A great day of banding at the Wessex Winter Contest
It was a great day at the office as the saying goes with the Verwood Concert Brass organisation coming away from the Wessex Brass Band Association Winter Contest with a host of trophies having competed in a field of 15 bands in total.
Verwood Concert Brass Band was the highest ranked band going into the competition but they still had to deliver the goods which they did in style, winning the overall contest with a fantastic performance of “Blitz” by D.Bourgeois. But they didn’t have it all their own way with the A W Parker Drybrook Band from Gloucestershire pipping them to the top spot in the March contest piece.
However, the Verwood Concert Brass Band also picked up some special awards. The James Winter Trophy for Best Percussion Section – huge congratulations to Tom Ward, Matt Ide and Paul Williams – they were certainly a busy crew at the back there.
The Arthur Spencer Trophy for Best Bass Section – thunderous applause to Nick Charlton and Chris Ide (Bb basses) and Duncan Smith and Jane Cottee (Eb basses). NB – you could feel the audience seating floor vibrating when they were at full throttle – awesome!
It was also an exceptional event for Verwood Town Band too. They were first on at 10am and following the traditional playing of the National Anthem got stuck into playing their march “Punchinello” and then their test piece “Saddleworth Festival Overture” by Goff Richards.
It was a long wait for the results at the end of the day but eased by having the opportunity to listen to Verwood Concert Brass Band play a short concert whilst the results we collated. And what a great concert it was too. It’s possibly more nerve racking playing a concert in front of a full audience of other brass players than it is playing to the general public, the former being very discerning. But equally they know fantastic playing when they hear it and can fully appreciate the technical abilities. They fully showed their appreciation with rapturous applause, especially for Graham Carter’s horn solo, Mendelssohn’s “Finale from The Violin Concerto”, bravo Graham!
When the results were announced, the Town Band were delighted to receive the trophy for the best 3rd Section band but even more delighted to then receive the cup for the best March played by bands from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th section. What was even more gratifying was to find the band had been placed 6th overall. This meant the 3rd section Town Band had been placed higher than all three 2nd section bands and two of the seven 1st section bands that competed.
A huge achievement and congratulations to the Town Band players.
Big credit must go to Kevin Smith who conducted both of the Verwood bands. His efforts were also recognised and rewarded by being awarded the South Wilts Cup for the conductor with the best musical interpretation of the score. Let’s go with him deserving it for both the Town Band and Verwood Concert Brass Band. Well done and thank you maestro Kevin!!!
Obviously getting good results such as this makes banding all the more rewarding but however things go on the day the essential thing is for people to enjoy playing and that was evident from all of the bands that played, so well done to all the other competing bands.
It is clear that many players develop a life-long passion for playing as a number of awards were also given out for players who have achieved 50 years of banding. These included Verwood players Steve Rowland, Kay Reeks and Eileen Lock. Many congratulations and long may you continue.
Players have to start somewhere on their banding journey though and yesterday we also heard some great news. Bill Ferrier (Trombonist in Verwood Concert Brass Band) runs the Acorns new starter group and two of his pupils passed their music exams. Ethan (Euphonium) who also plays in the Verwood Community Band got a distinction for his grade 3 exam and Edward (Cornet) a merit for his grade 1 exam. Well done to both of them and we really hope they too will develop a life-long passion for playing and one day will be receiving their 50 year awards. And of course a big thank you to Bill for his dedication and teaching skills.
So, that was some day but there is no resting up for any of the bands as it is full steam ahead with rehearsals for the Christmas Concert and lots of carolling gigs.
Footnote: Full results
Wessex Brass Band Association
Results of the winter contest
Held on 27th November 2021 at Poole high school
- Verwood concert – Championship section and overall winner / March A 2nd
- AW Drybrook – 1st section winner / March A 1st
- Bournemouth concert – 1st section 2nd
- Hyde band – 1st section 3rd
- Andover Town – 1st section
- Verwood Town – 3rd section winner / March B 1st
- Ebbw Valley – 1st section
- Sherborne Town – 1st section
- Poole Borough – 2nd section winner
- Alder Valley – 1st section
- Denmead brass – 2nd section 2nd
- New forest brass – 2nd section 3rd
- Downton band – 2nd section
- Brighton and Hove – 3rd section 2nd
- Shaftsbury Town – 4th section winner
March A – AW Drybrook
March B – Verwood Town
Best cornet – Jack Grimett Hyde band
Best instrumentalist – Jack Grimmett Hyde band
Best euphonium – Mandy Hamer. AW Drybrook
Best musical director – Kevin Smith Verwood concert
Best Bass section – Verwood concert
Best percussion – Verwood concert
Best trombone section – Denmead brass
