accept, and will be visiting Kingston Upon Hull in early March to start rehearsing the Band on the set test-piece ‘Elgar Variations’.

The appointment of Frans, demonstrates the determination of the Band not only to move out of the Senior Cup, but to be challenging in 2009 for a place in the British OpenChairman John Mathews

Proven track record

Band Chairman John Mathews told 4BR: "The appointment of Frans, a conductor with a proven track record – not just as the highly successful conductor of Brass Band Willebroek – but also as a winning conductor on Elgar Variations, demonstrates the determination of the Band not only to move out of the Senior Cup, but to be challenging in 2009 for a place in the British Open."

Echoing these comments trombonist Mark Unsworth added; "Knowing that Frans will be conducting the Band, combined with some new players arriving, has given the Band a real lift. There is now an excitement around the bandroom, something that has been missing for a few weeks."

Jigsaw

He added: "All we need now is to sort out a replacement Musical Director and Principal Cornettist, and the jigsaw will almost be complete, though I have to say the input of temporary conductors Duncan Beckley & Garry Oglesby – and Stewart Kennedy for sitting on the end chair – has been magnificent."