Coop’s performance was out of this world to retain Scottish Open title

Perth Concert Hall was filled with the heavenly sounds of brass as 13 top-tier bands competed for the Scottish Open Challenge Trophy with their performances of the set test piece Astralis by Philip Wilby.

But there was only one competitor to take the top honours – the cooperation band, conducted by Michael Fowles – in a successful defence of its title. According to adjudicators Alan Fernie and Sheona Wade, the band’s performance was out of this world, with a clear three-point margin ahead of runner-up Hepworth Band (Ryan Watkins).

In third place was Whitburn Band (Prof Nicholas Childs), followed by the Dalmellington Band (Alan Friel).

The composer himself was in the audience during the day to hear some spectacular performances of this technically complex music.

Astralis was commissioned by the Whitburn Band for its own-choice piece in the European Championships in Malmo, Sweden, earlier this year and was offered to the Scottish Brass Band Association as the set work for the championship.

The piece is written in five sections: 1. Prologue: Ice and Fire, 2. Deep Field, 3. Black Hole, 4. Nebula, 5. Epilogue: Ad Astra. It commemorates the launching of the James Webb Space Telescope on 25 December 2021 and takes various images, drawn from the telescope’s deep field infrared photographs as the starting point for its five sections.

The inaugural Ken Ramsay Memorial Trophy was awarded to the cooperation band’s bass section, and the band’s principal euphonium Chris Flynn won the Neil Philip Memorial Trophy. Hepworth’s principal cornet, Clare Taylor, was presented with the 4barsrest Award for the best soloist.

The full results of the Scottish Open, supported by Besson, are:

1. the cooperation band (Michael Fowles) 196pts

2. Hepworth (Ryan Watkins) 193pts

3. Whitburn (Prof Nicholas Childs) 192pts

4. Dalmellington (Alan Friel) 191pts

5. East London Brass (Jayne Murrill) 190pts       

6. Dalkeith & Monktonhall (James Chamberlain) 189pts

7. Easington Colliery (Stephen Malcolm) 188pts

8. Fishburn (Duncan Beckley) 187pts

9. Elland Silver (Daniel Brooks) 186pts

10. Bon-Accord Silver (Anne Crookston) 185pts

11. Kingdom Brass (Thomas Wyss) 184pts

12. Rainford (Sarah Groarke-Booth) 183pts

13. Kirkintilloch Kelvin (Martyn Ramsay) 182pts

Watch Philip Wilby’s comments, the adjudicators’ remarks, results and awards ceremony livestreamed here.

Tomorrow, in the final event of this year’s Scottish Festival of Brass, three percussion ensembles and 31 brass bands will participate in the Scottish Youth Championships in four different sections – Novice, Development, Intermediate and Senior.

Sarah Naish will be judging the percussion entries and the adjudicators for the various sections will be Brett Baker, Helen Douthwaite-Teasdale, Scott Walker and Sheona Wade.

Tickets are available in advance from Perth Concert Hall or can be purchased on the day.

Adjudicators’ remarks, results and awards presentation will be livestreamed on the SBBA YouTube channel.