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.
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
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
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.