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Re: some brassband questions from BELGIUM!

Dear Reuben

In answer to your questions:

>- Is 'Blackpool' an Area Contest for the Nationals?

YES

How many Areas are there anyway

Scotland (Falkirk or Motherwell ........ alternates each year)
North East (Darlington)
North West (Blackpool)
Yorkshire (Bradford)
Midlands (Nottingham)
Wales (Aberystwyth)
London & Southern Counties (Basildon)
West of England (Bristol and Torquay ......... Championships are held in
Colston Hall, Bristol usually but other sections move between the venues)

MAKES 7 AREAS IN TOTAL (I think I've covered everywhere but I'm sure someone
else will indicate any omissions!!)

............and which are normally the best bands in each Area?  

Hard to say as it changes so much from year to year.  In my own personal
opinion however I would say:

Scotland ................. CWS (Glasgow) and/or Murray International
(Whitburn) ....... or whatever the latter is called these days ...... I've
lost track having been away from Scotland for nearly 10 years.

North East .............. Erm not sure on this one at all.  EYMS (who
qualified for the RAH FInals in 1996) compete in this area contest as do
British Steel Teeside (who also qualified incidentally) but I haven't heard
either of them play yet ....... anywhere!!

North West ............ Fairey's, Brittania (Fodens), BNFL and possibly
Marple (in recognition that they are current Biritsh Open Champions)

Yorkshire ........... Black Dyke, Brighouse & Rastrick, Grimethorpe & YBS
(in that order!)

Midlands ........... Desford (possibly but they haven't been doing
particularly well of late ...... unfortunately)

Wales ........... Tredegar 

London ............ nothing special at Championship level I don't think but
I suppose John Laing (Hendon) and Redbrige might just make it into my
"frame" if I thought about it long & hard enough.  This is my area  BTW
........ but I compete with a 3rd section band (Crystal Palace).

West of England ......... used to be Sun Life (but they've "folded"
unfortunately) so I suppose we're left with Camborne and a few "outsiders"
such as Mount Charles & St. Austell etc.

you also asked:

>  Is Black Dyke already out of it?

UNFORTUNATELY YES (but their performance which merited them 5th place in the
recent Yorkshire areas was certainly worthy and "up to standard")

>- How do you pronounce 'Brighouse & Rastrick' : like 'Brickhouse' or  more
like 'Bright' and 'light' ? This is maybe a stupid question,   but I just
want this clear.

YOUR FIRST POSSIBILITY IS NEARER THE MARK BUT THE LETTER "G" IS PRONOUNCED
AS A "G" AND NOT A "CK" TYPE OF SOUND!! HOWEVER THE "HOUSE" PART IS CLIPPED
TO SOUND MORE LIKE "HUS" (but I'm a Scot so what do I know about Yorkshire
phonetics eh?)

By the way, I have a CD from the >  Brighouse & Rastrick, called
'Convergents' and it is conducted by
>  Jan de Haan . He's from the Netherlands and has been the conductor  of
the Brassband Soli Deo Gloria for many years. Does anyone know  him or that
band?

YES TO BOTH PARTS.

>-Our most famous bands in Belgium here are Brassband Midden-Brabant
> conducted by Benny Wiame and Brassband Willebroek conducted by
> Frans Violet. Does anyone have any comments on these bands,their
> conductors or their performances in the past ?

HAVE HEARD BOTH BANDS PLAY IN THE EUROPEANS WHEN THEY TOOK PLACE IN
PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND (1993 was it?)

SOUNDED OKAY TO ME.

>-Which bands are going to compete in the European Championships?
> From Belgium it is Brassband Midden-Brabant.

YBS WILL BE THERE DEFENDING THEIR EUROPEAN TITLE (OF COURSE).  TREDEGAR WILL
BE THERE REPRESENTING WALES, GRIMETHORPE(?) FOR ENGLAND AND CWS GLASGOW (?)
FOR SCOTLAND.

I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW THE BRITISH ENTRIES ARE DECIDED ......... SOMETHING TO
DO WITH WHO WINS/DOES WELL IN THE NATIONALS AT THE RAH FINALS THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

>-Are there some British bands going to perform at the WMC at Kerkrade,
> Netherlands in July? If any, on which date(s)?

PROBABLY .................. BUT I ONLY KNOW OF ONE (FROM LONDON) WHO ARE
"XBY CONCERT BAND"  (i.e. A WIND BAND .................... Clarinets,
Flutes, Saxophones, French Horns, Trumpets, Euphonium, Tubas, Trombones
(Tenor & Bass I believe) and Percussion!)
>
>Well, thats all for now. I would appreciate any comments very much.

HOPE THESE ANSWERS HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO YOU.

Greetings from London

Angela Tregaskes
Bb Baritone Player
The Crystal Palace Band & Cyberband No.1
London, UK

>You can send your reactions to me directly at the following address:
>Ruben.Vanveggel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  (or send them to the list).
>Thanks! 
>
>
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Angela Tregaskes
angela@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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