National Music Festival 2013 – Southern
Click here to view photographs of the day.
What a great day of music. It was another day of musical talent and fellowship undertaken at Chandlers Ford Methodist Church. The seventh national BB/GB Music Festival was another fabulous event with 51 entries culminating in a whole day of music from individuals and groups. Support from competitors and the public was brilliant with large numbers of spectators at certain points of the day.
There were entries in six class groups: brass, woodwind, keyboards, mixed instrumentals, percussion and voice. This year we saw our first skiffle group and the strings increased with a few cellists. We also trialled a vocal and instrumentalist workshop for those wishing to take part.
There were representatives from 10 different companies with nearly a 100 participants from companies in the South as well as from Hull and London. There were new participants from three companies that had not competed before.
The entries this year continue to have an “all-age” appeal with adults entering demonstrating that this is not just a youth event. There were adults continuing to expand their experience by using the event as a platform to demonstrate new skills. A number of cross-company entries were made by “Brigade friends” particularly in the ensembles. And some Brigade participants used the occasion to perform with non-Brigade members in the ensemble entries.
The adjudication was provided by Calum Gray who has an extensive Military background. Performers were given positive pointers for future development goals, targets and aspirations. His expertise and professionalism was put across with enthusiasm.
The Festival, although non-competitive, encourages the individual as well as the team to perform to their highest standard, and performances which are clear, concise and communicate to the audience bridging the gap between technical ability and artistic nuances achieve very creditable results.
The broad marking range for participants was:
| Fair | 75-77 | A performance limited in its communications |
| Promising | 78-80 | A performance showing development of technique and/or communications |
| Merit | 81-83 | A capable performance showing some artistic appreciation and/or technical ability |
| Highly Commended | 84-86 | A convincing performance technically and artistically |
| Distinction | 87-89 | An excellent performance technically and artistically |
| Honours | 90+ | An exceptional performance technically and artistically |
The results were very encouraging and all faired very well, resulting in the following categories:
| Fair | 0 |
| Promising | 11 |
| Merit | 20 |
| Highly Commended | 11 |
| Distinction | 4 |
| Honours | 1 |
For the ‘best of classes’ the adjudicator had the discretion to award cups and trophies to entrants who are awarded the following levels of attainment: Highly commended; Distinction or Honours.
The results for the 2013 Southern Festival are:
| Brass | |
| Most promising Junior brass player (12 years and under) | Mark Tompkins 6th South East Essex BB |
| Most promising brass player (13 and over) | Ben Goodburn 6th South East Essex BB |
| Most outstanding group in the ensemble classes. (12 years and under) | Not Awarded |
| Most outstanding group in the ensemble classes. (13 years to Adult) | The Boyles Trio 1st Chandlers Ford BB |
| Fred Mansfield Shield - Most outstanding group in the brass band classes | Senior Band 1st Chandlers Ford BB |
| Woodwind | |
| Most promising woodwind player (12 years and under) | Not Awarded |
| Most promising woodwind player (13 and over) | Thomas Mussell 1st Chandlers Ford BB |
| Most outstanding group in the ensemble classes | Not Awarded |
| Vocal | |
| Most promising Junior vocalist (12 years and under) | Not awarded |
| Most promising vocalist (13 years to Adult) | Jack Simmonds 5th Hull BB |
| Most promising Youth Choir | CFMC Youth Choir |
| Keyboards | |
| Most promising keyboard player (12 years and under) | Not awarded |
| Most promising keyboard player (13 and over) | Iris Dyer 1st Totton GB |
| Mixed Instrumentals | |
| Most promising player | Aaditya Sahai 1st Chandlers Ford BB |
| Most promising ensemble | Not awarded |
| Percussion | |
| Most promising player | Aaditya Sahai 1st Chandlers Ford BB |
| Most promising ensemble | Not Awarded |
| Adjudicator's Medals | |
| Brass – ensembles | Training Band 1st Chandlers Ford BB |
| Woodwind – ensembles | Clarinet & Saxophone Choir 1st Chandlers Ford BB |
| Vocal – ensembles | Lizette Bailey & Katherine McLoud 1st Hedge End GB |
| Mixed Instrumentals – ensembles | BB Ukulele Group |
Music Festival 2013 – Midland
Click here to view photographs of the day
For the second year we have been able to hold a Music Festival in the Midlands. Halesowen Baptist Church at Carters Lane hosted the day-long event, supported by the 1st Halesowen BB and 53rd Birmingham GB companies.
Participants travelled from companies in the South and West as well as from Hull and London. There were 11 different companies with nearly 40 performers including some new participants from four companies that had not competed before.
It was a great day of music, supported by competitors, parents and the local Church. The adjudication was provided by Lynden Cooper who has an extensive teaching background. Performers were given pointers for future development goals, targets and aspirations. His expertise and professionalism was put across with enthusiasm.
There were entries in six class groups: brass, woodwind, keyboards, mixed instrumentals, percussion and voice. This year we saw our first keyboard duet, a selection of hand bells and the Midlands equivalent of a Hank Marvin!
We also ran vocal and instrumental workshops for those wishing to take part where participants including parents and supporters tried their hand at something new. This was later performed in the end-of-day Showcase.
The entries this year continue to have an ‘all-age’ appeal with adults entering demonstrating that this is not just a youth event. A number of cross-company entries were made by ‘Brigade friends’ particularly in the ensembles.
The Festival, although non-competitive, encourages the individual as well as the team to perform to their highest standard, and performances which are clear, concise and communicate to the audience bridging the gap between technical ability and artistic nuances achieve very creditable results.
The broad marking range for participants was:
| Fair | 75-77 | A performance limited in its communications |
| Promising | 78-80 | A performance showing development of technique and/or communications |
| Merit | 81-83 | A capable performance showing some artistic appreciation and/or technical ability |
| Highly Commended | 84-86 | A convincing performance technically and artistically |
| Distinction | 87-89 | An excellent performance technically and artistically |
| Honours | 90+ | An exceptional performance technically and artistically |
The results were very encouraging and all faired very well, resulting in the following categories:
| Fair | 0 |
| Promising | 9 |
| Merit | 12 |
| Highly Commended | 11 |
| Distinction | 1 |
| Honours | 0 |
For the ‘best of classes’ the adjudicator had the discretion to award cups and trophies to entrants who are awarded the following levels of attainment: Highly commended; Distinction or Honours.
The results for the 2013 Midlands Festival are:
| Brass | |
| Most promising Junior brass player (12 years and under) | Oliver Fowler, 5th Hull BB |
| Most promising brass player (13 and over) | Tara Titcomb, Bristol |
| Most outstanding group in the ensemble classes. (12 years and under) | Not awarded |
| Most outstanding group in the ensemble classes. (13 years to Adult) | Hot Air! Bristol |
| Fred Mansfield Shield - Most outstanding group in the brass band classes | 1st Chandlers Ford BB |
| Woodwind | |
| Most promising woodwind player (12 years and under) | Not awarded |
| Most promising woodwind player (13 and over) | Not awarded |
| Most outstanding group in the ensemble classes | Recorder Trio, 1st Chandlers Ford BB |
| Vocal | |
| Most promising Junior vocalist (12 years and under) | Not awarded |
| Most promising vocalist (13 years to Adult) | Diana Boyles, 1st Chandlers Ford BB |
| Most promising Youth Choir | The Ogilvie Family, 7th Doncaster BB |
| Keyboards | |
| Most promising keyboard player (12 years and under) | Not awarded |
| Most promising keyboard player (13 and over) | Harry Greatorex, 1st Derby BB |
| Mixed Instrumentals | |
| Most promising player | Not awarded |
| Most promising ensemble | Ukebox, Hampshire BB/GB companies |
| Percussion | |
| Most promising player | Not awarded |
| Most promising ensemble | Ding Dong Belles, Hampshire GB |
| Adjudicator's Medals | |
| Brass – solos | Adam Hollis, 3rd Halesowen BB |
| Brass – ensembles | Gemma King & Alex Ogilvie, 7th Doncaster BB |
| Woodwind – solos | Jessica Brooksbank, 7th Doncaster BB |
| Vocal – solos | Grace Burnett, 5th Hull BB |
| Keyboards | Harriet Giles, 53rd Birmingham GB |
| Mixed Instrumentals | Emily Tovey 53rd Birmingham GB |
| Mixed Instrumentals – duets | Harvey Adkins & Kieran McGuire, 1st Halesowen BB |