Remarks
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West of England Area Championships, Torquay, 8th March 2008
1st Section 4th/14 187pts
James Cook Circumnavigator
Remarks from Colin Hardy
Opening not together but flows.
6 Troms light but in tune
8 + Good balance and sensible dynamics chosen and flows with most in place
30 Troms a little untidy
Clean into 35 but chord at 32 not in tune
42 rushes to start but settles
48 + has right pulse, odd slips occur
60 light in texture but balance is good
75 + ok, well done sop and euph
80 odd slips here
85 Euph does ok
Flows upto 93, well done solo cornet and with panache
101 Troms not clean and triplets not even
Marcia super pp start and all builds up well
Good change of style at eroica, thanks
160 well done, perc do well
Lento effective and well controlled
Allegro super this and flows to close
This in style generally was light but all was in proportion. Well done MD very sensible approach. Thanks
Remarks from Alan Hope
Unsure start.
Bar 8, tempo fine and detail surfaces from Baris and Euphs
26 loose playing, better from Troms
Calmo 37 effective
42 moves well and after 3 bars this sounds effective
60 took two bars to get into rhythm
Formidable sop at 67 and on
Calmo 74 very effective, little slips Flugel doesn't spoil effect
84 Well done all right to 104
105 feels right nice timps
Marcia musical, euph slip but moves on. This all sounds very musical.
Lento very serious, funereal. Perc brilliant!!
Lento is good from this band, to the end is dramatic
Molto Allargando? A bit rushed but you handle it
Very sensible approach to the performance in which the MD made best use of the players. Thank you
Full results
1. Helston Town, J. Hitchens, 4, 191
2. Otterbourne Brass, Lt. Col. C. Davis OBE, 10, 190
3. Sherborne Town, P. Cosh, 5, 188
4. Lympstone South West Telecoms, C. Fleming, 3, 187
5. St. Dennis, B. Minear, 11, 185
6. Ocean Brass, N. Grace, 9, 184
7. Portishead Town, I. Dickinson, 12, 183
8. Chalford, S. Tubb, 13, 182
9. Bodmin, H. Williams, 7, 181
10. Woodfalls Concert Brass, S. Dunster, 6, 180
11. City Of Bristol, I. Holmes, 8, 179
12. Lanner and District Silver, C. Toghill, 2, 178
13. Swindon Pegasus Brass, S. Armstrong-Watkins, 14, 177
14. Cinderford, L. Baglin, 1, 176
SWBBA Torquay, 3rd November 2007
Open Section 6th/8 188pts
Force of Destiny
Opening not quite together, nor did the notes end together. B Unison very good. Andante Mosso well balanced and fine basses at C. The Allegro is a touch slow. Before the Allegro Brillante there was a disastrous section. J stylish. M well led Soprano. O Well thought out. This is your best section yet - from 4 before R to the end. The performance was generally good - and the lower end of the band exemplary - but there were some tragic errors that cost you dearly.
| St Dennis | 196pts | 1st |
| Bodmin Town Band | 195pts | 2nd |
| St Keverne | 191pts | 3rd |
| Forest of Dean | 190pts | 4th |
| St Austell Town | 189pts | 5th |
| Lympstone South West Telecoms Band | 188pts | 6th |
| Sherborne Town | 187pts | 7th |
| Milton Keynes Brass | 186pts | 8th |
Exmouth Entertainments Contest, 1st September 2007
3rd/14
Best Soloist - won by Richard "Scotty" Burton
Best 1st section band
Come follow the Band:
Great opener to your themed programme. Tight playing.
Entry of the Gladiators:
Needs a better rhythmic definition in the opening tutti, but then the ensemble settles and shows some good technique (troms) and also well-graded dynamics. A detailed show.
On with the Motley:
Introduction a little anxious in the opening accompaniments. The soloist displays confidence and gives a bravura performance showing a strong embrouchure. Well done, only an occasional blemish.
Be a Clown:
Lively style is well achieved and the percussion effects are good. Good contrast.
Send in the Clowns:
A masterly performance of this classic. Credit to the arranger of this number also. Bravo.
Dance of the Comedians:
A very difficult closing number; well chosen. A few technical uncertainties just detract a little but you keep the excitement to the close of a well balanced programme.
Thank you and good luck
David Horsfield.
West of England Area, 10th March 2007
1st section placed 9th/13
Sinfonietta - 'The Wayfarer'
Remarks from David Hirst
Adventure
Secure opening. Allegro is untidy to open and doesn't recover until 2. More control before 4 and watch tempo doesn't galop!
Exile
Some blemishes to open. 7 nice Horns (and Baritone!) but Basses are pushing tempo. Good Cornet into 9. More warmth in the sound 4 after 9. 11 balance in Horns.
Homeward Journey
Tempo flows well. 13 melody is lost in Euph/Baritone 2. Not always together and intonation suffers towards the final section.
Remarks from Barry Thompson
Adventure
Confident to open. Warm sounds, mutes fine. Allegro good tempo, all moves on well. Semis not clean 2-3. Very good, fine detail, semis better at 5. Fine Flugel, the odd blemish leading to 6, fair close.
Exile
Horns could be more sostenuto. Fine Troms at 8. This animato is well controlled. Rhapsodic solo, could be just a little more. Fine Flugel before 10. Many poor entries at times. Unsure at 11. Rall not controlled to Andante. Fair close.
Homeward Journey
Well in tune and flows well. Untuneful in triplets at 14. Scherzo doesn't quite come off. Irato fine. Fine rall to 16 looses sparkle at the Triomfale. Untuneful in closing bars.
Weston Super Mare-Own Choice Contest, 21st May 2006
Placed 2nd
Royal Parks - George Lloyd
Remarks from TheMusicMan from theMouthpiece.com
Please remember we don't have a score!!)
First Movement:
Fast paced at the start, loss of clarity in some sections. Well balanced opening though, excellent troms and the general band sound is superb. You exercise good dynamic control and range through this 1st movement. A few blips but otherwise an excellent 1st section.
Trom balance is good and you show excellent control through some of the faster sections.
Lovely balance to end but slight wavering on some part (can't decipher which one.. dont have ascore).
Next Movement:
Horns sublime... wonderful sonorous sounds to start. Ct entries good and basses match with gorgrous dynamic. Flug good. This is good interpretation by Mr Flemming. Playing is of a high standard across the entire band here... all players are aware of what's happening around them. This is good, lovely ct solo too... Euph solo is class: Wonderful sound you have, and expressively played too. Slight wavering by band there! This is building wonderfully into a super climax for this movement... the sounds are sublilme... cresc into repeated section and the chords at this point are excellent... you are on form I guess. First slight tuning issue - on horns - before quiet section resumes. Lovely major key to close.
Last Movement:
Percussion overdone for me! Lovely balance though between sop and euph.
Nice unison cts. Great dynamic effects heard here and you are pulling out all the detail nicely. Sop again very good when in unison with euph (remember I dont have a score).
Lots of good detail heard especially on the semi's and in the dynamic effects used through this section. I like the dynamic range you show. Not sure of the balance of the flug when sop is on runs up scales...?? a tad loud. Resounding close... wonderful performance. Well done!!
Exmouth Entertainments Contest - 3rd Sept 2005, placed 10th
The President
Good start to the programme and well-graded dynamics.
I've Got Rhythm
You play with good style and energyMama
What a lovely euph sound, loads of style and a real soloist's sound. You're a bit sharp occasionally so be careful, but a very good number - well done!Salamanca
Good Spanish flavour captured here, one or two corners didn't quite come offI'll walk with God
Lovely sounds here with nice solo work and a good sense of conclusionSouth Rampart Street Parade
Nice style on show - good finisher and really effective little encore.Overall
The band makes a good sound, most effective when built from the basses up. In your slow playing this was best, but when sounds were louder and/or faster some of the basses' sound was lacking. I suggest that at these points the upper band just play down a bit, and the basses try to play with more resonance. In the slow number basses made a lovely sound so its just a matter of making this consistent through the dynamic range. Programme was presented at break-neck speed - and band obviously got a lot of energy from conductor - well led throughout! Also well done to Bb bass/Arranger/Glock player - a busy man!! Thanks for a good show!Adjudicator - Philip Harper