Plenty to celebrate at annual Wychavon festival
ON Saturday, October 29, one of the most entertaining competitions took place at Evesham, which was the Wychavon 2022 Festival of Brass attracting more than 60 brass bands from all over the UK.
Results as follows:
Championship – Adjudicator: Philip Harper
■ 1st – City of Bradford (Jonathan Bates). 2nd – Wantage Band (Paul Holland). 3rd – Enderby (Stephen Phillips). 4th – Ebbw Valley Brass (Gareth Ritter). 5th – City of Cardiff (Christopher Bond). 6th – Jackfield (Ryan Richards). 7th – Verwood Concert Brass (Kevin Smith). 8th – Filton Concert Brass (Nathan Jenkins). 9th – Langley (Cliff Parker). 10th – Hucknall and Linby MC Brass (Paul Whyley). 11th – Amersham Band (Paul Fisher). 12th – Blackburn & Darwen (Daniel Thomas). 13th – Tylorstown (Gary Davies). 14th – BTM (Jeff Hutcherson). 15th – Lydbrook (Stephen Sykes). 16th – Newstead Brass (David Holling). 17th – Tongwynlais Temperance (?). 18th – Milton Keynes Brass (Jonathan Mott). 19th – Johnstone Band (Raymond Tennant). 20th – Kidlington Concert Brass (Duncan Wilson).
Congratulations to Philip Howells, percussionist at Ebbw Valley Brass, who was awarded The WFB Soloist Trophy for his Xylophone Solo.
Well done also to Ebbw Valley Brass and their Musical Director Gareth Ritter who were awarded the Special Award of an invitation to compete at the 2023 Spring Festival, Blackpool. ■
First Section – Adjudicator: Nicholas Garman
1st – The Haydock Band (Mark Quinn). 2nd – Ebbw Valley Brass (Gareth Ritter). 3rd – Langley (Cliff Parker). 4th – Marsden Silver Prize Band). 5th – SPAL Sovereign Brass (Alan Gifford). 6th – BTM (Jeff Hutcherson). 7th – Regent Brass (Alan Dugaid). 8th – Hebden Bridge Band (Christopher Binns). 9th – Audley Brass (Tom Hancock). 10th – Markham and District (Jayne Thomas). 11th – Milton Keynes Brass (Jonathan Mott). 12th – City of Bristol Brass Band (Craig Roberts). 13th – Bedworth Brass (Keith Leonard). 14th – Wantage Concert Brass (Neil Brownless).
Congratulations to Ebbw Valley Brass who gained the Newmoon Insurance Entertainment Trophy and £100. Their “swimmingly” good programme really “made waves” with the adjudicators,” said Dean Woods.
■ Second Section – Adjudicator: Steve Sykes
1st – BD1 Brass (Jonathan Bates). 2nd – Harborough Band (Brad Turnbull). 3rd – Weston Brass (Ian Holmes). 4th – Abertillery Town Band (Alun Williams). 5th – Ratby Cooperative Mid Band (Gary Perrin). 6th – Saint Sebastian Wokingham Band (John Watts). 7th – Audley Brass (Tom Hancock). 8th – Wantage Concert Brass (Neil Brownless). 9th – Avonbank (Colin Herbert). 10th – Stourport on Severn Brass Band (Oliver Wilson). 11th – Downton Band (Paul Williams).
Well done to Abertillery Town Band who gained 4th place behind the three bands who will be in the First Section in January 2023. ■
Third Section – Adjudicator: James Holt
1st – Ratby Cooperative Mid Band (Gary Perrin). 2nd – Lydney Town Band (Thomas Dunne). 3rd – Cross
Keys Silver Band (Sion Jones). 4th – City of Birmingham (Saphran Ali). 5th – Welwyn Garden City Band (William Douglas). 6th – Stourport on Severn Brass Band (Oliver Wilson). 7th – Wem Jubilee Band (Cathy Rutherford). 8th – Cheltenham Silver Band (Adrian Jowett). 9th – Towcester Studio Band (Neil Brownless). 10th – City of Cardiff Melingriffith 2 (Martyn Ford). 11th – Regent Community Brass (Simon Tong). 12th – Ynyshir Band (Carol FlannaryDavies).
Congratulations to both baritone players in the Cross Keys Silver Band who were awarded The WFB VKO Medals. ■ – Adjudicator:
Fourth Section James Holt
1st – Cross Keys Silver Band (Sion Jones). 2nd – Putney & Wimbledon (Sam Topp). 3rd – Wem Jubilee Band (Cathy Rutherford). 4th – Malvern Hills District Brass Band (Chris License). 5th – Blaenavon Town Band (Christian Jenkins). 6th – Wantage Academy (Nikki Jones).
Congratulations to Pauline Williams, of Cross Keys Silver, who received The WFB Best Soloist Trophy.