BRATTON Silver Band took to the stage at the finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain on Saturday and were praised for the band’s performance.
Earlier this year, the band’s sensational performance in the South West Regional Brass Band Contest in Torquay earned them a place at the national finals.
While the band have made it through to the national finals before in 1992, 2003, and 2004, this year’s achievement was made under the baton of new musical director, Simon Carr, who joined the band last year.
Band secretary Lisa Hill said, “Bratton Silver Band came 15th out of the 19 bands that made it through to the national finals, however there were eight areas competing at the regionals contest earlier in the year: West of England (22 entries), London & Southern Counties (12), Midlands (20), Wales (5), North West (23), Yorkshire (12), North of England (9), and Scotland (6).
“We can now say we are 19th out of the 109 bands in our section, or thereabouts, in the whole of the country! Now that sounds good!
“Many commentators/reporters and even the adjudicators described the test piece as very challenging for our section, and Bratton Silver Band were no exception to this. The music tested the band immensely!”
Brass band website 4barsrest commended Bratton’s performance as “an interesting, risky” and “highly enjoyable”, commenting: “Hats off to Bratton’s musical director. He took risks and wasn’t afraid to wear the heart on the sleeve.”
