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More Contest Success for Senior Band.

Fresh from their victorious performance at the Wychavon Festival of Brass, the Senior Band have once again claimed competition silverware.

On November 20th the band travelled back to the location of their last contest win, the Worcestershire town of Pershore, for the West Midlands’ Brass Band Association contest. Playing off a number seven draw, the band gave a sparkling performance of Philip Sparke’s ‘A London Overture’, which clearly found favour with adjudicator John Berryman who awarded the band first prize by two clear points over local rivals Oddfellows Brass. In fact it was a good contest all round for Leicestershire bands with Wigston coming in third in the eight-band field. In his remarks Mr Berryman praised the band’s  full blooded and exciting opening to the piece as well the sound and balance throughout. He was particularly impressed by the playing of solo cornet James Screaton. This is particularly flattering coming as it does from a former solo champion of Great Britain, and a man who for many years was regarded as one of the foremost cornetists in the land. John Berryman also praised the other soloists involved in the performance in particular Andy Thompson on horn.

Fast forward a week and once again the band was in competition, this time at the Leicestershire Brass Band Association contest, held at Garendon High School in Loughborough. As well as competing in the First Section the band had decided to pit themselves against some of the best bands in the area by entering the Open Section as well.

The band’s first performance of the day was once again ‘A London Overture’ in the First Section competition. Giving a fine account of the tricky piece the band felt confident as the section drew to a close and the hall filled with expectant players and supporters keen to hear the results of the day’s competition.

The first award to be announced was for the ‘best instrumentalist’ prize which went to our solo horn player Andy Thompson, for some superb playing thought the performance, but specifically for a terrific rendition of the difficult horn cadenza. The next award was for third prize overall and once again Enderby’s name was called out. Despite not being able to make it a hatrick of wins, the third place is still a satisfying result given that second placed band Jackfield will be promoted to the Championship Section in the New Year and winners Ratby were first section National Finalists in September.

After a lengthy wait the band took to the stage for the second time, this time performing Eric Ball’s ‘Journey Into Freedom’. Unfortunately the performance, while creditable, perhaps wasn’t the bands absolute best and saw them being placed 12th in the 14-band field by adjudicator Malcolm Brownbill. Still, the experience was a useful marker for the bands future progression.

The Senior Band’s record of two wins and one third place in the last three First Section contests shows significant progress in the last six months and a high level of consistency of performance and is a fine way to round off the year’s competition activities. The band is now busy preparing for their annual Christmas Concert which will be held on December 19th at Enderby Church.

Click here for a video of the band's 3rd place performance at Loughborough.

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