Brass bands from all over Great Britain - from the very North of Scotland to Cornwall - converged on The Centaur Theatre at Cheltenham Racecourse at the weekend to take part in the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain. Amongst them was Romsey’s own Michelmersh Silver Band, as West of England Champion Band, facing very stiff opposition in a sixteen-strong First Section.
Having been drawn to play fifteenth, band members faced a long four-hour wait until taking the stage at just after 8 pm to perform under the baton of their Musical Director Melvin White.
Managing to set aside their nerves, they produced a beautiful interpretation of the Test Piece ‘Endeavour’ by Philip Sparke, with the featured soloists Joanne Bowles (cornet), Carrie Day (tenor horn) and Paul Griffiths (euphonium) earning particular praise from the three adjudicators.
With just one band left to play after them, it was a short but tense wait for the results.
With the top six bands only being announced from the stage, loud cheers and celebrations greeted the announcement that MIchelmersh had been awarded fourth place, beaten only by very strong opposition from Yorkshire and Scotland in the top three placings.
Band Chairman Adam Smith said today: “The First Section in banding is a very high standard and is extremely competitive. There are over 100 First Section bands in the country, so for Michelmersh to have been placed at the top of that pile really shows the level of talent, hard work and passion that runs through our band. We cannot even begin to thank our supporters, families, grant-givers and of course our amazing players, for making this happen.”
There will be no let up in rehearsals for the band as they put together programmes for their next contest in Oxford in October, and a joint concert with The Spitfire Sisters in Romsey Abbey in November.