Results Borders Youth Band Contest & Solo & Ensemble Contest
Over 150 young brass and percussion players performed and took part in the inaugural Scottish Borders Youth Brass Band Festival last Sunday, in the Volunteer Hall, Galasheils, supported by a large enthusiastic audience.
The day's music making was split into 2 parts - in the morning, the annual solo and ensemble contest took place. This acts as the Borders Qualifying round for the Besson Scottish Youth Championships, and the first three from each of the sections going on to represent the Borders at the finals in Livingston on February 2nd. There were especially some fantastic individual performances here, including a clean sweep in the youth solos for St.Ronan's Silver, all accompanied on the piano by Fiona Dickson.
After a very short lunch break, the audience were then treated to no less than 6 youth bands from the area performing short concert programmes to compete for the Borders Youth Brass Band Championship. In a change to the traditional contest fomat, each band was given the opportunity to have a quick warm up on stage, then after their performing their programmes, they were each adjudicated by means of a short mini masterclass delivered by the judge for the day, the renowned tuba soloist, Les Neish. This more informal style was deemed to be very successful, from not only the bands and their conductors, but by the audience too.
Chairman of the Borders band association, Alan Fernie, commented "the day on the whole was a huge success, and I'm particluarly pleased with how well the more relaxed adjudication was received. It is impossible to imagine anyone better than Les to deliver the adjudications in this way, with his charisma, talent and easy rapport with the young players, and the level of support in the hall was also great to see. Between the schools and the bands here in the Borders, there is so much good work going on, and days like this inspire us all!"
The event was organised jointly bt the Scottish Borders Brass Band Association and Galasheils Town Band, and very kind and valuable financial support was also received from the instrument manufacturers Besson, and the Scottish Brass Band Association
Youth Band Contest
PREPARATORY Section
School/Band Result
GALASHIELS JUNIOR - GOLD
SELKIRK JUNIOR - GOLD - 1ST
NOVICE Section
School/Band Result
ABBEY BRASS - GOLD - 1ST
ST RONANS FUTURE - SILVER
GALASHIELS YOUTH - SILVER
DEVELOPMENT
School/Band Result
HAWICK SCHOOLS YOUTH - SILVER 1ST
Selkirk Juniors Winners of Preparatory Section
BORDERS BRASS YOUTH SOLO & ENSEMBLE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Adjudicator: Mr Les Neish ~ Accompanist: Mrs Fiona Dickson
Junior Ensembles
School/Band Result
HAWICK SCHOOLS - GOLD - 1st
JEDFOREST BAND BUDDIES - SILVER
Junior Solos
Name School/Band - Instrument - Result
AILSA ANDERSON HAWICK HS - HORN - SILVER
RACHAEL DOYLE GALASHIELS - HORN - SILVER
ASHLEIGH FERGUSON HOWDENBURN PS - CORNET - GOLD 3rd
ISSIE FRENCH GALASHIELS YOUTH - CORNET - SILVER
MADELINE HUME WILTON PS - FLUGEL - GOLD 1st
HANNAH KEMP SELKIRK SILVER - CORNET - GOLD 2
MOLLY MARSHALL WILTON PS - BARITONE - SILVER
Intermediate Solos
Name School/Band - Instrument - Result
REBECCA HALL LANGHOLM - CORNET - BRONZE
NAOMI HENDERSON KELSO HS - BARITONE - BRONZE
LOIS KIRK ST MARGARETS FLUGEL - GOLD 2nd
ROSS MABON LANGHOLM - HORN - SILVER
HARRY MARSHALL HAWICK HS - CORNET - SILVER 3rd
BENJAMIN HINDLEY ST RONANS - FLUGEL - GOLD 1st
NIAMH DOYLE ST RONANS - GLOCKENSPIEL - BRONZE
Youth Ensembles
School/Band Result
LANGHOLM - SILVER
Youth Solos
Name School/Band - Instrument - Result
DOUGLAS COUCHMAN ST RONANS - CORNET - GOLD 1st
HENRY JEFFREY JEDFOREST - TROMBONE - BRONZE
REBECCA LINDSAY ST RONANS - EUPHONIUM - GOLD 3rd
CHARLIE MARSHALL HAWICK - CORNET - BRONZE
LIAM ORR ST RONANS - CORNET - GOLD 2nd
SIMON RAILTON ANNAN - CORNET - SILVER
