THREE brass bands from Barnsley will be representing Yorkshire at the national finals of the British Brass Band championships after success in the Yorkshire area contest at the weekend.
Brass bands compete in five divisions, known as sections, and three local bands finished runners up in their respective sections - Grimethorpe Colliery Band in the championship section, Old Silkstone Band in the first section, and Barnsley Metropolitan Band in the fourth section.
Grimethorpe will therefore compete once more at the Royal Albert Hall in October, while Silkstone and Barnsley Metropolitan will both compete in their sections’ national finals at Cheltenham Racecourse in September.
Old Silkstone Band said it was the highest place result in the band’s 158 year history.
John Hopkinson, musical director, said: “I was actually brought in to work with the band as musical director just to get them ready for this contest, but it looks like the likelihood is I’ll now be taking them to the national finals.
“It was a great result, the band didn’t have a great time last year, but they came together incredibly well, and I’m absolutely delighted.”
Alex Francis, musical director of Barnsley Metropolitan Band, who won the fourth section in 2013 and had been in the third section before this year, said: “I’m delighted we’ll once again represent Yorkshire at the national finals.
“It follows a lot of hard work and dedication over the last couple of months, particularly from the seven young members that haven’t ever performed at a brass band contest before - what a start for them.”
Grimethorpe Colliery Band announced news of the second prize on Facebook, paying tribute to the band’s principal cornet who won the prize for best principal cornet in the section.
Rockingham Band narrowly missed out on their bid for a place at the nationals, finishing third in the third section. But there was consolation of promotion to the second section for next year.
Jacky Wadsworth, secretary of the band, said: “Five years ago, Rockingham Band was on the verge of disappearing due to lack of players. However, due to a few determined people we managed to pull through and recruit a new, enthusiastic, young MD, Adam Whittle, whose hard work has taken the band from the fourth section to the second section in that time.”
Elsewhere Strata Hoyland-based Strata Brass came last out of 13 in the championship section, Barnsley Brass were ninth out of ten in the second section, and Dodworth finished fourth out of the eight bands in the fourth section.
Worsbrough Brass withdrew from the second section.
