Best wishes to our Scottish representatives at the National Finals

Seventy-four bands from across Great Britain will descend upon Cheltenham Racecourse for an action-packed weekend of top competition – and amongst them will be eight bands carrying the hopes and best wishes of the Scottish brass community.

It’s the weekend of the National Finals for bands in sections 1-4, all of whom qualified to take part through their regional championships in February and March. At the end of two days of competition, four national champions will have been crowned.

These are the participating bands who qualified at the Scottish Championships in March: Granite City Brass (Bruce Wallace) and Newtongrange Silver (Anne Crookston) in the First Section; Perthshire Brass (Willie McMullan) and Jedforest Instrumental (Philip Rosier) in the Second Section; Renfrew Burgh (Mark Good) and St Ronan’s Silver (Michael Marzella) in the Third Section; and Arbroath & Carnoustie (Neill McDonald) and Stranraer Brass (Angela Miller) in the Fourth Section.

Best wishes and good luck to each and every one of them!

This is the full line-up of the weekend’s competitors:

First Section (Saturday 13 September)

Test Piece: Four Dances from 'Checkmate' (Arthur Bliss arr. Eric Ball)
Adjudicators: Nicholas Garman, David Thornton, Mark Wilkinson

Audley Brass
Cockerton Silver
Diggle
Freckleton
Glastonbury Brass
Granite City Brass
Kidlington Concert Brass
Michelmersh Silver
Newtongrange Silver
Parc & Dare
Old Silkstone
Raunds Temperance
Ripon City
Roche Brass
Thundersley Brass
Tyldesley
Tylorstown
Unite the Union

Second Section (Saturday 13 September)

Test Piece: Suite from 'Adam Zero' (Arthur Bliss - new arrangement by Dr Robert Childs)

Adjudicators: Dr Brett Baker, Stephanie Binns, Dr Robert Childs

Abertillery Town
Carlton Brass
Chinnor Silver
City of Cambridge
Deiniolen Silver
Dunston Silver
Ferryhill Town
Eagley
Jedforest Instrumental
Jersey Premier Brass
Liverpool
Middleton
Nailsworth Silver
Perthshire Brass
Porthleven Town
Shirland Welfare
South Yorkshire Police
Strata Brass
Verwood Town

Third Section (Sunday 14 September)

Test Piece: Music from 'The Royal Palaces' (Arthur Bliss – new arrangement by Michael Halstenson)
Adjudicators: Gary Davies, Martin Hartsfield, Andrea Price

Avonbank (Evesham)
Barnsley Metropolitan
Betteshanger Colliery
Bideford Town
Bratton Silver
City of Wrexham
Dobcross Silver
Ibstock Brick Brass
Flookburgh Silver
Littleport
Mid Rhondda
Oughtibridge
Pilling Jubilee Silver
Putney & Wimbledon
Renfrew Burgh
Rivington & Adlington
St Ronan's Silver
Swindon Brass
Thrapston Town
Trimdon Brass

Fourth Section (Sunday 14 September)

Test Piece: Partita (Edward Gregson)
Adjudicators: Alan Bourne, David Hirst, Steve Pritchard-Jones

Arbroath & Carnoustie
Brackley & District
City of Oxford
Cobham
Darwen Brass
Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge)
Holywell
Illogan Sparnon Silver
Ireland Colliery (Chesterfield)
Knaresborough Silver
Midsomer Norton & Radstock
Queensbury Music Centre
Red Admiral Brass
Stranraer Brass
Syston
Tewit Community Band
Wantage Academy

Renfrew Burgh Band is having an Open Rehearsal at the McMaster Centre, Robertson Park, Renfrew, tonight (Tuesday) at 7pm.

Jedforest Instrumental Band will be having an Open Rehearsal on Thursday at the Old Mission Hall, 1 The Friars, Jedburgh at 7.15pm.