Scottish Co-op Band Wins West Lothian Challenge Final For 3rd Consecutive Year

On 22nd June, 2008, following a busy period of activity which culminated, on 1st June, 2008, in the band winning the first semi-final of the West Lothian Challenge at the Regal Community Theatre in Bathgate, band members were again in action when they faced old rivals, the Whitburn Band, in the final of the competition at the same venue. The adjudicator on this occasion was Stephen Roberts.

The Co-op, under the direction of Russell Gray, gave a most enjoyable, exciting and varied 40-minute programme which opened with Belioz's classic overture "Le Corsair" arranged by Geoffrey Brand. This was followed by an arrangement by Michael Hopkinson of the Finale from Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's Violin Concerto played by the band's principal horn player, Lesley Howie, and her performance was greeted by sustained applause from a very appreciative audience.  More playing of high quality followed in the march "Barnum And Bailey's Favorite" by Karl King  (arranged by Peter Roberts), the song without words entitled "Peace" by Kenneth Downie, and a new arrangement entitled "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter".

The skills of all members of the band were then put to the test in Howard Snell's arrangement of Johann Strauss' "Perpetuum Mobile", a test which all passed with flying colours in an exciting performance enhanced by by the "compering" of conductor Russell Gray. The audience were then treated to some fine ensemble playing in a piece called "Girl Talk" which was performed by five of the ladies in the band, namely, Andrea Casey and Caroline Munro (flugel horns), Lesley Howie (tenor horn), Lorraine Bisson (baritone) and Alison Bonnar (euphonium) .

Also included in the programme was the "Prelude -  49th Parallel" by R. Vaughan Williams arranged for brass band by Roy Douglas. For its finale, the band played the third movement (Finale) from Philip Sparke's test piece "The Year Of The Dragon" bringing to a close a performance of which the band could justifiably be proud.

At the conclusion of the evening's programme, adjudicator Stephen Roberts awarded the band 196 points, two ahead of rivals Whitburn. In addition to winning the competition overall, the band received the award for best feature item which was their semi-final performance of the cornet double trio "Buglers Holiday" by Leroy Anderson arranged by Roger Barsotti. One further award was to be won when the band was named as the most entertaining of the 1st semi-final.

All in all, this was a most successful event for the band who won the competition for the third year in a row. However, their success means (under current rules) that the band will not be eligible to compete in next year's competition.   

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