Month: March 2024

In its second appearance in the Championship Section at the Welsh Regional Championships following promotion to the section ahead of the 2023 contesting season, the band performed the set test piece, ‘Variations on an Enigma’ by Philip Sparke, at the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea on Sunday 17^th March 2024.

In a section containing two bands that had already pre-qualified for the Finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain to be held at the Royal Albert Hall later in the year, the band was awarded 7^th place in a field of 8 bands.

Full results for the section are below.

Position	Band	Conductor	Draw
1	Cory Band	Philip Harper	1
2	Tredegar Town Band	Ian Porthouse	7
3	Tongwynlais Temperance Band	Owen Farr	2
4	Ebbw Valley Brass	Gareth Ritter	5
5	Tylorstown Band	Robert Westacott	6
6	Llwydcoed Band	Joshua Ruck	3
7	Pontardulais Town Band	Paul Jenkins	8
8	City of Cardiff (M1) Band	Christopher Bond	4

Best Instrumentalist: Glyn Williams – Euphonium (Cory Band)

Best Cornet: Tom Hutchinson – Cory Band

Best Basses: Cory Band

The band started its 2024 contesting season with an appearance at the Welsh Open Entertainment Contest, held at The Riverfront in Newport on February 17^th 2024.

Fourteen Championship and First Section bands competed, with adjudicator Sheona White tasked with selecting a winner. The band was pleased with its performance, which was narrated by the event’s compère, David Hayward, and were placed 8^th. The band choose to present the following ‘Peter Pan’ themed programme:

• The Flight to Neverland, John Williams arr. Sofie Brems Sørensen
• A Motley Crew, Trad arr. Philip Harper
• Tango, Gavin Higgins
• Beneath the Stars, Jonathan Bates
• Main Theme from Cutthroat Island, John Debney arr. Philip Harper

Full results for the contest are shown below.

Position	Band	Conductor	Draw	Points
1	Ebbw Valley Brass	Gareth Ritter	8	196
2	Wantage Silver Band	Chris King	9	195
3	Parc & Dare Band	Dewi Griffiths	14	194
4	Llwydcoed Band	Joshua Ruck	11	193
5	City of Cardiff (M1) Band	Daniel Hall	3	192
6	Tongwynlais Temperance Band	Owen Farr	13	190
7	Tylorstown Band	Rob Westacott	4	189
8	Pontardulais Town Band	Paul Jenkins	7	188
9	Milton Keynes Brass	Matthew Brown	10	186
10	Filton Concert Brass	Gary Davies	6	185
11	Forest of Dean Brass	Martyn Patterson	2	184
12	B. T. M. Band	Jeff Hutcherson	1	183
13	Lympstone Band	Nigel Seaman	5	182
14	Chapeltown Silver Prize Band	Colum O’Shea	12	181

Highest Placed First Section Band not in Prizes: Milton Keynes Brass

Most Entertaining Stage Presentation: Llwydcoed Band

Best Soloist: Imogen Fewster – baritone (Wantage Silver Band)

Best Cornet Player: Becky Cale (Llwydcoed Band)

Best Soprano Player: Brian Thomas (Wantage Silver Band)

Best Horn Section: Parc & Dare Band

Best Euphonium: Alison Millin (Forest of Dean Brass)

Best Trombone Section: Ebbw Valley Brass

Best Tuba Section: Ebbw Valley Brass

Best Percussion Section: City of Cardiff (M1) Band

Youngest Instrumentalist: Garyn Jones (Parc & Dare Band)

Invitation to compete at the 2024 Spring Festival: Parc & Dare Band