70 bands to battle it out at Wychaven Festival
THE Wychavon Festival of Brass was created as a result of an initiative by the Vale of Evesham Commerce and Tourism Association in the late 1980s. The early contests were held in Evesham with bands playing in the Market Square and All Saints Church.
It then changed to rotating between Evesham, Pershore and Droitwich before settling back in Evesham where it has been since 2013.
This year’s Festival is on Saturday October 29 and the contests will be held at The De Montford School. There will be close on 70 bands taking part over the five Sections.
The Championship Section: (Adjudicator Philip Harper) starts at 9.30am and bands play on the hour and the half, so the next band plays at 10am, etc.
Bands taking part , in playing order, are: 1. Verwood Concert Brass (Kevin Smith) 2. Newstead Brass (Jim Davies) 3.Wantage Band (Paul Holland). 4. City of Cardiff (Christopher Bond) 5. Blackburn & Darwen (Daniel Thomas) 6. Amersham (Paul Fisher) 7. Milton Keynes Brass (Jonathan Mott). Break 1pm-1.30pm 8. Johnstone (Mark Good) 9. Tylorstown (Gary Davies) 10. Langley (Cliff Parker) 11. Jackfield (Ryan Richards) 12. Kidlington Concert (Duncan Wilson) 13. City of Bradford (Jonathan Bates) 14. Lydbrook (TBC) Break 5pm-5.30pm 15. Tongwynlais Temperance (TBC) 16. Ebbw Valley (Gareth Ritter) 17. Filton Concert (TBC) 18. Hucknell & Linby MC (Paul Wyley) 19. Hitchin (Andrew Kershaw) 20. Enderby (Stephen Phillips)
First Section: (Adjudicator Brian Rostron) starts at 10.30am and the playing order is as follows: 1. Milton Keynes Brass (Jonathan Mott) 2. City of Bristol Brass (Craig Roberts) 3.Hebden Bridge (Christopher Binns) 4. Audley Brass (Tom Hancock) 5. Langley (Cliff Parker) 6. Wantage Concert Brass (Neil Brownless) 7.Regent Brass (Alan Duguid) 2pm Break 2.30pm3pm 8. Bedworth Brass (Keith Leonard) 9. Markham & District (Jayne Thomas) 10. Ebbw Valley (Gareth Ritter) 11 Marsden Silver Prize (Andrew Lofthouse) 12. The Haydock Band (Mark Quinn) 13. BTM (Jeff Hutcherson) 14. SPAL Sovereign Brass (TBC).
Second Section: (Adjudicator Steve Sykes) Starts 10am with the following line up. 1. Audley Brass (Tom Hancock) 2. Saint Sebastian Wokingham (John Watts) 3. Stourport (Oliver Wilson) 4. Avonbank (Colin Herbert) 5. Weston Brass (TBC) 6. Ratby Cooperative Mid Band (Gary Perrin) 7. BD1 Brass (Jonathan Bates) Break 1.30pm-2pm 8. Abertillery Town Band (Alun Williams) 9. Downton Band (Paul Williams) 10. Poole Borough
(Lloyd Bartlett) 11. Wantage Concert Brass (Neil Brownless) 12. Harborough Band (Brad Turnbull). 13. Gwaun Cae Gurwen Brass (Alex Parker).
Third Section: (Adjudicator James Holt). Starts at 9.30am with the following line up: 1. Stourport(Oliver Wilson) 2. City of Birmingham (Saphran Ali) 3. Regent Community Brass (Simon Tong) 4. Ratby Co-operative Mid Band (Gary Perrin) 5. Ynyshir Band (Carol Flannary-Davies) 6. Cheltenham Silver Band (Adrian Jowett) 7. Towcester Studio Band (Peter Wain) Break: 1pm-1.30pm 8. Arrow Valley Brass (Ashley Buxton) 9.Gwaun Cae Gurwen Brass (Alex Parker) 10. Lindley Town Band (Thomas Dunne) 11. Ocean Brass (Andy Wareham) 12. Cross Keys Silver (Sion Jones) 13. Wem Jubilee (Cathy Rutherford).
Fourth Section starts approx 5.30pm. Line up as follows: 1. Wantage Academy (Nikki Jones) 2. Wem Jubilee (Cathy Rutherford) 3. Cross
Keys Silver (Sion Jones) 4. Red Admiral Band (Stuart Barton) 5. Blaenavon Town Band(Christian Jenkins) 6. Putney & Wimbledon (Sam Topp) 7. Malvern Hills District Band (Chris License).
After a lean period with lack of numbers as a result of the pandemic it’s good to see Blaenavon Town Band back on the contest stage in the Fourth Section at Wychavon.
They are developing their Junior Section under the leadership of euphonium player, Evan Smith, while the senior band are being directed by Christian Jenkins.
Llwydcoed Band have started back with rehearsals under their new Musical Director Daniel Hall who replaces their long standing MD, Chris Turner.
Crosskeys Silver Band after their 5th position at the National Finals of Great Britain are hoping for a repeat of the last time they were at Wychavon when they won the Fourth Section in 2021.