Bands with real pedigree are preparing to do battle
ON Saturday 17th February 2018 the 21st Annual Welsh Open Brass Band Contest takes place at the Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl.
The competition starts at 11am and tickets cost £7 (unreserved) and £9 (reserved) in the balcony. Tickets are available from the Grand Pavilion Box Office and can be ordered by phoning 01656 815995.
Three of the 12 competing bands are Burry Port, Ebbw Valley Brass and City of Cardiff (Melingriffith)
Burry Port made its fledgling start as the Elliots Smelting Works Band in 1896 and continued to the late 1930’s when it disbanded.
The band reformed in 1972 and reached the Championship Section in 2000. After 11 consecutive years in Championship they were relegated to the First Section in 2010, but bounced back in 2012.
The band has won the National Eisteddfod on four occasions, has been Champion Band of Wales six times and represented Wales three times at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.
Burry Port claimed the title of Welsh Open Champions at the Grand Pavilion in 2015.
Ebbw Valley Brass was formed in September 2011 and in consecutive years reached the First Section of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain, narrowly missing out on promotion to the Championship Section.
The band’s contest successes created history as no Welsh band had ever won three national titles in progressive years. Their most recent podium success was runner-up to Llwydcoed Band at the Wychavon Brass Band Festival in October 2017.
City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) is one of the oldest bands in Wales as the name Melingriffith dates back to 1798.
The band has survived the passage of time, where many bands have folded, and is now considered to be one of the most progressive brass band organisations in the UK.
Over four evenings a week, close to 150 members from a wide cross section of the community turn up for rehearsals at the band-room in Tongwynlais.
The band experienced a very successful 2016 when, under the direction of Nigel Seaman and Dewi Griffiths came second at the Welsh Open, were First Section winners in the Welsh Regional contest and reached the final of the S4C Band Cymru competition.
City of Cardiff (Melingriffith) are in the Championship Section and narrowly missed out in appearing at the 2017 National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall, London.