Nailsworth Silver Band have achieved a brilliant sixth-place finish at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.
Having qualified for the event at the Regional Championships in Torquay in March, Nailsworth were invited to represent the West of England alongside Lydney Town and Verwood Concert Brass in the Third Section (the fourth tier of brass band competition after Championship, 1st and 2nd sections). All 20 bands in the competition are tasked with playing the same test piece which is blind judged by adjudicators. This year’s piece was ‘The Shipbuilders’ by Peter Yorke.
Adjudicators commended the band’s ’well thought out and controlled performance’ and said there was ‘lots to admire’. In their comments, the judges also recognised Nailsworth’s ‘good quality sound with good dynamic range’ and ‘fine full band sounds’. Other commentators at the event reflected on the band’s performance. The Upbeat enjoyed ‘super strong sounds to start’, ‘a classy 2nd movement where cornet and flugel resonate across the room’ and a third section of the piece where ‘earthy bass sounds.
British Bandsman magazine gave a glowing review of Nailsworth, praising a ‘beautifully rich opening’ which is ‘clear, controlled and elegant.’ The second movement was also ‘beautifully balanced as each musical line has its own place in the texture, no matter the perceived difficulty or interest’ and the third was ‘no match for Nailsworth’ with ‘impeccable accuracy and precision’ from the solo cornets and basses combined with euphoniums to create a ‘match made in heaven’. The final movement of the piece portrays the ‘Maiden Voyage’ of the ship and ‘from the very first note’, the commentator was ‘captivated and speechless’. The finale of the piece incorporated the ‘luxurious sound from Solo Euphonium’ and ‘sweet and delicate’ cornets before ‘the bass end’s descending scale towards the end of this movement had them in goosebumps’.
Musical Director, Anri Adachi, has been with the band since 2020 and has overseen a period of sustained progress – including a Fourth Section regional win in March 2020, the Fouth Section National Final victory in 2021 and subsequent promotion to the Third Section. She has guided the band’s to three superb results in the Third Section – finishing 3rd, 4th and 2nd in regional finals before this weekend’s 6th place finish in the National Final – the band’s first in the Third Section. Anri had this to say of the experience: “We were privileged to compete at the National Finals this year and very proud to come 6th. The band’s success is down to a healthy work ethic and commitment to self-improvement and creating a supportive atmosphere in our community. I’m excited to build on our success, and continue progressing with the band in the 2nd section next year.”
The band would like to congratulate the contest winners – Golborne Band from Wigan.
Nailsworth Silver Band will be playing in their hometown on Saturday 28th September at Christ Church at 7.30pm in a memorial concert for late local musician, Steve Legge. Admission £7 on the door, Under 18s free.
