Land O'Burns Contest Results
The 12th Land O‚Äö?Ñ?¥Burns contest took place in Troon on 26th August. Seventeen bands vied for the top prize of ¬¨¬£2000, the richest available in Scotland. The organisers this year had stipulated that each band had to include in their programme a movement from a recognised test piece. This led to some interesting programme choices and a welcome opportunity to hear some older test pieces that rarely get an outing these days. As always, the organisers kept the identity of the adjudicator under wraps until the draw where Derek Broadbent was introduced to the assembled band delegates. The contest was won by Whitburn under Andrew Duncan but they were pushed hard by an inspired performance from Russell Gray and the Fishburn band.
Come follow The Band
Of the top two bands, first up on stage were Fishburn who chose to enter the contest arena in an unconventional manner. Standing on centre stage was a lone Bb bass whose owner proceeded to play the opening bars of Cy Colemans ‚Äö?Ñ??Come Follow The Band‚Äö?Ñ??. As he played the rest of the band entered and proceeded to give a rousing performance of the song from the show ‚Äö?Ñ??Barnum‚Äö?Ñ??. At the end of the performance their MD Russell Gray, making a welcome return to his homeland, literally bounded on stage and took the band straight into the Barrie Gott number ‚Äö?Ñ??Mumbo Jumbo‚Äö?Ñ??. A very high energy performance from the band really caught the attention of the audience and the adjudicator too. After such an uptempo opening the band were pleased to get a chance of a breather as they showed their softer side with a lovely performance of ‚Äö?Ñ??Letter From Home‚Äö?Ñ?? arranged by Svein Giske. Another up tempo number followed with Edrich Sieberts wonderful little number ‚Äö?Ñ??Bees-a-Buzzin‚Äö?Ñ?¥‚Äö?Ñ??. The band then featured their solo euphonium player Jeff Bell who chose to play ‚Äö?Ñ??Michaelangelo‚Äö?Ñ?? by Sigvart Dagsland and arranged by Frode Rydland. Some wonderfully controlled playing on show here from both soloist and band. For their test piece choice the band featured the finale from Philip Sparkes ‚Äö?Ñ??Year of the Dragon‚Äö?Ñ??.
A welcome returnn for MD Russell Gray
Again the band played very well although they did show some small chinks in their armour for almost the first time in this programme. This was probably the bands weakest point of the programme but it was still a performance worthy of much praise. The band closed their programme with one of the MD‚Äö?Ñ?¥s favourite marches ‚Äö?Ñ??The Melody Shop‚Äö?Ñ?? arranged by David Hurst and what a good show they put on too. Having heard Fishburn on a number of occasions in recent years it is remarkable the progress the band has made. A win in Troon a few years back brought them to our notice but they really arrived with a bang in November 2005 with a stunning win at the Scottish Open contest. It seems from this performance that the band have not been resting on their laurels since that victory. Under MD Russell Gray they produced a very slick programme of music here and it was pleasing to note that all the choreography worked too and did not detract from the music itself.
Best instrumentalist Richard Kidd
Whitburn, in contrast to recent contests had the good fortune to play off draw number 16 and so took to the stage as last band of the evening. They opened their programme with MD Andrew Duncan‚Äö?Ñ?¥s arrangement of Malcolm Arnold‚Äö?Ñ?¥s ‚Äö?Ñ??HRH Duke of Cambridge‚Äö?Ñ??. A good choice of opener and notice given by the band that they were not going to relinquish their title, nor the chance of a treble, lightly. Richard Kidd is one of Scotland‚Äö?Ñ?¥s finest young players and is fast gaining a reputation throughout the brass band world. He joined Whitburn earlier this year and has quickly established himself as one of their featured soloists. The audience were not to be disappointed here as Richard stepped up to perform ‚Äö?Ñ??Valflickans Dans‚Äö?Ñ?? by the Norwegian composer Hugo Alfven arranged by his countryman Frode Rydland. Richard won the best soloist award at the West Lothian Challenge a few weeks back with this work and so good was his playing, he was to complete a double today. An excellent solo from an excellent player. For their test piece choice the band surprisingly chose a slow number in the ‚Äö?Ñ??Elegy‚Äö?Ñ?? from John Ireland‚Äö?Ñ?¥s ‚Äö?Ñ??Downland Suite‚Äö?Ñ??, and very effective it was too. Several bands earlier in the day had made an attempt at this popular choice but Whitburn really showed us how it should be done.
Whitburns winning bass section
Some fantastic playing was evident here with good dynamic control and ensemble throughout. For regular Whitburn watchers the bands next choice would come as no surprise as they launched into Andrew Duncan‚Äö?Ñ?¥s arrangement of Shostakovich‚Äö?Ñ?¥s ‚Äö?Ñ??Scherzo from Symphony No. 10‚Äö?Ñ??. This is such an effective piece and the band obviously know it inside out and enjoy playing it too. Some wonderful writing by the bands MD. For their finisher the band chose to play another Andrew Duncan arrangement, the ‚Äö?Ñ??Reunion and Finale‚Äö?Ñ?? from the motion picture ‚Äö?Ñ??Gettysburg‚Äö?Ñ?? by Randy Edelman. This is another Andrew Duncan work which has become popular amongst bands throughout the country. Some great soprano playing in evidence here and wonderful dynamic control from the band at the end of a demanding programme. Whitburn then ran out worthy winners with a wonderfully crafted programme. After the disappointment of the West Lothian Challenge final the band will have been pleased to get back to winning ways as they secured their hat trick of victories at the Land O‚Äö?Ñ?¥Burns contest. Whitburn appear to be at their best for a number of years and it will be interesting to see how fortune smiles on them in the challenges to come later in the year.
Kirkintilloch Kelvin take the applause
Outwith the top two, Kirkintilloch Kelvin continue to impress with a young band at Championship level as they claimed third place ahead of Unison Kinneil. Dunaskin Doon took the 1st section prize ahead of Lochgelly, both bands who show much promise. The 2nd section bands had a bit of an off day, other than Shotts St. Patricks Brass who took the section prize, with most of them finishing well down behind a gaggle of 3rd section bands. In the 3rd section Coalburn Silver took the section prize but special mention must go to Dunfermline Town. They achieved a top ten finish for their efforts and can be justifiably proud of their performance having taken to the stage minus five players and little over half a cornet section. In these days of bands withdrawing it was pleasing to see the band make the effort to contest despite obvious difficulties, well done. The 4th section prize was won by Brass Sounds Inverclyde and again, just reward for this improving band for the effort they made to attend the contest. All in all there were many performances of note and, on this evidence at least, it would appear that Scottish brass banding has much to look forward to.
The Dalmellington Band who organise this contest can also be proud of the fact that they produce such a wonderful days entertainment. Sandy McAughtrie and his team run a great contest here. The venue is wonderful and, if the sun shines, Troon is a good place to be of an August weekend. The sun did shine on Saturday, at least some of the time, but mostly it shone on Whitburn band. Congratulations to all the prizewinners.
The results of the Land O Burns 2006
Open Contest
| Venue: | Walker Halls, Troon |
| Date: | 26th August 2006 |
| Adjudicator(s): | Derek Broadbent |
| Entertainment Programme | |
Band |
Conductor |
Section |
Draw |
Pts |
|
| 1. | Whitburn | Andrew Duncan |
C
|
16
|
197
|
| 2. | Fishburn | Russell Gray |
C
|
7
|
196
|
| 3. | Kirkintilloch Kelvin | Alistair Orr |
C
|
2
|
193
|
| 4. | Unison Kinneil | Paul Drury |
C
|
15
|
192
|
| 5. | Dunaskin Doon | John Boax |
1
|
6
|
189
|
| 6. | Johnstone Silver | Charles Keenan |
C
|
10
|
187
|
| 7. | Lochgelly | Alan Fernie |
1
|
9
|
186
|
| 8. | Shotts St. Patrick's Brass |
2
|
8
|
184
|
|
| 9. | Coalburn Silver |
3
|
13
|
183
|
|
| 10. | Dunfermline Town | Dave Neil |
3
|
3
|
182
|
| 11. | Renfrew Burgh |
3
|
12
|
181
|
|
| 12. | Buckhaven & Methil | Bob McDonald |
3
|
5
|
180
|
| 13. | St. David's Brass |
2
|
11
|
179
|
|
| 14. | Annan Town | David Shanks |
2
|
11
|
178
|
| 15. | Campbeltown Brass | Craig Anderson |
3
|
14
|
177
|
| 16. | Brass Sounds Inverclyde |
4
|
1
|
176
|
Best 1st Section Band: Dunaskin Doon
Best 2nd Section Band: Shotts St. Patricks Brass
Best 3rd Section Band: Coalburn Silver
Best 4th Section Band: Brass Sounds Inverclyde
Best Instrumentalist: Richard Kidd, Euphonium, Whitburn
Best Principal Cornet: Chris Bradley, Whitburn
Best Euphonium: Richard Kidd, Whitburn
Best Horn: Steve Hardy, Fishburn Band
Best Soprano Cornet: Kirkintilloch Kelvin
Best Bass Section: Whitburn
Best Percussion Section: Unison Kinneil
Dress & Deportment: Fishburn Band
Highest Placed Ayrshire Band: Dunaskin Doon
