Big response for SWBBA’s first online competition
THE South West Brass Band Association has organised an Online Solo & Quartet Contest.
Organisers have been delighted with the excellent response of 150 competitors and, as a result, the Under 12 Class had to be divided into two separate categories for nine years and under and 10 to 12 years.
The results will be announced over the evenings of May 21, 22 and 23.
The SWBBA are very grateful to Trevada Music who have donated prizes for the winners.
This online competition has been organised to try to take the place of their Annual Winter Workshop at West Buckland, which had to be cancelled.
Steve Sykes, who is a renowned tuba soloist and conductor, is the adjudicator for all classes.
In all, there were 13 sections covering age groups from nine years to 18 years and Open dealing with
Slow Melody, Air and Variation, Duets, Quartets and an Open Ensemble.
Chairman Ray Kingdon said: “On behalf of the SWBBA executive committee I am delighted to announce the launch of our inaugural Online Solo & Quartet Contest.
“The challenging times over the last 11 months have severely restricted band activity with online the main gateway to keeping in touch.
“We have been exploring the possibilities of re-stablishing a SWABBA Solo & Quartet competition, as 25-30 years ago these were extremely popular and provided experience and opportunity to so many at all levels and at a variety of locations throughout the region.
“While we are not the first organisation to promote an online event, we see this as a progressive step to the re-building of our local brass band community activities in 2021.”
The original rules saw the competitors entry videos being lodged with the organisers by April 11 and the winning performances were to be announced on May 8 and 9, but due to the overwhelming numbers the announcement of winners had to be postponed. ■ Dr Keith Wilkinson, the former conductor of GUS and William Davies, has decided to end his association as musical director of Brass of the Western Reserve in northeast Ohio, a post he has held since 1997.
A band spokesman said: “When Keith made the move to USA 25 years ago he had already established a fine reputation as a successful director of brass bands and BBWR has been privileged to benefit greatly from his experience.
“We wish him all the best for the future and hope he returns as an occasional guest conductor.
“We would also like to place on record our huge appreciation for the contribution made by Keith’s wife, Audry.
“Not only has she been a regular source of support and encouragement, but has taken on several behind-the-scenes activities, including being a wonderful compere at concerts.” (Thanks to 4BR)
I got to know Keith quite well when I was secretary of the West Midlands Brass Band Association as I engaged him as a regular adjudicator for the local Radio WM brass band contest for a number of years. Keith was very cooperative and a nicer man would be hard to find and he was a first class adjudicator.
The Radio WM producer of the contest was Barry Lankesterfollowed later as producer by Pete Simkin.
Barry and I became good friends and he did warn me that ‘the wind of change was blowing through the BBC’. This contest took place in the 1970s at Pebble Mill in Birmingham and ended as a result of financial cuts at the BBC.
It happened as he foresaw and quite suddenly Barry was no longer at Radio WM.
Pete had taken over and just a couple of years afterwards there was no band contest on Radio WM.
Barry Lankester was a pioneer of regional broadcasting in the West Midlands.
He presented the first edition of Midlands Today on 28th September 1964 and in 1970 was the first voice to be heard on Radio Birmingham.
Some very good memories at Pebble Mill and some sad ones too.