Whitburn enjoy double success
WHITBURN Band is celebrating after a double success at the Scottish Brass Band Championships.
Whitburn won the Scottish title for the 18th time after a performance of Peter Graham’s test piece The Torchbearer in the championship section.
The performance, led by Whitburn's new professional conductor Professor Nicholas Childs, was enough to beat defending champion Cooperative Funeralcare into second place.
The band also won three individual awards with the efforts of Chris Bradley (Cornet), Nick Vermeiren (Euphonium) and Caroline Farren (Flugel) recognised by the judges Sandy Smith and Stephen Roberts.
The band now look forward to representing Scotland at the National Brass Band Championships in the Royal Albert Hall, London, later this year, and the European Championships in Lille, France next year.
Whitburn’s victory at Perth Concert Hall came a day after Whitburn Heartlands won the Scottish Fourth Section by five points after a performance of An English Pastorale by Dean Jones.
Heartlands is a band made up of talented young players from Whitburn Youth, complemented by some senior players - some of them ex-Whitburn - who are aiding the development of the youngsters.
Whitburn Heartlands is part of a ‘pathway programme’ within the Whitburn Band organisation, which aims to develop players from their first note to the senior band.
The Scottish weekend was an extra special one for Robert Fraser, who conducted Whitburn Heartlands to victory before winning the title with Whitburn as a member of the band’s bass section.
Whitburn’s victory also came a few months after the band won the Scottish Open contest.
David Kinross, Whitburn Band President, said: “It was a fantastic weekend for both Whitburn and Whitburn Heartlands.
“We are very proud of our young players and pathway system and now have three Scottish champion bands in our organisation - Whitburn, Whitburn Heartlands, and Whitburn Youth, who won the Development Section of the Scottish Youth Championships last year.
“I want to thank all the players, parents, supporters, and - of course – Robert Fraser and Whitburn's professional conductor Nicholas Childs.
“Now, for the senior band, attention turns to the Grand Shield where we hope to qualify for the British Open.”
