Second Masters Victory For The Co-Operative Funeralcare Band

On Sunday, 30th May, 2010, the Co-operative Funeralcare Band, under the baton of Musical Director Michael Fowles, won the All England Masters International Brass Band Championship for a second time at the Lighthouse Theatre in Kettering.

Beating off the challenge of twenty one other bands from around the United Kingdom and Europe, the band's performance of the set test piece "An Epic Symphony" by Percy Fletcher met with the unanimous approval of the three adjudicators, David Read, Derek Broadbent and Dennis Wilby thus ensuring that the Masters title was taken north of the border for a second time. The band won the inaugural international championship in 2005 and were fourth on two other occasions, namely, 2006 and 2007.

Later that day, the band took part in the Masters Gala Concert along with Stavanger Band from Norway. Playing in the first half of the concert, the band perfomed nine works which included the UK Mainland Premiere of "The Enigma Machine" by Paul Lovatt-Cooper, "Into The Light" by Philip Wilby and "The Dreaded Groove And Hook" by Simon Dobson. The band featured two of its soloists in the programme - principal cornet player Jim Hayes performed the Alan Morrison's arrangement of "Cry Me A River" while principal trombonist Paul Kiernan played Robin Dewhurst's "Brasilia".

The concert brought the week-end to a most satisfactory conclusion for the band which will now turn its attention to the semi-final of the West Lothian Festival of Brass competition which takes place on Sunday, 6th June, 2010 at the Howden Centre in Livingston.

In conclusion, the band wishes to acknowledge the continued and valued support of its sponsors The Co-operative Funeralcare and the Co-operative Group Scotland & Northern Ireland (Membership).

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