Whitworth Vale and Healey Band preview concert

Whitworth Vale and Healey Band performed a selection of music to a packed audience at Whitworth Civic Hall on Sunday 15 September.

The concert was held to preview the music to be used at the Lower Section Finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain in Cheltenham later this month and during the concert three of the North West Area Bands qualifiers were eager to preview their efforts to those present.

Compere Richard Milton announced the format and that the bands` efforts would be critically listened to by Malcolm Brownbill who would give constructive 'working adjudication' on each performance.

Coppull and Standish Band opened the concert and gave their polished version of the fourth section test piece 'A Malvern Suite' by Phillip Sparke. In his remarks Malcolm Brownbill congratulated the band on a good performance of a piece he personally knew very well.

Host band Whitworth Vale and Healey performed second (under MD John Binns) with the second section test piece, well known to brass band follows 'Purcell Variations' by Kenneth Downie.

Freckleton band showed how their preparations were well under way with the first section music 'Fanfares and Love Songs' by Gavin Higgins.

Malcolm Brownbill congratulated all three bands on their performances and said: “It has been a very enjoyable afternoon of music.

"I am aware of how much effort the bands and their conductors must have put in over the weeks and am sure that with a week still left for 'tweaking' and finalising their preparations, all of these three North West area representatives will acquit themselves well at Cheltenham and are capable of ending up in the frame.”