Milnrow Band championship success

The Centre Stage Hall at Butlins was filled with residents and day visitors on Saturday (19 January) for the Championship Section Contest in which United Co-op Milnrow Band was a competitor along with nine other top class bands.

The Championship contest consisted of a set piece, this year Life Divine by Cyril Jenkins to be played by all bands on Saturday.

A selection of own choice pieces played by each band on Sunday formed the entertainment element of the week end.

Under newly appointed Musical Director John Ward the band was keen to improve on last years result of ninth place overall.

On Saturday the band produced a solid performance with its interpretation of the test piece, gaining third place with 189 points behind Desford (193) and Wingates (191). This was an improvement on fifth place achieved by the band at this stage last year. However, the final results are based on the aggregate of the results of playing the contest piece on Saturday and the entertainment type contest on Sunday.

Although being down the order in Sundays` entertainment results, the band led by Louise Plant on solo cornet and featuring Joanne Ward on flugel horn acquitted itself well under the direction of MD John Ward.

A vast improvement over last years` final result of ninth overall was attained by the band gaining a place in the frame with a great fourth place and prize with 375 points, behind Desford (386.5), Wingates (386) and Tongwynlais (378).

Band President Ken Watts said: "The result this weekend showed that the band is more than capable of holding its own  on  the 'level playing field of set pieces' in the Championship section and had the 'entertainment element' on the more '“uneven playing surface' so to speak been more to the adjudicators liking an even better result could have been forthcoming.

"With this latest result (under the direction of John Ward) the whole team at Milnrow can look forward to the future with confidence."  

Other top bands competing were Virtuosi Gus, Yorkshire Imps, Thoresby Colliery, SWT Woodfalls,  Mount Charles and  Bactiguard  Wire Brass.