Ibstock Brick Brass flew to victory this March to win the National Regional Championship 2nd Section title, winning not only the trophy but also a promotion the the 1st section and an invitation to the National Finals in Cheltenham come September.
The band, formed in 1971 and based in Coalville, were drawn first on the day and led from the front the entire way through the contest setting the bar high for the the day.
The band has seen recent successes this past 6 months, being awarded 2nd place and best soloist in October at Bolsover Festival of Music, 3rd place at Leicester contest in November and 7th place at the national Butlins Mineworkers Contest in January. The hard work of the band has paid off hugely in the past year, and the win was one that was hoped for and deserved. Spokesperson and one of the founding members of the band Dave Wright has said “We’ve built a solid playing foundation now and we felt this result had been coming for a little while” and the band is looking to achieve great things in 2016, with many community concerts coming up over the summer and a committed and hardworking attitude to getting a great result at the National Finals.
Musical Director Simon Willis said of the performance: “I’m absolutely delighted to have led Ibstock Brick Brass to their first Area victory since the year 2000, and off the dreaded number one draw too. The band delivered as good a performance as I could have asked for – calm, cultured and nerveless. The test piece “The Mermaid of Zennor” played to our strengths and we were able to tell a vivid story through the music. We were leading this contest from start to finish according to the adjudicators, but the quality of our performance was also widely acknowledged by the various media representatives in the hall and the very knowledgeable members of the audience. It will be a privilege to take to the stage at the National Finals in September, representing the Midlands Region, with this wonderful group of players.”
The band rehearses locally at Ebeneezer Baptist Church in Coalville who have been incredibly welcoming and have enjoyed concerts with the band on many occasions. Dave Wright added: “Since we moved to our new home at the old Ebenezer Church in Coalville I give a secret prayer before each contest that we’ll do well. Perhaps someone up there is finally listening!”
The band is sponsored by Ibstock Brick who are also thrilled with the progress and enthusiasm of the band and its players, and with projects in the pipeline this could be another exceptional year for Ibstock Brick Brass.