On 17th June the band travelled for the first time to the village of Bugle in Cornwall to compete at the West of England Bandsmen’s Festival. Nestled in a picturesque location with a rich banding tradition surrounded by clay mines, this competition is one of the oldest still running today having inaugurated in 1912. The event featured two elements; a street marching competition and stage performance, where the band played William Rimmer’s march ‘The Black Knight’ and Joseph Horovitz’s wonderful ‘Ballet for Band’. After giving a performance which drew many plaudits from the audience, the band was placed in 2nd place for the march and 3rd place for the set test, bringing several trophies back to London with us! A truly unique contesting experience which we were delighted to be able to participate in.
You can hear recordings of our performances here:
Black Knight, William Rimmer
Ballet for Band, Joseph Horovitz
