Arbroath & Carnoustie crowned Fourth Section national champions!

Huge congratulations to musical director Neill McDonald and members of the Arbroath & Carnoustie Band on being crowned Fourth Section national champions today in Cheltenham.

Playing off the no.9 spot, the band beat 16 competitors in the section to take the top prize. Following them on stage – after a comfort break for the adjudicators – was Stranraer Brass (Angela Miller) who finished in a creditable eighth place.

In the follow-up Third Section, it was a top six ‘double’ for the Scottish bands with St Ronan’s Silver (Michael Marzella) and Renfrew Burgh (Mark Good) coming in fifth and sixth spots respectively. Well done!

So the weekend’s competitive music making in Cheltenham has come to an end with a respectable showing from our Scottish representatives and just one band – Arbroath & Carnoustie (below) – bringing back some silverware north of the border.

Here are the full results from today:

Third Section:

Music from The Royal Palaces (Arthur Bliss arr. Michael Halstenson)
Adjudicators: Gary Davies, Martin Heartfield, Andrea Price

1. Dobcross Silver (Jason Smith)
2. Betteshanger Colliery Welfare (Mike West)
3. City of Wrexham (Scott Lloyd)
4. Barnsley Metropolitan (Alex Francis)
5. St Ronan's Silver (Michael Marzella)
6. Renfrew Burgh (Mark Good)
7. Putney & Wimbledon (Dr. Sam Topp)
8. Trimdon Concert (Andrew Hall)
9. Flookburgh Silver (John Iveson)
10. Oughtibridge (John Hopkinson)
11. Littleport (Ian Johnson)
12. Swindon (Steve Yorke)
13. Thrapston Town (Nathan Waterman)
14. Rivington & Adlington (Malcolm Wilson)
15. Ibstock Brick (Jon Penton)
16. Avonbank (Evesham) (Micah Parsons)
17. Bratton Silver (Kyle Blake)
18. Pilling Jubilee Silver (Joshua Hughes)
19. Mid Rhondda (Adrian Morton)
20. Bideford Town (Paul Moulton)

Fourth Section:

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

1. Arbroath & Carnoustie (Neill McDonald)
2. Queensbury Music Centre (Chris Lewis)
3. Darwen (David W Ashworth)
4. Red Admiral (Stuart Barton)
5. City of Oxford Silver (Douglas Brown)
6. Brackley & District (Mark Probert)
7. Holywell (Steve Pugh-Jones)
8. Stranraer Brass (Angela Miller)
9. Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge) (Mick Silson)
10. Syston (Alex Bland)
11. Illogan Sparnon Silver (Shaun Marsden)
12. Cobham (Will Wilkins)
13. Ireland Colliery Chesterfield (Sarah Fellowes)
14. Wantage Academy (Nikki Jones)
15. Midsomer Norton & Radstock Silver (Harry Chambers)
16. Tewit Community (Andrew Williams)
17. Knaresborough Silver (Nicholas Garrett)