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Yorkshire Championships success for two Calderdale brass bands
TOP brass music makers are being celebrated in Calderdale after two bands scored big wins in a regional contest.
Brighouse and Rastrick (B&R) won the top championship section of the Yorkshire Championships while Hebden Bridge were runners-up in the first section. Their win secured the band's promotion to the top flight for the first time since the 1960s.
Queensbury's Black Dyke Band, who had been favourites to win the championship section, came fourth.
B&R president Paul Beaumont said the band played amazing and were worthy of being crowned Yorkshire champions.
The championship section saw 13 bands take part, with the test piece being George Lloyd's English Heritage.
Mr Beaumont said: "The band gave a fabulous and hugely musical performance of this extremely difficult test piece.
"Every player gave their all on the contest stage and has done over the last 10 weeks during which the band has been preparing for the contest. I am very proud of their achievements but it is no more than they deserve."
The band was conducted by Professor David King who travelled from Australia where he lives to finalise the band's performances and conduct the band on the contest stage at St George's Hall, Bradford.
Principal euphonium player Steve Walsh won the instrumentalist award. The band last won the title in 2007.
Hebden Bridge Band was also celebrating a remarkable rise after being down to just eight players and facing closure in 1995.
Chairman Steve Gardner said the win was the culmination of 15 years' hard work.
"We were very pleased with our performance and it is good for us to be back at the top level," he said.
It was a family affair for Mr Gardner, who plays tenor horn, as his wife, Diane, and their eldest son are on cornet and youngest son Sam plays percussion.
The band went head to head against 11 other bands with the test piece A Moorside Suite by Gustav Holst.
Other placings included: First section, 11th, Yorkshire Co-op (Brighouse). Third section, 2nd, Clifton and Lightcliffe, 5th Elland. Fourth section, 4th, Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge), 5th Huddersfield and Ripponden, 11th, Clifton and Lightcliffe B.
B&R next perform at Huddersfield Town Hall on March 20, and Hebden Bridge at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Mytholmroyd, on March 21.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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