The Skelmanthorpe Band and the B Band travelled to St Georges Hall, Bradford on Sunday 3rd March to participate in the 2013 Yorkshire Regional Brass Band Championships.
Skelmanthorpe Band
The Skelmanthorpe Band were competing in the Championship Section which got underway at 17.45. Competing against some of the worlds top bands, the band had to overcome all the difficulties faced in performing the set test piece, Harmony Music by Philip Sparke. MD John Roberts had the band in excellent shape, but after a long wait, having been drawn number 10 of the 13 bands competing, produced a fine performance on stage to impress the judges Nigel Boddice and Rob Wiffin. The results were announced around 10.30pm and the band were not disappointed. Placed 7th, one place behind Black Dyke, the band had good reason to celebrate a superb result in this company.
4bars rest commented:
‘There was also true top section credentials on show from Skelmanthorpe in seventh, who once again produced a well constructed account under the baton of John Roberts’
Results were
- Carlton Main Frickley Colliery
- Brighouse & Rastrick
- Grimethorpe Colliery
- Rothwell Temperance
- Hepworth
- Black Dyke
- Skelmanthorpe
- Marsden
- Yorkshire Imperial Urquart Travel
- Hammonds Saltaire
- Unite the Union ( City of Sheffield )
- Wakefield Met
- Meltham & Meltham Mills
Listen to our performance on You Tube.
Hannah Stell
The B Band were in Section 3, performing the set test piece, Hollywood arranged by Goff Richards. Playing number 4 of the 11 competing bands, the band gave a fantastic rendition of this highly entertaining composition under the direction of MD Philip Garlick. The adjudicators were Kevin Wadsworth and Steve Pritchard-Jones and as the results were announced, the band and supporters were in raptures as they were placed a deserved second place behind winners Dronfield. This result secured qualification to the National Finals in Cheltenham at the end of September to represent the Yorkshire area and a prestigious promotion into Section 2 from next year.
Adam Carpenter
After some extensive celebrating, the band headed home clutching the Huddersfield and District BBA Shield and a cheque for £100, along with the Kirklees Music of Brighouse Trophy for best soloist of the day, awarded to the bands Solo Trombone player, 12 year old Hannah Stell and for the Youngest player: Adam Carpenter.
4Barsrest.com, had this to say about the bands performance,
‘With a number of high quality rivals to compare, it was Skelmanthorpe ‘B’s stylish account under Phil Garlick’s neat direction that sent them to the finals for the first time since 2008. The excellent trombonist Hannah Stell picked up the soloist award, whilst the young percussion duo, who performed like a pair of seasoned old stage hands, caught the eye and the ear too. It was a very confident performance from a well drilled band.’
Results were
- Dronfield CMW
- Skelmanthorpe B
- Linthwaite
- Wetherby and District Silver
- Garforth
- Dinnington
- Lofthouse 2000
- Huddersfield and Ripponden Brass
- Warsbrough Brass
- Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge)
- Rockingham
