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THE BRASS BAND BLOG

The Brass Bulletin #2

14/01/2022



Well, it’s been another busy week for brass band news!


Before we kick off I would like to thank Craig Chapman from MPB, for the fab photo of Paul Holland taken at Butlin’s at the weekend that he very kindly let me use for the cover of this week’s bulletin.


In this week, I’ve got a bumper lineup of news - so I think the best thing to do is grab a brew (or a tipple, it is Friday after all), stop dilly-dallying and jump into this week’s Brass Bulletin.


 

Contents

Want to head to a particular story in this week's bulletin? Click the link below.

Butlin's Champions

Youth Brass 2000 Take Centre Stage

Butlin's Contest 2023 Cancelled

Going, Going, Gone - Get Your European Festival Combi Tickets Now!

Conduct-IT Launch FREE Resources for Aspiring Conductors

Brass Band Conference Calls for Contributors

Bathgate Youth's '22 in 22'

BBE Offers New Funding Opportunities for Bands in 2022

Alf Wileman Celebrates Almost 80 Years of Banding

Ratby Launches New 'Daytime' Brass Band


 

Butlin’s Champions



Photo by Craig Chapman


Well, it would seem that plenty of fun was had at the Butlin’s Brass Band Festival last weekend.


As well as hilarious shenanigans (the pics I’ve seen of people celebrating were great to see), there was a lot of talent on display at the Skegness resort.


If you missed the results, let’s get you updated!


Championship Section

1st: Flowers Band

2nd: Desford Colliery

3rd: GUS Band


Most Entertaining Band: Flowers Band

Winner of Set Test Piece: Flowers Band

Highest Place Mining Band: Desford Colliery


First Section

1st: Staffordshire Band

2nd: Haydock Band

3rd: Stannington Brass


Highest Placed Mining Band: Haydock Band


Second Section

1st: Bedford Town Band

2nd: Tewit Silver Band

3rd: Harborough Band


Third Section

1st: Whitworth Vale & Healey

2nd: Raunds Temperance

3rd: Hoover Bolton


Highest Placed Mining Band: Dinnington


Fourth Section

1st: Golborne Band

2nd: Dodworth Colliery

3rd: Royston Town


Highest Placed Mining Band: Golborne


British Open Solo & Ensemble Contest

Junior Solo

Winner: Skye Stokes


Youth Solo

Winner: Jordan Ashman


Open Solo

Winner: Stephen Lomas


Youth Ensemble

Winner: Shirland Youth Band


Open Ensemble

Winner: Shirland Band


 

Youth Brass 2000 Take Centre Stage

The talented band of young musicians put on a fantastic display on both Friday and Sunday.


Many banders took to social media to praise the programme and the level of playing shown at the weekend.


Not only did the band show off its talent during their full band performances, they also swept up the prizes in the solo competition, with their percussionist, Jordan Ashman taking the number one spot; baritone player, Ed Culpin, taking second and cornet player, Jake Humphries, taking third in the Youth Section of the British Open Solo & Ensemble contest.


A fantastic show all round from Youth Brass 2000 - congratulations!



 


Butlins Brass Band Contest 2023 Cancelled





Sadly, there will be no brass band contest at Butlin’s in 2023.


Calendar issues have been cited as a reason for the festival being unable to take place next year.


Although this hasn’t been mentioned in regards to the contest, a key fact to take into consideration is that Bourne Leisure (Butlin’s parent company) has put the Butlin’s brand up for sale.


Butlin’s Skegness resort was the first park set up by Billy Butlin in 1936 to provide a new type of seaside break.


However, in recent times it has been thought that Bourne Leisure and Blackstone (the US private equity giant that owns the majority of Bourne Leisure) have come to the conclusion that Butlin’s is not central to their future objectives.


Despite this, there is no need to despair or start drafting up a petition just yet as both Butlin’s and the festival’s organisers are working to secure a date for 2024.


We’ve all just got to hope that this will not prevent us from saying hi-de-high, strolling from our chalet in our contest walking outs for a weekend of music-making.


If it does threaten the existence of this contest, I’ll be the first person to put pen to the petition paper.


 


Going, Going, Gone - Get Your European Festival Combi Tickets Now!