On Sunday 19th May, both Regent bands made the journey south to Crawley to compete at the SCABA Entertainment Contest.

For Regent Community Brass, it was their first experience of this type of format and the band put on a very confident show of their Beatles-themed programme. Competing in the “B” section, the overall standard was rather high with most of the other bands being graded in the national 2nd or 3rd section. Despite this, the band achieved a very creditable 6th place overall coming above several higher-section outfits with conductor Alan Duguid picking up the prize for “Best Compere/Conductor”.

Regent Brass returned to the contest for the seventh time having performed there every year since 2007. Despite having been one of the highest-ranked bands at the contest in this timeframe, the band had never actually won this event and the best results had been achieving 2nd place on three occasions. Fortunately, on this occasion the band’s programme based around a “colour” theme went down very well with the adjudicator and audience, resulting in the band picking up 1st prize overall with a two-point winning margin and a clean sweep of special prizes for “Best March”, “Best Soloist” and “Highest-placed SCABA Band”.

The band now turn their attention to their debut at the All-England International Masters contest in a week’s time where they will perform “A Kensington Concerto” by Eric Ball.

Regent Community Brass would like to express their thanks to the guest players who helped out at this contest.

Regent Brass Program:-

  1. Opening of “Spectrum” – Gilbert Vinter
  2. The Thin Red Line – Kenneth Alford
  3. Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue – Richard Leigh arr. Darrol Barry (Flugel Soloist: Vickie Curran)
  4. Black Bottom Stomp – Jelly Roll Morton arr. Svein Henrik Giske
  5. Lux Aurumque (Light of Gold) – Eric Whitacre arr. Sandy Smith
  6. Rhythm and Blues – Philip Sparke

Regent Community Brass Program:-

  1. Got To Get You Into My Life – Lennon/McCartney arr. Leigh Baker
  2. Here, There and Everywhere – Lennon/McCartney arr. Tony Jagger (Flugel Soloist: Lisa Neale)
  3. Honey Pie – Lennon/McCartney arr. Sandy Smith
  4. Norwegian Wood – Lennon/McCartney arr. Adrian Drover
  5. Yellow Submarine – Lennon/McCartney arr. Alan Fernie