Arts & Leisure Centre, Stevenage, Herts
All weekend: the Second Section plays on the Sunday, in the Gordon Craig Theatre. Draw time 9:00am, first band start time 10:00am.

Winner: Alder Valley Brass

For more details of the contest, see the Regional Contest Website.

Full Event Report

The piece: Kenneth Downie's Three-Part Invention.


Adjudicator Steve Pritchard-Jones said in his address that although the piece had been criticised elsewhere for being not difficult enough for second section, he had not heard a perfect rendition of it today. He was looking for a performance that lifted the notes off the page, that found the musicality in the piece, and only one band had done that for him.

In his opinion, Alder Valley's performance was "very musical" with "well controlled contrasts" - the music "has rhythm" and is "so well controlled". "Overall a good performance... well directed".

Before...

After...

We returned from Stevenage with the London & Southern Counties Challenge Cup and an invitation to the National Second Section Finals in September, and Roger our MD was awarded the Reg. Nicholson Memorial Trophy, as the conductor of the winning second section band.

Thundersley Brass were placed fourth, Grimsdyke were third and a special mention for our friends at Epsom & Ewell Silver Band who came second, having only been promoted to the 2nd section this year, and because of their result, will be promoted to the 1st section next year!

Our players at the areas 2008 (in approximate score order) were:

Thanks to Peter Haigh, and Tim and Dorothy Lain for the photography.