It’s with mixed feelings that we proclaim that Campbelltown City Band is the…
Champion South Australian D-Grade Brass Band for 2010
Why mixed feelings? Well we were the only competitor in this grade BUT we did get good scores so that we did actually qualify for the award. We were really competing against ourselves to improve our playing and we did succeed. It was interesting to note that out of the 11 sections in this competition only 3 sections had more than one band competing. A sign of the times perhaps?
We played the hymn tune Lloyd by Cuthbert Howard and gained 39 points (out of 50) which equated well with the scores of 38 to 42 for the higher C-Grade bands playing similar music.
The set test was Partita by Edward Gregson, a suite of three movements and not one the band would have selected if we had a choice! We gained a total of 79 points (out of 100) which once again equated well with higher bands with scores of 74 to 80 but of course their music was more difficult.
The concert march was the popular choice Barnard Castle by Goff Richards with which we scored a creditable 39 points. Our total score was 157 out of 200 which equated well to the C-Grade scores of 148 to 165.
Competitions are always testing times for bands whether they are competing against other bands or just themselves and an adjudicator. Many consider they are an essential part of a learning process for a band to give players the incentive to raise their standards. In fact that is often the reason given to support the Set Test compared to a band’s Own Choice. Would we have chosen an easier piece that we felt comfortable playing rather than Partita which was more difficult?
I am sure Campbelltown is the better for having rehearsed rigorously to meet the demands of these State Band Championships. Well done and congratulations to all but particularly to Al Kidney, our Musical Director for being so patient in guiding us.
And we took home two trophies and four certificates. The band is rightfully pretty thrilled about this. Now for next year…
