Perth all set for Scottish Festival of Brass
Preparations are almost complete ahead of the 2017 Scottish Festival of Brass which will see a host of high-profile guests descend on Perth over the last two weekends in November.
On Saturday 18 November, 25 bands are set to take part in the Band Supplies Scottish Challenge contest playing test-pieces of their own choice in a bid to impress adjudicators Owen Farr and Dave Barringer.
The Scottish Brass Band Association (SBBA) is delighted to announce that Argentina-born trombone soloist and Schagerl Artist Lito Fontana will make a guest appearance at the contest, holding workshops during the day and giving a short concert prior to the results.
Schagerl Artist Lito Fontana
The following Friday (24 November) sees American visitors Fountain City Brass holding a concert in St. Leonard’s Church in Perth before joining 16 other competitors at the Scottish Open contest in Perth Concert Hall the following day. Fountain City Brass will be joined at the Scottish Open Gala Concert, which commences at 7.30pm, by guest soloist Les Neish.
Fountain City Brass to hold Friday concert
The Scottish Youth Championships will also be held at the Concert Hall over the weekend of 25 and 26 November with over 24 groups taking part from all corners of Scotland.
A variety of workshops will take place over the weekend with former Black Dyke flugel horn John Doyle delivering sessions on Saturday and euphonium virtuoso Steven Mead and tuba soloist Les Neish getting involved on the Sunday.
‘InnerTuba’ will also be holding sessions over the weekend while Black Dyke trombonist Brett Baker will bring his Salford Graduation Brass ensemble up north to perform prior to the results on both days.
The 2017 Scottish Festival of Brass promises to be a fabulous weekend of music-making with more than enough to whet the appetite of brass band enthusiasts throughout the UK and beyond. SBBA looks forward to welcoming everyone to Perth for both weekends.
A full list of bands competing in the two main contests are as follows:
Scottish Open:
Bon Accord Silver
Bo’ness and Carriden
Co-operative Funeralcare
Dalmellington
EYMS
Fishburn
Fountain City Brass
Kirkintilloch
Kirkintilloch Kelvin
Kingdom Brass
Rainford
Rothwell Temperance
Tullis Russell Mills
UNISON Kinneil
Whitburn
Wingates
Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel
Band Supplies Scottish Challenge:
Annan Town
Arbroath Instrumental
Barrhead Burgh
Bathgate
Brass Sounds Inverclyde
Clackmannan District Brass
Coalburn Silver
Dunaskin Doon
Dundee Instrumental
Dysart Colliery Silver
Granite City Brass
Irvine and Dreghorn Brass
J36 Brass
Johnstone
Kilmarnock Concert Brass
Lochgelly
MacTaggart Scott Loanhead
Newmains and District
Newmilns and Galston
Newtongrange Silver
Penicuik Silver
Perthshire Brass
Shotts St. Patricks
St. Ronan's Silver
Whitburn Heartlands
