The band was delighted to follow up a win at the Scottish Championships with a 3rd Place at the National Finals in Cheltenham.
Conductor's Remarks
What a roller coaster ride last weekend’s National Brass Band Championships in Cheltenham were!
My band, Croy Silver, had last gained 3rd place at the nationals in 1961. Many of the current band had relatives (sadly mostly passed now) in the 1961 band and were brought up with family stories of that success - the importance of family and community being one of the many endearing features about Brass bands.
We play in a certain style (and I thank the band over the years for buying into it) which leaves people with very definite opinions about us. I think that in music/arts that is a good thing. It’s why we have the same piece played or sung by different artists in our record collection - to hear contrast and interpretation.
My band, Croy Silver, had last gained 3rd place at the nationals in 1961. Many of the current band had relatives (sadly mostly passed now) in the 1961 band and were brought up with family stories of that success - the importance of family and community being one of the many endearing features about Brass bands.
We play in a certain style (and I thank the band over the years for buying into it) which leaves people with very definite opinions about us. I think that in music/arts that is a good thing. It’s why we have the same piece played or sung by different artists in our record collection - to hear contrast and interpretation.
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The Cheltenham event itself is a huge undertaking for bands. The funding, commitment and logistics needed to ensure the trip is viable are very considerable indeed. This is especially true for the Scottish Bands who have to travel a very long way and book accommodation. Without the sponsored walks, race nights, concerts, individual donations and corporate donations to band funds (thank you Miller Homes), there is no way that we could have entertained the thought of taking part.
The day itself was very well organised and it was heartening to see all the bands from around Britain in their “team colours”, young and not so young, with the common aim of playing music. A competition, in my opinion, does not define a band or an individual. It is a snapshot of how a band played on a particular day AND whether the adjudicator happened to like your rendition of a musical score. All the bands played very well indeed on Saturday and it was our fortune, as it was in the Scottish Championships, that the adjudicators liked our playing and our interpretation. Next time, who knows? In the meantime, we will enjoy our result and dedicate our success to the people of Croy ... and the band of 1961. Kenneth Blackwood - September 2024 |
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Test piece: The Shipbuilders (Peter Yorke)
Adjudicators: Sandy Smith, Nicholas Garman, John Maines
Adjudicators: Sandy Smith, Nicholas Garman, John Maines
- Golborne (Les Webb)
- Flookburgh Silver (John Iveson)
- Croy Silver (Kenneth Blackwood)
- Clifton & Lightcliffe (John Clay)
- Morecambe (Billy Porter)
- Nailsworth Silver (Anri Adachi)
- Penclawdd (John Jones)
- Towcester Studio (Neil Brownless)
- Barnsley Metropolitan (Alex Francis)
- Spennymoor Town (Fiona Casewell)
- Verwood Town (Kevin Smith)
- Thrapston Town (Nathan Waterman)
- Amersham Concert (Malcolm Peach)
- Lydney Town (Thomas Dunne)
- Putney & Wimbledon (Dr Sam Topp)
- Perthshire (William MacMullen)
- Wellington (Telford) (Ian Johnson)
- Eccleston (John Wood)
- Welwyn Garden City (William Douglas)
- Crwbin (Alex McGhee)
