On Saturday 16th March, the band competed at the London and Southern Counties Regional Championships at the Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre along with several other bands from the region. The piece: Symphony of Marches. The draw: 4th. After weeks of hard work, grit and determination, the band went on confident with the performance we were about to give.
After a long wait, we headed into the results with our fellow bandsmen.
“And the band in second place is the band that played…. NUMBER 4“.
The adjudicators commented that the band played “a generally well constructed offering with a real sense of performance” and that there was “lots to admire. Overall, good articulated playing with attention to detail and dynamics… [which] produces a musical performance.”
As well as a second placing, the band was also awarded the best cornet of the day. This went to our soprano player, Grant Jarvie.
With this second placing, Fulham Brass Band have been invited to the National Finals in Cheltenham on Saturday 14th-Sunday 15th September 2019. As well as this, the band will now be promoted to the Championship section in 2020, our 125th year as a band!
The band are really pleased with the outcome of this result. Emmeline Downer, Flugel, said: “I have been playing Flugel in the band for nearly five years now. I joined when were going to the 2nd section National Finals. I never would have dreamed that we would now be going up to the Championship section.”
Clare Pitt, the band’s chair added: “This is an amazing achievement which builds on years of hard work and dedication which has seen us move from the fourth section in 2005 to the championship section – an excellent way to celebrate our 125th anniversary next year.
John Ward, conductor of Fulham Brass is looking forward to the year ahead. “I am so proud of the group. They’ve been knocking on the door for a few years now so to finally get the nod from the judges and make it to the championship section is just brilliant.”
We’ll be kick starting the year with our Spring Concert in May (details to follow).
Keep an eye out in the next week for news of the year so far and our plans for the next twelve months.
