Newstead are top Midlands brass at Spring Festival

Although Newstead Brass missed out on qualification for a national final for the second time in six weeks, their performance in the ‘British Open Spring Festival’ consolidated the band's ranking in Britain’s top 30 bands and emphasised their position as the North Midland’s leading brass band.

The Spring Festival took place at Blackpool's Winter Gardens on Saturday May 15th, with 60 bands striving to progress through ‘Cup’, ‘Trophy’ and ‘Shield’ competitions to join 18 of the UK’s top bands who had already qualified for British Open Championship Finals.

Competing in the ‘Grand Shield’, the final qualifying round, Newstead’s performance of ‘Rococo Variations’, led as always by musical director Duncan Beckley, drew praise from adjudicators William Relton and Stephen Roberts, but was placed ninth of the 20 entries with just the top two bands, Tredegar and Tongwynlais qualifying for the championship finals in a memorable day for Welsh banding.

A spokesman commented, “We were ranked 12th of the 20 competing bands before the contest started so a top 9 finish represents a good outcome on a very challenging piece. We will, of course, be aiming to go even better next year!”

This ninth place follows on from the band’s fourth place in the Midland’s Regional Championships in March, just missing out on qualification for the National Brass Band Championships.

The band’s attention now turns to their debut appearance in the ‘All England International Masters’ on May 29th. Taking place for at the recently completed Lighthouse Theatre in Kettering, Newstead will be one of 12 English bands in a 22 band field which includes 6 of the leading brass bands from mainland Europe.

Meanwhile, tickets are now available for three of the band’s June concerts, including the Brass Arts Festival Gala Concert at Leeds Town Hall on June 13th, the Picnic in the Park at Newstead on June 19th, raising funds for the Friends of Chernobyl’s Children , and a musical extravaganza at Hucknall Parish Church on June 26th, part of the International Byron Festival. Details can be found on the 'Tickets' area of the band website.