Highland Brass riding high after a successful 10th anniversary year

Highland Brass are riding high and looking forward to their competitive foray into the Third Section next month after a successful 2023, the band’s 10th anniversary year.

After winning the Fourth Section in last year’s Scottish Championships, the band went on a huge fundraising campaign to enable them make the 500-mile journey to compete in the National Finals in Cheltenham where they gained a very respectable eighth place.

The icing on the cake came last month when, at the SBBA AGM, Highland Brass was announced as the Fourth Section band of the year. At the time, the award was accepted by Northern Counties president Jim Wishart on behalf of the band.

But earlier this month SBBA vice president Ann Murray made the trip up to Inverness to personally hand over the banner to Highland Brass secretary Ailsa Watson (below, left). 

During her visit Ann learned that there was more good news for the band. Ailsa and musical director Mark Bell, who are currently engaged, are to be married in April after their hectic rehearsal preparation of the Christopher Bond test piece Corineus for the Scottish Championships.

Both Mark and Ailsa work with the National Youth Brass Band of Scotland and course director and SBBA president Carrie Boax added her congratulations to the happy couple.

“How lovely it is to see that a shared love of music has brought Mark and Ailsa together,” she said.  “On behalf of the SBBA and NYBBS, we offer our sincerest congratulations as they tie the knot in April and wish them all our love, health and happiness for their future together.”

No doubt this is a sentiment which will be shared by the whole Scottish banding community!