Cory to face international rivals at Brass in Concert
THESE days there seems to be an international flavour to proceedings in the brass band world as British bands can be found popping up in various countries in Europe on tour or just competing in a contest as a one-off.
It is certainly not a one-way route as Brassband Excelsior Ferwert, from the Netherlands, was in Devon on June 17 and 18, giving concerts and competing at a band contest.
The 93rd West of England Bandsmen’s Festival took place on Saturday, June 17, and Excelsior Ferwert joined all the other competitors as they marched through Bugle to the contest arena at Molinnis Park. The brass band fraternity welcomed their presence and wished them every success.
On the following day they were giving a concert at the harbour at Porthleven at 2pm and at the Princess Pavilion at Falmouth at 7pm. The band was previously at Bugle in 2004 and this year they are celebrating their 120th anniversary.
To enhance the rising standards of brass band music and musicianship we find that this November the current European Champion Band, Eikanger-Bjorsvik of Norway, along with Paris Brass Band, will be competing at the 41st Brass in Concert Festival at the Sage Gateshead against the cream of British brass bands.
In addition to the European bands we have the Fountain City Brass Band, who describe themselves as “Kansas City’s Own, America’s Own, the Fountain City Brass Band”, on their band website.
The band was formed in 2002 and is based in Kansas City and draws its 30 brass and percussion members from around the US. The band plays all genres of music from jazz, opera to pop and they seek to bridge the gap between popular and classical music. Since their first competition in 2004, the Fountain City Brass Band has won six US Open Brass Band Championships and four North American Brass Band Championships.
In 2009, the band won a major brass band competition on UK soil by winning The Scottish Open Brass Band Championships. Fountain City Brass Band are the current US Open Champions.
The 41st Brass in Concert Festival in association with Yamaha, Banks Group and British Bandsman will take place on November 18 and 19, at the Sage Gateshead and the organisers believe that the competition will be the strongest ever.
Defending champions Cory will once again be in the sights of Eikanger-Bjorsvik who wrestled the European title from them in April 2017 and are in the full flush of confidence for further success. The rest of a very powerful field are Brighouse and Rastrick, Carlton Main Frickly Colliery, Flowers, Fodens, Fountain City, Grimethorpe Colliery, Leyland, Paris Brass Band, Tredegar and Virtuosi GUS.
Cory will certainly be up for this and will be spurred on by solo Euphonium player Glyn Williams who was the undisputed best player of the 2017 European Brass Band Championships,
The evening concert on Sunday, November 19, will see Cory Band combining with fellow Welsh group Only Men Aloud to create a real Welsh Extravaganza!