- Autumn 05 - 

Success for Jedforest

Success for Jedforest soloists At the Borders Slow Melody competition held in Selkirk on Sunday 2nd October, our soloists won many of the top prizes, against strong competition from the Borders and further afield.

Open solo :
1st David Sutherland,
2nd David Lightbody,
4th Jo Stark

Under 18s :
3rd Robert Fraser,
4th Leigh-Anne Stewart

Under 14s :
1st Patrick Fraser,
3rd Rose Hadshar

Under 12s :
3rd Rory McRitchie,
4th Amy Sutherland

Open Quartet :
1st Jedforest Senior
(David Sutherland, John Kirk, Hamish McRitchie, Jo Stark)

2nd Jedforest Junior
(Emma Douglas, Leigh-Anne Stewart, Patrick Fraser, Robert Fraser)

Congratulations to all of our soloists. And a special mention for our Conductor Cameron Mabon who, as usual, accompanied almost all of the participants taking part in the entire competition.

Last Concert for Stuart

It is always sad when one of our younger players leaves to go to work elsewhere or to university. We’ll especially miss Stuart Black, who has occupied the Flugel seat for a number of years. Our Borders Brass Festival concert on 24th September was Stuart’s last official engagement with us, and he travelled back specially for it after his first week at Salford University. An eloquent tribute was given at the concert by Alan Fernie to Stuart’s musical ability and his overwhelmingly good nature. Stuart was presented with an engraved hip flask (which will no doubt gather dust).

Stuart will be a big miss for the band. Now we’ll need to find a new fall guy. (But Stuart says to call on him to help out at any time, and he’ll be with us at the Christmas concert)

Band is a "beacon of excellence"

Jedforest are the joint UK winners of the British Bandsman and 4barsrest award for the band doing most to promote brass banding. Judged on our efforts during "Brass Alive 2005" we share the prize of £2,000 with Barton Town Band in North Lincolnshire, to whom we offer our congratulations. The award is accompanied by a front page photo of JIB taken at Jedburgh Abbey, and a double centrepage article. Further articles are to appear about our activities.

Double success at Brass in the Park

Jedforest Instrumental Band - 1st in Second Section...........Abbey Brass Jedforest -1st in Fourth Section

On Saturday 3rd September, the bands made their now traditional trip to Brass in the Park. Abbey Brass were drawn no 1 in the contest pre-draw playing at 10am. Showing no sign of nerves, the mostly young players put on a fine performance of the march "Slaidburn", the hymn tune "Perfect Peace" (arranged by conductor Cameron Mabon), and a trombone solo "The Pink Panther" performed by Robert Fraser. The band came 1st in the Fourth Section and 11th overall (out of 21 bands), coming above two Third Section Bands.

At 11.30, it was the turn of the senior Band (also showing no sign of nerves!). The band opened with the march "Simoraine", followed by Phillip Sparks' arrangement of "Crimond", and finishing with "Wild Mountain Thyme", arranged by our Musical Director, Alan Fernie, and performed by Flugel player Stuart Black (on probably his last contest outing with the band, as he goes off to university at the end of September). The band came 1st in the Second Section (just below the four First Section Bands).

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