Band bags top gong
Virtual win for talented musicians
A Renfrewshire band has enjoyed international success – despite being unable to play together for more than a year.
Johnstone Band was named third in the prestigious Kapitol Cory Online Brass Band Championships.
The global contest saw bands from far and wide showcasing their musical skills on YouTube.
For the Johnstone performance, members had recorded their parts at home, with the individual lines woven together by the band’s Ryan Bradley, Keith Johnson and musical director Mark Good.
The collective performance was then uploaded online.
Johnstone Band also scooped the prize for the best cornet section at the event.
Mark told the Express: “Like musicians in communities all over the country, members of Johnstone Band have dearly missed getting together over the past year because of the pandemic.
“Events like the Kapitol Cory Online Brass Band Championship are a great way of helping players keep motivated during this challenging period and I am delighted for everyone who worked so hard in the build-up to the event.
“While we may have been unable to play together in-person, the band has enjoyed a busy schedule of online rehearsals and performances and hard work is continuing in the background to ensure the band is ready to hit the ground running as soon as we are given the green light to do so.”
Central to the band’s success was a new emotive piece of music entitled Black Cart Water.
Composed by Nicholas Olsen, a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the music pays tribute to Johnstone’s history of thread and cotton mills.
The music was brought to life with stirring images and footage of the town, including drone footage by Kukscinema Scotland and with assistance from Johnstone History Museum.
Enjoying the solo spotlight were principal cornet player Clare Thomas and principal euphonium player Wesley Stuart, who performed a tender rendition of Ben Hollings’ Novella before the band closed its programme in energetic fashion with Olympiada, arranged by Jonathan Bates.
The band also took part in the recent Fife Brass Band Festival, placing fourth, and is currently preparing for the Whitburn Band Virtual Festival.
Looking to the future, Johnstone Band hopes it will be able to reunite members when Scotland moves into Level 1 - a decision on which is expected on Friday.
Under Level 1 restrictions, adult non-professional performing arts activities are permitted, but the band is keen to hear more about what this means for those involved in woodwind, brass and voice activities.
Johnstone Band’s programme is available to view at its YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3v5jk1Y