Lion President Robert Taylor welcomes you to the Brighouse Lions website
for the
Brighouse Festival of Brass 3rd and 4th July, 2010

A two-day event comprising-

• Saturday morning/afternoon Youth Solo Championships – slow melody 11 and under –14 and under – 17 and under

• Saturday Evening Gala Concert in the Central Methodist Church

• Sunday from 10.30am. Brass in the Park Memorial Park, Bailiff Bridge featuring our Guests from The Netherlands The Spijkerpakkenband

• Sunday from 1pm. March & Hymn Tune Contest with 27 Bands from Youth to Championship Sections

REPORT ON BRIGHOUSE LIONS CHARITY 11th FESTIVAL OF BRASS

SKELMANTHORPE ARE 2010 CHAMPIONS & BRIGHOUSE GOES ORANGE

GREAT WEEKEND OF “THE BEST OF BRASS”

The 11th Brighouse Festival of Brass, organised by the Brighouse Lions provides a weekend of Brass at its best and all for many local charities.

Saturday morning saw the Brighouse Youth Solo Championships in Bailiff Bridge where a very friendly atmosphere helped to encourage the young people to show their talents. This event sponsored by Kershaw’s Garden Centre of Brighouse and Brigitte Matthews of Holmfirth saw a very good standard in the three classes.

Results:

Adjudicators Thijs Oud (Holland) and Derek Renshaw (Sheffield) praised all the competitors for their efforts which were rewarded with Certificates of Merit.

The Evening Gala Concert in the Central Methodist Church featured the Dutch Champion 1 Band The Spijkerpakkenband under the inspirational leadership of Thijs Oud with a programme of popular music which delighted a full house. One of the highlights of the evening was the premiere of “Fanfare & Anthem”, a special arrangement for the band by Professor Philip Wilby. This work is based around a Friesland folk tune. Guest Soloist for the evening William Rushworth, principal tenorhorn of the Brighouse & Rastrick Band, showed true class and virtuosity with his solo features: “Rondo from Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 3”, “Queen of the Night’s Aria” and the haunting Goff Richard’s number “Demelza”. His encore “He ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” received rapturous applause from the appreciative audience.

This concert was rated by many in the audience as the best so far in the eleven year history of the Festival. The Brighouse people took the Dutch band to their hearts and the band provided a really varied and entertaining programme of music including many solo features which showed why they are NBK Champions. Musical Director, Thijs Oud arranged quite a few of the items on show which demonstrated the band’s versatility.

The band also featured in “Brass in the Park” on Sunday morning in association with the Bailiff Bridge Community Association. Brighouse and District was certainly painted orange from Friday until Monday and when they return home to Friesland they will have made many new friends and supporters in West Yorkshire. They were thrilled to visit the bandroom of Brighouse & Rastrick Band for a rehearsal on Friday evening.

The 11 th March and Hymn Tune spectacular in this West Yorkshire town has developed into one of top brass events in the U.K. and the massive crowd enjoyed a non-stop six-hour feast of brass band music in warm sunshine.

Winners were Skelmanthorpe, under the fine leadership of John Roberts. They also took the best Soprano Cornet and Best Contest March prizes. The band will now receive an invitation to take part in EuroBrass Drachten next year with additional concerts in addition to the contest.

It was great to see and hear the very consistent Hammonds Saltaire Band (Morgan Griffiths) take the runners-up spot and also the Best Hymn Tune.

Third prize went to The Drighlington Band under ex Brighouse Principal Cornetist Jim Davies. 2009 Champions The Marsden Silver Band had to be content with 4 th = with The Diggle Band, but were awarded the best deportment prize.

Hebden Bridge Band principal cornetist Alex Gibson, a student at the RNCM in Manchester took the best principal cornet prize winning the Yamaha “Xeno” Cornet and the Stuart Broadbent Memorial Trophy.

Fred Etherington, “the voice of Brighouse” as he is affectionately known spoke about Stephen Thornton and Geoffrey Whitham, two local brass musicians who passed away since the last contest. Stephen was one of the Brighouse Lions main helpers and adjudicators at the contest and Geoffrey adjudicated at the contest quite a few times. The Elland Silver Band, musical Director: James Shepherd, reinforced by ex Hammonds and James Shepherd Versatile Brass players gave a short concert before the results in memory of both men. The adjudicators were Darrol Barry, Kevin Wadsworth and Peter Roberts.

DAVID HORSFIELD