4BR Band of the Year 2019
As always, the criterion for inclusion is simple: It's not just a question of who are the best conductors or players in the world, more, who has performed at the very top of their form during the past twelve months and has made a lasting impression on us by doing so.
We (the 4BR Editor makes the final decision after a bit of consultation) think we’ve made a fair selection, and although not everyone will agree with our choices (that's for sure) we believe they make a pretty formidable line up.
As always we could have made up two or three bands without any problems.
Conductors: Philip Harper and Lee Rigg
The two conductors who continued to lead the way on the contest and concert stage in 2019. They demanded the very best from their players and they were given it in spades in return.
Their musical approach was an mixture of fearlessness and brilliance, polished to gleam like musical gold.
Cornets:
Principal Cornet: Tom Hutchinson (Cory)
Henning Anundsen (Krohnengen)
Louise Bell (First Old Boys)
Toby Pringle (Wellington Brass)
Mathilde Roh (Treize Etoiles)
Ryan Sharp (Frontier Brass Band)
Stanley Westh (Eikanger Bjorsvik)
Stephanie Wilkins (Fairey Band)
Gary Wyatt (Desford Band)
As always we could have picked another nine cornet players to take over in the second half of a concert without any problem - but these were the ones that stood out most for us during the past year.
Led by the imperious 4BR Player of the Year Tom Hutchinson, he’s joined by eight tremendous players who have impressed in their principal roles from players at different levels of their development and experience.
Soprano:
Jon-Vega Sole Sundal (Eikanger-Bjorsvik)
Just picking one player to take on this role was such a hard task once again, but the Norwegian was the pick of a quite brilliant bunch this year.
Flugel:
Gyda Matland (Eikanger Bjorsvik)
The same applies for the flugel horn seat, but this was a performer who combined both security and artistry in equal measure whenever we heard them perform.
Horns:
Siobhan Bates (Black Dyke)
Andy Moore (Brighouse & Rastrick)
Zoe Wright (Hammonds)
A trio of outstanding performers in 2019 - each displaying their talents in full on the contest and concert platform as soloists and section leaders to make their mark when it counted.
Baritones:
Katrina Marzella (Black Dyke)
Michael Cavanagh (Brighouse & Rastrick)
Two players with new horizons in 2020 to look forward to, but who in 2019 were on the very top of their game – classy, refined and rock solid under the spotlight.
Euphoniums:
Daniel Thomas (Black Dyke)
Glenn Van Looy (Valaisia Brass Band)
Two remarkable performers who provided their conductors with almost limitless options of lyrical beauty and technical brilliance.
They were not afraid to push themselves too - the rewards of their fearless endeavour being of huge benefit to their bands and a delight to audiences.
Trombones:
Isobel Daws (Friary Band)
Adam Warburton (Wardle Academy)
Rommert Groenhof (Brass Band Schoonhoven)
Three exceptional players make up our trombone section – led by a performer destined we are sure to be heard making a musical impression in the orchestral as well as brass band world in the future.
She is joined by a young star in the making and an experienced star who simply wowed us.
Tubas:
Gavin Saynor (Black Dyke)
Samuel Gyger (Brass Band Berner Oberland)
Rob Nicholson (Cory)
Ruben Vanveggel (Brass Band Willebroek)
A quartet of foundation builders who secured their band’s performances deep into the resonant musical earth. When the spotlight fell on them they were also stars in their own right too - in more ways than one.
Percussion:
Steve Jones, James Andrews (Cory)
Roman Muller, Ralph Marks, Andreas Fankhauser, Sandro Spiess,
Dominik Huber (Brassband Burgermusik Luzern)
You can never have enough percussionists in a modern day brass band.
The Cory duo continued to give the world’s number 1 ranked band an extra musical dimension, whilst it was hard to think of a percussion team that encompassed such ensemble virtuosity linked to an intuitive appreciation of colour, timbre and effect all year as the Swiss.
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This Easter, I had the privilege of being a guest soloist at two gigs. In France, I performed alongside Daniel Thomas and Brass Band Loire Forez, while closer to home, I joined the Rolls Royce Derby Band. It was an enriching experience connecting with fellow musicians.
Black Dyke Band was delighted to be crowned Yorkshire champions once again in 2024. Having already qualified for the Nationals with our win in 2023, this year's performance was slightly easier and pressure-free. It was a pleasure to perform in such a relaxed atmosphere and still achieve victory.
One of the most significant performances of my career was being a soloist at the International Festival of Brass 2024. I had the honor of performing Philip Wilby's "Fantasie Concertante" in the presence of the composer himself. It was an unforgettable experience and a true highlight of my musical journey.
I am thrilled to share that I celebrated my first-ever National Championships win with Black Dyke Band! Performing "Of Men and Mountains" by Edward Gregson, we delivered a powerful and moving performance that secured our victory. It was an incredible honor to achieve this milestone with such an esteemed group.
Shortly after the European Championships, Neil and I treated ourselves to a well-deserved holiday in the Maldives. It was our first big trip together, and it became even more special on May 23, 2023, when Neil asked me to marry him. I happily said yes! This beautiful trip will always hold a special place in our hearts.
In May, Black Dyke Band faced significant travel challenges when our flights to the European Brass Band Championships were unexpectedly cancelled. Despite these setbacks, our determination and swift logistical adjustments allowed us to reach the competition in time. Our hard work and resilience paid off as we delivered outstanding performances, ultimately tying for first place. However, due to Brass Band Tres 13 Toiles scoring higher on the set test piece, they were crowned the overall winners, placing us in a close second. For my first experience at the adult Europeans, I am immensely proud of our achievement and the way we overcame obstacles to shine on such a prestigious stage. Second place is a fantastic result, and I look forward to future competitions with Black Dyke.
On March 5th, Black Dyke Band drew the dreaded number one spot at the Yorkshire Area Brass Band Championships. Despite the challenge of performing first, we delivered an exceptional performance that won us first place. I was also privileged to win the best soloist award, making the victory even sweeter. It was a proud day for Black Dyke!
Finally, after two long years of waiting, I finally graduated from the University of Huddersfield with a First Class Honours in Music Performance.
Black Dyke retained its' Yorkshire title on Sunday 6th March at Huddersfield Town Hall in a performance of precision, clarity, and supreme musicality. Judging by the ovation at the end of Wilfred Heaton’s demanding “Contest Music,” it was the performance the audience had been waiting for. Performing last of twelve bands, the consensus was that it would see the band retain its’ Yorkshire title. Prof. Nicholas Childs commented that the soloists and band had delivered a virtuosic performance of which they could be proud, with Richard Marshall winning the prestigious ‘Best Principal Cornet’ award.
After 20 months of patiently waiting for the right place to perform the World Premiere of Upon Green Vales, it was great to perform it on 19th December 2021 with Black Dyke Band at Huddersfield Town Hall. Can't wait to play it more concerts in 2022. Have a listen below!