Preview of contest pieces to be played at North West Area Brass Band Championships

Milnrow Band

Boarshurst Band Club was the venue for a concert type preview of the contest pieces to be played at the North West Area Brass Band Championships at Blackpool.

All five sections were represented and a full evening of current brass band contest music played by local contesting bands was enjoyed by those present.

Organised and compered by Dave Ashworth MD of Boarshurst band, the evening commenced with Mossley Band directed by Duncan Byers.

After warming up with the well known march "Colonel Bogey" the band gave a fine performance of the second section test piece "Plantagenets" composed by Edward Gregson.

Following a short break, Greenfield band took to the stage and under the baton of Tom Haslam gave an accomplished rendition of the fourth section test piece "Devon Fantasy" by the late Eric Ball.

Allowing one half hour per band, it was 8.30pm when David Ashworth and Boarshurst played the hymn tune "Lloyd" before launching into a controlled performance of the third section test piece "Hollywood" (a celebration of Hollywood type film music) as composed by the late in 1996.

Wardle Anderson band players under the direction of Steve Walsh, warmed up with "In Perfect Peace" and showed fine technical ability in tackling the first section test music "Brass Triumphant", a piece in four movements by Gareth Wood.

At 9.40pm the final band to take stage was Milnrow, who under MD Russell Gray gave an excellent performance of the championship section test piece "Harmony Music" by Philip Sparke, with the players showing dexterity in the fast movements and fine tonal qualities in the more melodic areas, showing why this local championship band is more than holding its own among the "big boys" of British Championship bands.

Dave Ashworth and Russell Gray, provided in depth "pseudo adjudication" of the bands performances and put forward points which they felt were needed to be addressed by the bands in the final week of rehearsals before the Blackpool contest.

A fine evening of unusually listenable brass band contest music provided by five local contest bands hopeful of doing well enough out of 77 bands competing to be selected to represent the North West in the grand finals to be held later in the year.