The band moves onto twice weekly rehearsals to prepare for Brass in the Park in September in Newtongrange at the Scottish Mining Museum. On Mondays, the rehearsals are under the baton of Mark Bell, but as he is working with Selkirk Silver Band for Brass in the Park, Thursday's have been taken by Andy Shaw and Ian Fleming. The Band is grateful to all for taking our practices.
August also saw a couple of engagements for the Band, the first was on Sunday 22nd August when the Band provided the music for Liberton Kirk's Outdoor "Songs of Praise Service" and at the Loanhead Street Fayre on Saturday 28th August, when the Senior Band and The Rootlets provided music for an hour at the event on Fountain Green
September/ October 2010
The bands main event in September is the Brass in the Park contest at Newtongrange and I am pleased to announce a very successful day for Loanhead’s bands. The Senior Band were the first band in the Third Section and 5th Band overall. Brass roots won a gold award.
The Results were as follows
1. Whitburn (Archie Hutchinson) - 193
2. Unison Kinneil (Paul Drury) – 190
3. St. David's Brass (John Dickson) – 186
4. Broxburn and Livingston (Charlie Farren) – 185
5. MacTaggart Scott Loanhead (Mark Bell) – 184
6. Bathgate (Eoin Tonner) – 183
7. Selkirk Silver (Mark Bell) - 182
8. Langholm Town (Alan Fernie) – 181
9. Peebles Burgh Silver (Alan Fernie) - 180
10. Annan Town (Magnox North) (David Shanks) - 178
11. Jedforest Instrumental (Mareika Gray) - 176
12. Callander Brass (Ian Milligan) - 174
13. Hawick Saxhorn (Colin McCabe) - 172
14. West Calder (David MacAuley) – 171
15. Sanquhar and District Silver (Christine Wilson) - 170
The remainder of September and October was spent rehearsing for the Borders Contest to be help on Saturday 6th November in Innerleithen.
November 2010
The band had a successful start to November with our trip to Innerleithen to the Borders Entertainment Contest. We had a very early draw (ONE) and had to be in Innerleithen ready for the warm up at 08:45. The contest starting at 09:30. The band had one or two glitches in performance but it was good enough to win the 4th Section and beat a couple of third section bands too. We were best 4th Section Band and 11th overall.
Borders Entertainment Contest 2010, Innerleithen Town Hall, 6th November
Placing Points Section Band Conductor
1 189 2 Tullis Russell Martyn Ramsey
2 188 2 Croy Silver Kenneth Blackwood
3 186 3 Jedforest Instrumental Marieka Gray
4 185 2 Annan Town (Magnox North) David Shanks
5 184 2 Selkirk Silver Mark Bell
6 183 3 Renfrew Burgh Gareth Bowman
7 182 2 Shotts St Patricks Michael Marzella
8 181 2 St Ronans David McLeod
9 180 3 Peebles Silver Alan Fernie
10 179 3 Langholm Alan Fernie
11 178 4 MacTaggart Scott Loanhead Mark Bell
12 177 3 Dumfries Town Peter Heyes
13 176 4 Penicuik Silver Stuart Black
14 175 3 Perthshire George D Annan
15 174 4 Hawick Saxhorn Colin McCabe
First Prize: The Scottish Borders Trophy & £150 : Tullis Russell
Entertainment Prize: The Queen's Head Inn Shield & £150 Band 11 St Ronans
Best Second Section Band: The Souter Ronnie Trophy & £100 : Tullis Russell
Best Third Section Band: The John A. Wilson Memorial Trophy & £100 :Jedforest
Best Fourth Section Band: The Harry Pearce Memorial Trophy & £100 :MacTaggart Scott
Highest placed Borders Band: St Ronan's Bicentenary Trophy Jedforest
Best Soloist: The Walter Nichol Memorial Trophy & Medal :Soprano Croy Silver
Best Instrumentalist : The Jedforest Instrumental Band 150th Anniversary Trophy & Medal : EEb Tullis
Solo Cornet : The Dave Young Trophy & Medal: Band 6
Best Basses : The Bert Neil Memorial Quaich : Band 3
Best Percussion : The Jenny Corbett Memorial Cup: Jedforest Instrumental
December 2010
Due to the snow arriving at the end of November, this year the engagements at Loanhead for the Lighting of the Christmas Lights, concert at Newtongrange Church and the service at Rosslyn Chapel all fell victim to the weather and were cancelled. The Loanhead Christmas Service and Carols at the Loanhead Old Folks Home, Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Clun and Roslin Torch lit procession however went ahead.
January 2011
The main activity for the band was preparing for the Scottish Contest to be held in Perth on Saturday 26th February. We resumed our bi-weekly rehearsals on Monday 10th January with Mark Bell and on Thursdas with John Dickson to whom the Band is grateful for giving up his Thursday evenings while Mark is unavailable. The youngsters were also busy preparing for The East Of Scotland Brass Band Solo Championships. These were held at Deans Community High School, Livingston on Saturday 22nd January, Leighton in the mammoth 27 player Junior Competition and Lloyd and Sam in the Under 16's.
22th February
Today in Perth at the Concert Hall after a gap of 19 years, we are once again Scottish Champions. At the Concert Hall and drawn band Number 7 in the 4th Section Championship we performed the winning performance of John Golland's "Prelude, Song and Dance" the piece chosen for the test piece. We won two trophies, pennant, medals, £200 and an invitation to participate in the 4th Section UK Championships, to be held in Cheltenham on the weekend of 24th/ 25th September.
This of course means a busy Summer rehearsing the Test Piece for the Contest (TBA) and fundraising to pay for the trip.
Results
Fourth Section:
Saturday 26th February
Test Piece: 'Prelude, Song and Dance' - John Golland
Adjudicators: Peter Bassano and Melvin White
1. MacTaggart Scott Loanhead (Mark Bell) - 177*
2. Tayport Instrumental (Frank Culross) - 175*
3. Queensferry Community Brass (James Anderson) - 171
4. Dysart Colliery (Gavin Lindsay) - 170
5. Callander Brass (I. Milligan) - 169
6. Penicuik Silver (Stuart Black) - 168
7. Dundee Instrumental (St Margaret's) (John Tonner) - 167
Championship Section:
Test Piece: 'Paganini Variations' - Philip Wilby
Adjudicators Stan Lippeatt and Lt-Col Graham Jones
*Due to a stomach upset Stan Lippeatt has replaced David Read
1. Exchange Communication Whitburn (Ian Porthouse) - 193*
2. Co-operative Funeralcare (Dr Nicholas Childs) - 192*
3. Lochgelly (Allan Ramsay) - 190
4. Kirkintilloch (Garry Cutt) - 189
5. Kingdom Brass (Andy Duncan) - 188
6. Dalmellington (Richard Evans) - 187
7. Newtongrange Silver (Nigel Boddice MBE) - 186
8. Bo'ness & Carriden Silver (Steve Sykes) - 185
9. Unison Kinneil (Colin Mackenzie) - 184
10. Bon Accord Silver (Selmer Simonson) - 183
1st Section
Test Piece: 'Le Carnival Romain' - Hector Berlioz arr. Frank Wright
Adjudicators: Melvin White and Stan Lippeatt
1. Kirkintilloch Kelvin (Charles Keenan) - 188*
2. Broxburn & Livingston (Charles Farren) - 186*
3. Arbroath Instrumental (Michael Robertson) - 185
4. Clackmannan District Brass (Paul Kiernan) - 183
5. Johnstone Silver (Raymond Tennant) - 182
6. Newmilns & Galston (Alec McCutcheon) - 181
7. Dalkeith & Monktonhall (Jim Chamberlain) - 180
8. Bathgate (Eoin Tonner) - 179
9. Coalburn Silver (Gareth Bowman) - 178
2nd Section
Test Piece: 'Resurgam' - Eric Ball
Adjudicators: Peter Bassano and Lt Col Graham Jones
1. City of Discovery (Bruce Wallace) - 187*
2. Granite City Brass (Lt. Col (Retd) Robert Owen) - 185*
3. Annan Town (APD) (David Shanks) - 184
4. Irvine & Dreghorn (John Boax) - 183
5. Croy Parish Silver (Ken Blackwood) - 182
6. Shotts St. Patrick's (Michael Marzella) - 181
7. Kilmarnock Concert (Craig Anderson) - 180
8. Dunaskin Doon (John Boax) - 179
9. St. Ronan's Silver (David Farren) - 178
10. Tullis Russell (Martin Ramsay) - 177
11. Selkirk Silver (Mark Bell) - 176
12. Barrhead Burgh (Brian Keachie) - 175
3rd Section
Test Piece: 'A Little Light Music' - Philip Wilby
Adjudicators: Stan Lippeatt and David Read MBE
1. Brass Sounds Inverclyde (Lynda Nicholson) - 189*
2. St. David's Brass (John A Dickson) - 188*
3. Jedforest Instrumental (Phil Rosier) - 187
4. Perthshire Brass (George D Annan) - 186
5. Buckhaven & Methil Miners (David Neil) - 184
6. Peebles Burgh (Alex Knox) - 182
7. Renfrew Burgh (Tony Pacher) - 180
8. Langholm Town (Alan Fernie) - 178
9. Dumfries Town (Peter Heyes) - 176
10. Dunfermline Town (Andy Shaw) - 175
11. Bon Accord Silver 'B' (Richard Kidd) - 174
February 2011
The band have been busy practising twice a week preparing for the Scottish Championships. Monday Rehearsals, under the baton with Mark Bell and Thursdays, under John Dickson. On the weekend before the contest we had an extra Saturday rehearsal in the Croft Suite with the two usual practice sessions on Monday and Thursday and an extra under Mark's guidance on the final Friday. We had a final warm up in St Matthew's Church Hall in Perth before going on to be last band in the draw winners on the day. See report above.
The Adjudicators remarks
Melvin White
Captivating opening has rhythm, life & vitality. Good dynamic control before B and pleasing 'ff' at B. C Has good balance althought 1 or 2 minor issues with clarity / note placement D excellent build and pleasing final section.
Solid opening with plaintive sounds from solo cornet. F 1/2 issues with intonation but balance works well G Again 1/2 moments but nice sounds at H.
Super opening. A tempo has control and we note good detailed work N Has real vitality O/P - nicely detailed. Lovely details at S.
I enjoyed your music making - Thank You.
Peter Bassano
Prelude
Strongly rhythmic, with good attention to detail, good dynamic range, variety of articulation, efficient percussion and a strongly argued musical line.
Song
The articulation at the beginning of this was a bit on the hard side and the dynamic too loud for 'mp' - a nice lyrical cornet solo. This movement had a good flowing feel.
Dance
This movement's spirit was well captured with a good tempo (not too fast) chosen. Waltz tempo changes and the light-hearted nature of this music was convincingly done.
This was a well considered reading of this benign music - showing the band more than up to meeting any technical challenges.
Well done
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March/ April 2011
The Band had a busy two months following our victory in Perth. We have been rehearsing twice a week in preparation for the Fife Brass Band Festival held in the Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline on Saturday 16th April. After a good performance of Valdres March, Be My Love (Euphonium Solo Willie Dalgetty) and Jurassic Park the adjudicator warrented it worth 3rd Place much to the band's dissapointment. Welldone to Willie though for gaining the Best Soloist in the 4th Section's prize.
May 2011
May saw the Band rehearsing twice weekly with the Annual Friends’ Concert on the 25th being the main focus for the month. The Gala Day Season had an early start with Athelstaneford requesting the services of the Band on Sunday 8th. As mentioned above, our Friends’ concert was held in the Miners’ Club to a full house. This popular night was held in conjunction with Brass Roots and Loanhead Youth Band and we must thank the Miners’ Club for their continued support of this event.
June 2011
June again sees twice weekly rehearsals as a build up to the National Finals in Cheltenham in September. It is also the band’s busiest month for Gala Days.
This year the band had engagements each week. On the 4th June we had a full day at Bathgate followed by Poltonhall on the 5th.
The 11th saw us out again with a full day at the Centenary Gala Day at Blackburn.
On the 17th we had Loanhead’s Carnival Procession with further engagement in Loanhead on the 24th with the Schools’ Procession ##
and 25th with the Childrens’ Day. The gala days have been particularly well attended this year with a rising number over the gigs during the month.
July 2011
The Band usually looks forward to three weeks holiday in July, however due to events happening this September, we have only had a break of one week.
The last Gala Day of the season took place at Seafield, West Lothian on 2nd July. An excellent turnout was had again with over thirty in the band again. This has been a feature at all of our Gala Day engagements this year and we are grateful to all the Senior, Junior Band members and guests who have turned out over the last six weeks or so.
Following the gala day, we had our lunch on the village green and it was great that so many members stayed following a hard gala day season
The band returned early from holiday to resume rehearsals for the National Championships in September. However the first week was spent rehearsing music for an engagement at Mellerstain House, near Kelso on Sunday 17th. We were asked to do four twenty minute slots at the Country Fair and Highland games held in the grounds of the Adam Mansion House.
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The remainder of the month's bi-weekly rehearsals have been spent on "Henry th Fifth" and work for "Brass in the Park"
August 2011
Normally a quiet month after returning from a Summer Break, this year August was different. With Cheltenham and Brass in the Park to prepare for, the Band had several engagements and fund raising events over the month. We had engagements on 20th, Loanhead Street Fayre and at Sainsburys and on the 28th August with the annual Songs of Praise at Liberton Kirk.
On the Fund Raising side we were bag packing at Sainsburys Straiton on the 20th, held a race night at Loanhead Miners’ on 26th and the Loanhead Cheltenham Gold C**p Raffle held on Sunday 28th courtesy of Lily the pony in her field near Falkirk.
All this plus our twice weekly rehearsals made it a busy time.