For the third year in succession Michelmersh Silver Band pulled off a clean sweep of the Trophies at the Oxford Brass Band Entertainment Contest at the weekend. Rounding off a contesting year that has seen them crowned West of England First Section Champions and being placed a highly creditable fourth in the National Brass Band Finals, the band performed a twenty minute concert programme based around dance music. Under the baton of Musical Director Melvin White, the programme opened with a Balkan folk dance which called for some hearty singing from the band, with their choreography skills featuring too as the programme ended with the effervescent ‘Mambo’ from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story.
Star of the show was xylophone soloist Ella Walker with her flawless performance of Jan Berenska’s Taps in Tempo earning effusive praise from the adjudicators, and the trophy for Best Instrumentalist of the Day. The trophies for Best Band Overall, Best First Section Band and Best Entertainment Programme also made the journey back to the Michelmersh trophy cabinet at the end of a very successful day.
There will be an opportunity to hear the award winning programme in its entirety in Romsey Abbey on Saturday 23rd November when the band joins forces with The Spitfire Sisters in ‘Victory!’ – a concert in aid of the RBL Poppy Appeal, celebrating the band’s successes in 2019, and the upcoming 75th anniversary of VE Day.