The Open B Grade Brass will be the largest of all the band events at the Australian Nationals in 2019. There are an incredible 16 bands competing in Brisbane, three more than last year’s Melbourne Nationals. Cairns Brass’ promotion to the Open A Grade leaves the B Grade title open for a new winner in 2019. In the last few years, we have rarely seen a whitewash of all four of the on stage categories, and the contests have always been close, so every piece will be significant. As a B Grade competitor myself with Northern Brass, I am looking forward to seeing how the B Grade pans out. There's even a premiere or two of my music in the Open B Grade this year, so keep your ears perked for some new music through the weekend! Test Piece – ‘The Legend of Pandora' by Benjamin Tubb-Hearne Another specially commissioned test work for this competition, Benjamin Tubb-Hearne’s new work ‘The Legend of Pandora’ will stretch and expose the B Grade competition. No seat is safe anywhere in the band with this test work and the adjudicator will certainly have plenty to say after each performance! Multiple short cadenzas and solos plus a sophisticated duet (the B Grade competition will know that deadly Solo Cornet/Euphonium duet very well by Good Friday!) will allow strong principal seats to secure points for musicality and virtuosity. Musical Directors will have to be on full-concentration mode through the performance to ensure their bands maintain rhythmical coherence and a good sense of balance across the ensemble. While challenging, the music is very enjoyable to hear and to play. For a work that will certainly push a number of bands, the piece offers plenty for each band to bite their teeth into. Marion would likely be early favourites in the test, after coming first on the test Good Friday last year, with Brisbane Brass 2 and Geelong West not far behind. However, Windsor Brass, little sibling to XCLR, may have rubbed shoulders once or twice with the composer, and potentially will be able to present a more intimate understanding of the composer’s style. Predictions16 fantastic B Grade ensembles will lead to a brilliant competition. The early favourites are Marion, Geelong West and Gunnedah Shire. Marion won both events on the Friday last year and placed in both the Own Choice and Stage March. Despite being the only competitors at both events, victories at the South Australian States and Mount Gambier competitions has likely kept their competitive banding chops up right through 2018. This may drive them to success at Easter. Geelong West placed 3rd in Melbourne last year and 2nd at the Victorian States, so will be looking to secure 1st place in 2019. Gunnedah Shire won in the Junior A Grade at the Nationals in 2018, and went on to win in the Open B Grade at the NSW States. Gunnedah narrowly missed out on a placing in the B Grade at the Nationals in 2017 and will be hoping to secure a top 3 spot. From my home state of Victoria, there are a further three bands going up to compete. Dandenong and Northern Brass both come up to the Nationals with new Musical Directors at the helm; whether the changes will bring National success to either band will be discovered in due course! Box Hill also venture to Queensland as Victorian State Champions after the very challenging test of ‘2001: A Brass Odyssey’ last August. City of Launceston RSL Band will be making the longest trek of the B Grade competitors to Brisbane, and will be looking to maintain their high standards after their win at the Tasmanian States in 2018. There are a further four New South Wales affiliated bands joining Gunnedah in Brisbane. Toronto Brass secured 2nd place at last year’s States, after their 11th place finish at the 2018 Nationals. Waratah Brass have been absent from the National competition since their demotion from A Grade, but a 3rd place at the States will arm them with confidence heading into Easter. Canberra Brass come to this year’s Nationals after a European tour in late 2018, alongside a 4th place finish at the NSW States. Parramatta didn’t have the finest competition success in 2018, but will be hunting to return to winning ways after their NSW State title victory in 2017. The final five competitors enjoy home-state advantages and will be seizing the opportunity to take home the National title. Sunnybank come into the Nationals as State Champions after a commanding performance of Peter Graham’s ‘The Red Machine’. Windsor Brass, who dominated the Own Choice competition at the States to walk away in 2nd place, have not competed at the Nationals since 2010 and are yet to earn a National placing. On the flip side, Townsville Brass won the B Grade Nationals in 2014, and will hope their sound appeals to Barrie Gott in the box again. Brisbane Brass No 2 sat in the awkward placing of 4th both at the National and State competitions, and will be hoping to do at least one better this Easter. Surfers Paradise didn’t have the finest result in Melbourne, but rebounded with a comfortable 3rd place at the States and will be one to watch out for on the Stage March. The Deciding Factor?As in previous years, a superb own choice performance can guarantee victory over the entire weekend. Cairns’ 2018 performance of ‘Paganini Variations’ or Boroondara's 2017 selection of 'Hannibal' set a lead the competition could not usurp. The B Grade competition frequently demonstrate the importance of Musical Directors carefully choosing works that suit the bands they have (and not the bands they wished they had). A thoughtfully selected A Grade major work that suits their ensembles can lead to National success, but bands that perhaps bite off more than they can chew or expose weaker players often trek home empty handed. If a band can pull off an A Grade Own Choice performance, alongside some consistent playing over the other events, the 2019 National title might well be theirs! So here are my predicted top 5: 1) Marion City 2) Gunnedah Shire 3) Geelong West 4) Townsville 5) Brisbane Brass No 2 Dark Horses: Windsor Brass, Northern Brass *This article has been kindly edited by Annie Pirotta* Tune in next Sunday for the Open A Grade Brass Preview and Predictions! You Might Also Like ...
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorJared has written articles for the British Bandsman, as well as local community radio stations 3MBS and Radio Monash. Categories
All
Archives
September 2022
|