Northop secure place in the top 10 at British Open debut
ON September 10, the British Open Brass Band Championships took place at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham and what a great musical occasion it turned out to be.
Eighteen of the best bands in the UK and the best band in France, the Paris Brass Band – who were also the 2019 European Vice-Champions – competed for the title of 2022 British Open Champion.
The event opened with a eulogy to our late Queen who has been a Patron of The British Open Brass Band Championships.
The whole audience rose to hold a Two-Minute Silence followed by the first band in the competition, the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band, conducted by Allan Withington, playing the National Anthem to a silent audience.
It was a very moving occasion which will always be remembered.
This year’s adjudicators were Dr Robert Childs (M Music (dist) ARCM (hons) FLCM PGCE FRWCMD), Martyn Brabbins, (music director of the English National Opera) and Stephen Roberts (PHD, MA, B Music ARCM).
They had no easy task, but they all agreed that the top six bands were: 1st – Brighouse and Rastrick (Prof David King); 2nd – Foden’s (Russell Gray); 3rd – Aldbourne (Ivan Meylemans); 4th – Cory (Philip Harper); 5th – Tredegar (Ian Porthouse); 6th – Grimethorpe Colliery (Michael Bach).
It was a disappointing day for supporters of our top two Welsh bands Cory and Tredegar, but Northop Silver from North Wales showed that they are not out of their depth in this company as they were placed 9th having received their first invitation to take part in the British Open.
There was not a poor performance from any band, but not all the bands had the same interpretation of the test piece – The World Rejoicing – composed by Edward Gregson which was ‘symphonic variations on a Lutheran Chorale’.
Listening to the judges comments at the end of the contest it became clear that those bands who did not take special heed of the composers markings would be at a real disadvantage however well they played.
Brighouse’s interpretation was an exciting one, as was that of Foden’s band. Aldbourne band seemed to have a much more restrained interpretation and emerged with the third prize. The rest of the bands taking part were 7th – The cooperation band; 8th – Black Dyke; 9th – Northop Silver; 10th – Hammonds Saltaire; 11th – Leyland; 12th – Flowers; 13th – NASUWT Riverside; 14th – Paris Brass Band; 15th – WFEL Fairey; 16th – Carlton Main Frickley Colliery; 17th – Desford Colliery; 18th – Rothwell Temperance.