Unibrass competition a showcase for talent at our universities
I AM delighted to see that the universities are really developing their interest in brass bands and the standard of playing has improved enormously. It augers well for the future of brass bands in the world of music.
The results of the Unibrass competitions saw 12 universities taking part in the Trophy Section and 11 taking part in the Shield Section.
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Trophy Section: Adjudicators – John Barker and Mark Landon
1st – Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Best Student Conductors and Best Percussion Section (Alan Gifford & Joshua Geddes); 2nd – Huddersfield Uni and Most Entertaining Band and Best Soloist Joseph Hickson Euphonium and Best March ( Jonathan Beatty); 3rd – Chichester Uni (Emma Button); 4th – Warwick Uni (Tom Stoneman); 5th – York Uni and Audience Award (Abagail Rongong); 6th – Manchester Uni, Salford & Manchester Metropoliton Uni (Ben Hill-Wilson); 7th – Durham Uni (Alex Romanec); 8th – Royal Holloway Uni of London ( James Begg); 9th – Oxford Uni (Alice Knight & David Pugh); 10th – Sheffield Uni (David McLaren); 11th – Leeds Uni (Matthew Pitman); 12th – Bristol Uni (Imogen McAra).
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1st – Lancaster Uni and Most Entertaining (Hugh Street & Christopher Pollock); 2nd – Southampton Uni and Best Student Conductor (Oliver Picken); 3rd – Birmingham Uni Music Society and Best Soloist Luke Barber Cornet and Best March (Stuart Birnie); 4th – Nottingham Uni (Becky Brundrett-Hall & Jonathan Fielden); 5th – Bangor & Liverpool Uni and Best Percussion (Dominic Wearne); 6th – Cambridge Uni (Sam Thackray); 7th – King’s College, London (Alex Borland); 8th – Cardiff Uni and Audience Award (Ianto Williams); 9th –Keele Uni (Ben Spindler); 10th – Bath Uni (Aaron Jones); 11th – UEA Brass Ensemble (Katy Stone).
Cardiff University, conducted by Ianto Williams, finished 8th in the Shield Section and their perfor
Shield Section:
mance earned a vote from the audience.
So well done to Cardiff Uni. Ianto Williams and Cardiff will be welcoming the Unibrass Competition next year.
■ Elsewhere, the Band of the Prince of Wales, conducted by CSgt David Hamilton, along with St Nicholas House (Christ College) Choir and Aberhonddu and District Male Choir presented a free St David’s Day concert at the Brycheiniog Theatre, Brecon on Friday, March 1.
Snow was falling on the hills and driving conditions were becoming poor, but the theatre was full and the weather soon forgotten as the audience was treated to a wonderful evening of superb brass playing and lovely singing by the young children of Christ College and the strong tuneful voices of the Aberhonddu Male Choir.
The high standard was set by LCpl Emily Wilson on Eb Trumpet brilliantly playing Capriccio by Philip Sparke.
The Lullaby by LCpl Josh Herman on Trombone, the soft playing of I’ll Bring Daffodils by Sgt Mike Altree on Euphonium and the Ballad by Musn Dewi Kinsey had the audience enthralled and one could have heard a pin drop on the carpet.
What lovely emotional moments. The concert programme covered all moods and the finale of Morte Christ, Cwm Rhondda and Gwahoddiad by Aberhonddu and the band brought the house down.
A great night which ended with the audience singing the National Anthem with real gusto!