Band gets in the Mood to start the contesting season

The band joined a field of 14 contesting bands to compete at the Welsh Open Brass Band Championship on Saturday 18th March. 

The band took to the stage at Newport's Riverfront Theatre with an American Dream inspired programme to launch the 2023 contesting season. Featuring works composed and arranged for the band by Gareth Trott, the programme included stand out contributions from Darren Thomas, Maya Jones and from Soprano Cornet soloist Lee Elliott with Green Light. Lee’s solo contribution was a new Great Gatsby inspired composition based on the themes of the Hollywood blockbuster and retelling of the classic novel.

The trombone section, Nils Richards, Greg Dean and Claire Higgins brough the colour and flare of the roaring twenties with a Post Modern Jukebox style account of Gangstas Paradise. With references to In the Mood and a performance of the Phillip Sparke arrangement f Neal Hefti’s Cute along the way, the band delivered a show stopping ending in a new arrangement of the Benny Goodman classic Swing, Swing, Swing by Owen Farr the band’s Musical Director.