Saturday 26th November
What a day!
The Verwood Town Band seem to have a jinx on being drawn to be the first band to play but no worries because the band produced an excellent performance winning the cup for the highest placed 4th Section Band.
But what's more the band came 8th overall meaning it beat at least one 2nd section band. Very well done the Town Band.
As for the Verwood Concert Brass Band - well here is the list of what they won!
Best Bass Section - The Arthur Spencer Trophy - congratulations Duncan Smith, Jane Cotee, Mike Dunnings and Nigel Tiller.
The conductor having the best musical interpretation of the score - The South Wilts Cup - well done Kevin Smith (a very nice belated birthday pressie for yesterday).
Best Instrumentalist - The Kevin Bolton Plaque - VCB's principle cornet player Elaine Close - just brilliant!
The highest placed Championship Section Band - The Christopher Wren Cup - Verwood Concert Brass.
OVERALL WESSEX CHAMPION - The Pitt Rivers Cup - VERWOOD CONCERT BRASS.
The band also had the honour of playing a short concert at the end of the day whilst the results were being collated. This met with great applause from a room full of brass band aficionados.
So all in all a fantastic day and so nice to have done so well at our local brass band contest. Well done all and to all the other bands and special award winners.
Sunday 13th November
Verwood Concert Brass were honoured to be part of the Remembrance Sunday service and parade.
Having played hymns at the packed church service, the band lead the parade to the war memorial playing the British Legion March where a large crowd had gathered for the wreath laying ceremony.
Very well done to Sophie Howes, Verwood Concert Brass's repiano cornet player, for playing the Last Post with such feeling, plus a rousing Reveille.
Occasions such as this are a reminder that the band is very much part of the community and form an important part of our heritage.
Many thanks to local photographer, John Larry, for use of some of his photos.
Saturday 5th November
Well done to Verwood Concert Brass Band. They won the South West Brass Band Association 70th Annual Contest in Torquay yesterday.
What's more, principal cornet player, Elaine Close, was awarded the trophy for best soloist. Well done Elaine.
To win the contest was no mean feat as they were up against five very good First Section bands and three other Championship Section bands including Camborne Town who are currently ranked by 4 Bars Rest as being the 34th best brass band in the world. That's against Verwood's current ranking of 167th.
The contest was an 'own choice' event meaning bands can choose which test piece they wish to play. Verwood's winning performance was of Edward Gregson's 'Of Men and Mountains'.
The full results were:
1. Verwood Concert Brass (Ch)
2. Camborne Town (Ch)
3. Chalford (1st)
4. Lydbrook (Ch)
5. St. Keverne (1st)
6. Helston Town (1st)
7. Lanner & District (Ch)
8. Pendennis (1st)
9. Hyde (1st)
Next up - in three weeks time it is the Wessex Winter Contest at the Life Centre in Bournemouth. All the best for that one too and to the Verwood Town Band who will also be competing.
