For the first time in its 127 year history, MIchelmersh Silver Band will compete in the Championship Section of the National Brass Band Championship Qualifiers next year, having secured promotion from the First Section at this year’s contest held in Devon at the weekend. Consistently good performances over the past three years left the band in a good position to secure promotion this year and their superb interpretation of Gareth Wood’s test-piece ‘Brass Triumphant’ earned them the top six placing they required to move up to the top flight of brass banding.
Michelmersh Band’s success is particularly gratifying having been achieved using only the band’s regular playing personnel, including ‘home-grown’ players who have progressed from the Michelmersh Training Band – notably Connie Boler who has only recently taken one of the principal positions in the main band playing soprano cornet, and her sister Meg on tenor horn.
For some band members, earning promotion had daunting implications as they carried out a pledge made in unseasonably warm March weather last year, to take a celebratory dip in the sea if promoted this year. Amid snow flurries as winter returned for a final freezing flourish on Sunday, four intrepid players bravely took to the rough grey sea in Torquay, cheered on by fellow band members and supporters to celebrate becoming the highest graded band in Hampshire.
| |
