Sparkling Performance for Fireworks Day

Chalford‘s fireworks day trip to the seaside at Torquay went with a bang.
The senior band’s performance of the test piece A King’s Lie was judged third best out of nine in the open section of the South West Brass Band Association’s 70th annual championships at the Riviera Centre (Nov. 5, 2016).
The top section was a mixture of championship and first section hands. Steve Tubb and his players were the highest placed first section band and third overall, beating two top-level bands in the process.

Adjudicators Steve Sykes and Stan Lippeatt found plenty to praise in their written remarks:

A well balanced and co-ordinated opening but (14) gets off the rails. (33) much better. b71 l don’t really hear the duplets. (51) lyrical. (103) (115) is well organised if not 100 per cent tuneful. Quite a nice flugelhorn (a little flat on some notes though]. (131) euph has a lovely vocal quality. (149) is a good attempt at the dynamic but not all notes respond. A good build to (162) which has a sensible “ff.” (171) moves well and tubas are neat and tidy.
(207) changing metre is well organised and percussion is super neat.
(267) trombone chording not quite in tune. [289] is suitably chaotic. (3131 has a good chromatic scale (although final groups not as successful). (321) builds well in volume and intensity to a solid and compact close. STEVE SYKES

Confident start. (14) quite a few mis-readings by cornet section. (33) good style and lots of drama. Good dynamic contrasts. (75) Good cornet line. Good movement this was. meno mosso good playing. (115) Flugel plays well but slight tuning blips. (131) Good style. Well played euphonium. (149) well controlled. Demis were a shade forced. (162) Good sounds. (171) Good percussion. (183) General good clean playing, just some of the semis got a shade lost in the balance. This is a good tempo and the music trips along well. (267) Good work all. (282) Flugel light in the balance. (284) Lots of drama. (321) Good dynamic. slight tuning problems then good controlled build to a controlled end. Thank you. STAN LIPPEATT

Results
1. Verwood
2 Camborne
3 Chalford
4 Lydbrook
5 St Keverne
6 Helston Town
7 Lanner and District
8 Pendennis Brass (Falmouth)
9 Hyde