Friary swept the board at the recent scaba Autumn Contest at The Hawth, Crawley. With a set programme to comprise a test piece and hymn tune, it was an ideal opportunity to run out the Nationals test piece, Dr Kenneth Downie’s Handel in the Band, along with the evergreen favourite, Deep Harmony, and the performance hit the spot with adjudicator Sarah Groarke-Booth. ‘Great choice of (test) piece. Much to admire today. A real sense of performance with lots of detail & intent. Soloists did a fine job. Very enjoyable.’ was her summary.
A total of twelve prizes were on offer, and in a mixed field of twelve bands from the Championship, First and Second Sections,, Friary took every single one:
First place overall
Best hymn tune
Best conductor (Chris King)
Best instrumentalist (Martin Britt – soprano cornet)
Best cornet or flugel (Richard Straker)
Best tenor horn (Chris Pannell)
Best baritone (Alex Sears)
Best euphonium (Chris Straker)
Best back row cornets
Best trombones
Best basses
Best percussion
Commenting on the performance, Contest Secretary Alex Sears remarked: ‘This was a great opportunity to rehearse our Nationals test piece publicly, and I think we did a good job. It was just slightly embarrassing, in my other capacity as scaba Secretary, handing out the trophies on stage!’ ‘Well done all,’ she concluded.