Ready, steady, slow... Renfrew Burgh takes Borders title at its own pace

Today’s Borders Entertainment Contest has been won by Renfrew Burgh Band whose set kicked off with the funereal opener, Just a Closer Walk, arranged by Alan Fernie.

Under the expert musical direction of Mark Good, the band followed up with the cornet and euphonium duet Novella (Ben Hollings) featuring Ash Paton and Allan McGranaghan before launching into California Dreaming (arr Adam D J Taylor). The finale to the own-choice programme was the swashbuckling The Mask of Zorro (arr Sandy Smith).

Playing off the no.5 spot out of 15 bands, it was Renfrew Burgh’s style and presentation which impressed adjudicators Paul Drury and Russell Gray the most.

Renfrew Burgh also won the best Third Section band prize and Ash Paton was adjudged to be best instrumentalist and best solo cornet.

Taking the runner-up place was Jedforest Instrumental (Phil Rosier) with a repertoire which comprised Space Chords (arr Cameron Mabon), Up is Down (arr Ewan Steady), Over the Rainbow (arr Goff Richards) and Visions of Kolkhis (Tom Davoren).

In a valiant defence of last year’s victory, Annan Town (Lewis Wilkinson) came in third with their programme of Asteroid (arr Daniel Hall), Romantic Flight (arr Dan Price), Pure Imagination - The World’s Greatest Storyteller (arr Philip Harper), The Attack of the Killer Trombones (Alan Fernie) and The Egg Travels (main theme from Disney's Dinosaur, by James Newton Howard).

At the end of the contest, Scottish Borders Brass Band Association chairman Stuart Black (above), before introducing the adjudicators to the expectant audience in Jedburgh Town Hall, paid tribute to Langholm Town’s stalwart cornet player David Calvert who passed away in August after 73 years service with the same band.

The full results from the contest are:

1. Renfrew Burgh (Mark Good) - pictured above

2. Jedforest Instrumental (Phil Rosier)

3. Annan Town (Lewis Wilkinson)

4. Irvine & Dreghorn (Joshua Parkhill)

5. Selkirk Silver (Stuart Black)

6. Broxburn & Livingston (Caroline Farren)

7. Langholm Town (Chris Bradley)

8. Coalburn Intermediate (Gareth Bowman)

9. Peebles Burgh (David McAuley)

10. Whitburn Heartlands (Peter Holmes)

11. St Ronan’s Silver (Mike Marzella)

12. Penicuik Silver (Jess Purbrick)

13. Hawick Saxhorn (Alan Fernie)

14. Kirkton Brass (Paul McKelvie OBE)

15. MacTaggart Scott Loanhead (Amy Paterson)

Best entertainment: Penicuik Silver

Best Second Section band: Jedforest Instrumental

Best Third Section band: Renfew Burgh

Best Fourth Section band: Coalburn Intermediate

Highest placed Borders band: Jedforest Instrumental

Best soloist: Fraser Kirk, Irvine & Dreghorn

Best instrumentalist: Ash Paton, Renfrew Burgh

Best solo cornet: Ash Paton, Renfrew Burgh

Best bass section: Broxburn & Livingston

Best percussion: Whitburn Heartlands

Best deportment: Langholm Town

Youngest player: Whitburn Heartlands