The City of Bristol Brass Band were sad to learn that M.D. Ian Holmes, a popular conductor from the west country, was taken ill last week and will be unable to conduct them at the Area contest in Torquay.  The band has kept in close contact with Ian and send him very best wishes for a speedy recovery.
 
Bryn James came to the rescue taking the band to the Oxfordshire and District Brass Band Association contest on 23rd February, at just 48 hours notice, achieving a creditable 3rd place on only one rehearsal.

    The weekend of the 8th and 9th of March saw the annual contest commonly known as the Areas.  This year as in the past (and for years to come) it was held in Torquay.  Over 70 bands from around the region descended upon the English Riviera all hoping for a place in the National Brass Band Championship Finals later on this year.  Saturday saw the 4th, 3rd and 1st Section bands compete, with wins for Corsham, Bratton and Filton, respectively.  Sunday was our day, in the Second Section, followed by the Championship section bands eventually won by Flowers).

    On Saturday evening the Band assembled to have a final practice before enjoying the spring-time evening.  An early bed for most and an early breakfast the following morning gave time for an 8.30 warm-up and run through.  During the session we were told that we had drawn the dreaded number one spot, so a quick rendition of the National Anthem ensued before getting changed and ready to go on stage.

    Changing room - Registration (no problems there, thank goodness, after bands have been disqualified for late registrations!) - and then onto the stage.  With a welcome speech by the MC we were into the National Anthem and then after welcoming the Adjudicators, Mike Kilroy and Steve Pritchard-Jones and making sure they were ready, we started our test-piece, Chaucer's Tunes by Michael Ball.

        After an uncertain start, things improved a little in the middle, but went a little awry towards the end, with intonation and clarity getting lost in the excitement.  With our performance over, we then had a long wait (in the bar!) before the results were announced:

1. Forest of Dean Brass
2. St. Keverne
3. Ocean Brass
4.  Poole Borough
5. Wotton-under-Edge & District
6. A W Parker (Drybrook)

    We finished a disappointing 14th out of 16.  Not the result we had hoped for and certainly much worse than the Band is capable of achieving; but we will return next year to carry on the fight!

    The Band has been rehearsing solidly since the start of the year on one testpiece: Edward Gregson's The Plantagenets.  This was the piece chosen as the Second Section Area testpiece to be performed across the country to decide who would represent their respective Area in the National Finals later in the year.

    With all the extra rehearsals done and the Band settled into the Torquay hotel on the Friday night, it was an early night for some (not so for others!).  Breakfast on the Saturday morning was early: 7am, in time for a warm-up and final run-through of the piece.  The draw gave us the number 12 slot (of 16 bands) and everything looked very promising.  Knowing how much time we had before our performance, another practice time was booked for a quick final final play before we wandered over to the Riviera Centre for a coffee and bite to eat, a nosy through the trade stands or to mingle with the crowds and catch up with old friends.

    The contest starts at 10am for the Second Section on the Saturday.  We will be performing Edward Gregson's The Plantaganets to the two adjudicators, who are Lt Col Nick Grace RM & David Thornton.  Chorum Records will be there as well, recording the whole event and producing a CD of the winners.

    For more information, visit the West of England Brass Band Association website.

The band travelled to Torquay for the Regional Championships to try and gain a place at the national finals in Cheltenham. With a disappointing result last year, the band was looking to bounce back and try and take a step forward in returning to the First Section. After an early morning rehearsal, the band took to the stage playing number 2 in a strong field of 16 bands. The band felt they played well, especially given the musical and technical difficulties in this year's set test piece Cross Patonce by Goff Richards.