Disappointment for Friary at Stevenage

Despite our rising hopes that we might book a return to the National Finals this year, sadly it was not to be.  Rehearsals of Martin Ellerby’s Elgar Variations, ably led by our guest MD John Ward, went well in the week leading  up to the Regional Championships, but we didn’t quite pull it off on the day.  Drawn to play second – the same as last year – our performance drew positive comments from the adjudicators David Hirst and Dr Robert Childs, who summarised it respectively as follows:

‘A well presented performance with a good guiding hand by the MD.  Good solo lines and balance with detail and clarity throughout.’

‘A well shaped musical performance.  Good clarity in the fast music.  Secure soloists.  Just the odd clip now and then.’

Unfortunately it was ‘the odd clip now and then’ which took the gloss off our performance, resulting in a disappointing 6^th place.  Band Chairman David Wicks summed up:  ‘It was a very frustrating result, especially after some solid playing during our final few rehearsals.  We just needed to replicate that on the contest stage, but couldn’t quite manage it.’  ‘But we are extremely grateful to John Ward for stepping into the breach whilst we were between Musical Directors and for all his guidance and support,’ he concluded.

Warmest congratulations to Zone One Brass and particularly to our friends in Sandhurst Silver Band who took the top two places and will carry the banner of London & Southern Counties to the Royal Albert Hall in October.