Bon Accord Silver retains Fife Charities crown
Bon Accord Silver, under the baton of David Roberts, made a successful defence of its title on Saturday, securing top spot at the Fife Charities Band Association (FCBA) Open Brass Band contest at the Adam Smith Theatre in Kirkcaldy. In doing so, the Aberdeen-based outfit will now receive an invitation to take part in the Senior Trophy at the British Open Spring Festival in Blackpool next May.
The Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy
17 bands, including five Championship Section and five 1st Section bands, took part in the event, each having to perform a march, hymn tune and test-piece in a bid to impress adjudicator Alan Duguid. Although both local favourite Kingdom Brass and UNISON Kinneil are already involved at the Spring Festival, both bands made bold bids to capture the Carnegie Trophy, finishing in second and third respectively.
Bon Accord's winning programme included the march Knight Tepmlar (George Allan), the Andi Cook arranged hymn tune Manchester and Philip Sparke's test A Tale As Yet Untold. MD David Roberts picked up the Hutchison Rosebowl as winning conductor while the band also took home the awards for best euphonium, best trombone and best percussion section.
Kingdom Brass, under Paul Drury, winners of this event on no fewer than 12 occasions, didn't quite do enough to convince the adjudicator to make it 13. However, the Fifers could take solace from being awarded the best hymn tune (The Day Thou Gavest) and best march (O.R.B) prizes along with the cornet and bass section awards, not to mention the top Fife band prize. Edward Gregson's Of Men and Mountains was Kingdom's chosen test-piece.
Chris Shanks and UNISON Kinneil had set the early standard from a number four draw, its renditions of Ravenswood (William Rimmer), Prelude on 'Lavenham' (arr. Nobes) and Philip Sparke's Dances and Alleluias leading the contest until Bon Accord's late arrival on stage. Kinneil did enough to secure an eventual third place.
The lower Section prizes were won by Bathgate (1st Section), fresh from its recent success in Cheltenham, Campbeltown Brass (2nd Section) which also achieved a notable second place in the hymn tune section, Irvine and Dreghorn (3rd Section) and Kilmarnock Concert Brass (4th Section).
The full results were:
Adjudicator: Alan Duguid
1. Bon Accord Silver (David Roberts) 195
2. Kingdom Brass (Paul Drury) 194
3. UNISON Kinneil (Chris Shanks) 193
4. Bathgate (Anne Crookston) 190
5. Easington Colliery (Ian Robinson) 189
6. Granite City (Bruce Wallace) 188
7. Newmilns and Galston (Alan Cameron) 187
8. Johnstone (Martyn Ramsay) 186
9. Campbeltown Brass (Paul Kiernan) 185
10. Lochgelly (Paul McKelvie OBE) 184
11. Irvine and Dreghorn (Helen Douthwaite-Teasdale) 183
12. Bo'ness and Carriden (Charles Farren) 182
13. Broxburn and Livingston (John Boax) 181
14. Kilmarnock Concert (Scott Walker) 180
15. McTaggart Scott Loanhead (Kenny Letham) 179
16. Bon Accord Silver 'B' (Jennifer Cook) 178
17. Dunfermline Town (Andrew Shaw) 177
Winning Conductor: David Roberts
Best Fife 'A' Band: Kingdom Brass
Best Fife 'B' Band: Dunfermline Town
Best 1st Section: Bathgate
Best 2nd Section: Campbeltown Brass
Best 3rd Section: Irvine and Dreghorn
Best 4th Section: Kilmarnock Concert Brass
Best cornet: Kingdom Brass
Best horn: Flugel, Johnstone
Best euphonium/baritone: Euphonium, Bon Accord Silver
Best trombone: Bon Accord Silver
Best basses: Kingdom Brass
Best percussion: Bon Accord Silver
