GREAT RESULT AT THE GUILD HALL
Derwent Brass made a fabulous start to the contesting year by taking the runner up spot at the prestigious Brass at the Guildhall contest on Sunday 4th Feb. The contest, held in the Preston Guildhall, is organised and run by the North West Counties Brass Band Association and featured some very strong competition indeed. In the combined Championship/1st section Derwent Brass took 2nd prize beating no less than 4 Championship section bands on the way. Top prize was taken by BT Band, another Championship section band, beating Derwent Brass by just one point. The contest is an own choice format and the band's MD had chosen Philip Wilby's Paginini Variations to perform, which obviously suited the band well and gave the band's excellent soloists the chance to shine. Neil Riddle produced some fine solo Bb Bass playing whilst further along the section, making his contest debut
with the band, Paul Foster on solo Eb Bass gave us a most beautiful solo in the tuba feature of the piece. In the quieter section of the piece the audience (and adjudicator) were treated to some beautiful melodic playing by Pam Davis on flugel horn and Adam Rutter on solo euphonium, whilst Martyn Johnson (trombone) shone in his solo passage. The cadenzas produced some stunning work from Graham Johnson (solo horn) and Dave Neville (principal cornet); however on the day top honours went to the band's soprano player Dai Roberts who also featured in the cadenza passages as well some breathtaking high lyrical solo playing which obviously caught the adjudicator's ear and earned Dai the prize for overall best soloist of the day!
