Welsh Regional Championships Success

The band achieved 3rd place on its return to the 1st Section at the Welsh Regional Championships 2019, held at the William Aston Hall at Wrexham Glyndwr University on 16th March 2019.

On an emotional day, and following a difficult couple of weeks for conductor Paul Jenkins after a family bereavement , the band was very proud of its performance and only narrowly missed out on an invitation to represent Wales for a second successive year at the finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.

Performing the set test piece ‘Symphony of Marches’ by Gilbert Vinter, the band were placed 3rd by adjudicators Sheona Wade and Roger Webster, behind Goodwick Brass and Burry Port Town Band, to complete a West Wales 1 – 2 – 3!

Burry Port Town Band’s euphonium player and Besson Artist, Robbert Vos, won the Best Instrumentalist prize.

Full results for the section are below.

Position Band Conductor Draw
1 Goodwick Brass Matthew Jenkins 7
2 Burry Port Town Band Ceri John 3
3 Pontardulais Town Band Paul Jenkins 9
4 Deiniolen Silver Band Lois Eifion 10
5 Tylorstown Band Gary Davies 6
6 Lewis Merthyr Band Craig Roberts 2
7 B. T. M. Band Nigel Seaman 1
8 Markham & District Band Matthew Rowe 5
9 Llanrug Band Brian Connolly 4
10 Ifton Colliery Band Scott Lloyd 8
11 Abergavenny Borough Band Sean O’Neill 11

Best instrumentalist: Robbert Vos – Euphonium (Burry Port Town Band)

Some comments on the performance from brass band media on the day were as follow:

From 4barsrest.com Pontardulais provide the judges with a mature, well controlled account to ponder. MD picks his tempos judiciously as well as the dynamics. The odd smudge here and there, but this had a touch of richness to compliment the wit and thoughtfulness.

From 4barsrest.com on Twitter A mature performance of quality from Pontardulais – confident as well as considered. Odd little moment or two but such a coherent and musically authentic whole.