Camborne Ignite the Spiriti

Camborne Town Band has been named in the top six in the country for the first time in more than 30 years, taking sixth place at The National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain in the Royal Albert Hall.

Having not qualified for the finals since 2010, the band spent two months preparing the 17-minute test piece by Austrian Thomas Doss entitled Spiriti.

Band chairman Angela Retallack thanked musical director Kevin Mackenzie, who made his debut as conductor, the players for their commitment, and Camborne Town Council for providing funding for specialist mutes as required by the music score to achieve "special sound effects".

Spokesman adjudicator, Stephen Roberts spoke of the day's "20 fine performances" and in Camborne Town Band's "great performance that delighted from start to finish".

Camborne Mayor Trevor Chalker said: "I am so very pleased for the whole Camborne Town Band team for their wonderful achievement at The Royal Albert hall. They certainly did Camborne proud, what a fantastic group of talented musicians we have to represent Camborne, Cornwall and beyond."

The band will now concentrate on preparing for the Cornish premiere of Brassed Off in conjunction with members of Redruth Amateur Operatic Society at the Regal Theatre, Redruth, between November 25 and 28. The show follows the story of a film of the same title about how the threatened closure of a Yorkshire coal mine affects the community, individuals and its famous brass band. Tickets are on sale from the Regal Theatre and Merlin Cinemas.

Full Results

Saturday 10th October
Test Piece: 'Spiriti' - Thomas Doss
Commence: 10.00am

Adjudicators: Stephen Roberts, Howard Snell, Rob Wiffen

1. Cory (Philip Harper)*
2. Brighouse and Rastrick (Prof. David King)**
3. Fairey (Prof. Garry Cutt)*
4. Flowers (Paul Holland)*
5. Tredegar (Ian Porthouse)
6. Camborne (Kevin Mackenzie)
7. Zone One Brass (Richard Ward)
8. Reg Vardy (Russell Gray)
9. Co-operative Funeralcare (Allan Ramsay)
10. Grimethorpe Colliery (Dr Robert Childs)
11. Black Dyke (Prof. Nicholas Childs)
12. Whitburn (Michael Fowles)
13. Foden's (Allan Withington)
14. Carlton Main Frickley Colliery (Phillip McCann)
15. Virtuosi GUS (Adam Cooke)
16. Northop Silver (Thomas Wyss)
17. Tongwynlais Temperance (John Berryman)
18. NASUWT Riverside (Stephen Malcolm)
19. Desford Colliery (LCIWTF) (Tom Davoren)
20. Friary Guildford (Chris King)

Best Instrumentalist: Paul Richards (soprano) Flowers
Courtesy of 4barsrest.com