The West of England Bandsman’s Festival 2011
This unique Cornish Brass Band Festival, first held in 1912, and popularly known now as the Bugle Contest, has just announced its Test Pieces for this year’s Contest on Saturday June 18th. One of the very few still held in the open air the Contest day starts with the competing Bands marching through the village of Bugle to Molinnis Park, where the competition is held on a specially built Band Stand.
Here surrounded by an audience of thousands the participating Bands compete in the seven Sections, with The Championship Section Bands aiming to win The Royal Trophy, presented to the Festival in 1913 by the then Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall. There is also a magnificent array of Trophies to be won by the other six Sections, including thirteen Soloists awards, as well as Prize money totalling over £4500.
In the evening the Bands march back, the winners proudly bearing their Trophies before them. During the marches all traffic is brought to a standstill and the winning Band in the Championship Section halts in the village Square to give a short concert, ending by tradition with Deep Harmony.
The Test Pieces chosen this year range from Geoffrey Brand’s arrangement of Dvorak’s Carnival Overture for the Championship Section to Peniel by Eric Ball, which he wrote for the Festival in 1976, for the First Section. Others include, The Dark Side of The Moon by Paul Lovatt-Cooper, The Prizewinners by Philip Sparke and Voices of Youth by Edward Gregson set for the Youth Section. William Relton, one of the brass band movements senior adjudicators, will judge the performances, which as well as the above include his own, Three Memories for Brass. Cornish Composers are represented by the ever popular march, Cornish Cavalier by Billy Moyle.
As an Open Contest Bands are welcome from anywhere and in past years have travelled from all over the United Kingdom and even Europe to enter. Brass Band enthusiasts likewise travel long distances to attend and to enjoy the sound of music making in this unique setting in the heart of the Cornwall, where the great spoil heaps of the China Clay Industry tower above Contest Field in the village of Bugle.
For full details and Entry Forms for the 2011 Festival contact the Organiser, Andrew Teague, 01726 815662 or consult the Web Site @ www.webf.co.uk
................................................................................................................................................................................
Phillip Hunt, Publicity Officer WEBF, 01752 843919
.gif){kind=small}
