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4th place and "Best Instrumentalist" at the Yorkshire Regional Championships

The most important contest of the year, for many bands, has just taken place this last weekend at St George's Hall in Bradford. The 3rd & 4th of March saw every contesting band in the Yorkshire region do battle to become Yorkshire champions of their section and win the chance to represent Yorkshire at the National Finals later in the year.

Unfortunately, this year was not to be the year we were given the honour of representing our region, however a solid, and still award winning, performance resulted in fourth place and puts us firmly in the number 1 slot in the league tables for next years contest, with high hopes of promotion to the Championship Section for the 2014 season.

Special congratulations go to Nick Payne, our Principal Cornet, on winning the "Best Instrumentalist" award, pipping some very talented players from around the region.
Solo Success for Daniel!

Special congratulations go to our latest front row cornet signing, Daniel Cooil, following the North Wales BBA Solo, Duet & Quartet contest held at the beginnning of February as he managed to bag not one but two awards over the weekend in Caernarfon.

Awarded 3rd place in the Air Varie for over 18 year olds and 2nd place in the Open Duets, with playing partner Debbie Fry, Dan has shown what a valuable asset he will be to the band going foreward.

Well done Daniel!
Brassed Off Again! It's becoming a February tradition!

February's come round quick again this year (partly sped along by our preparations for the Butlins contest in January) and the band are once again preparing to help with a performance of the stage version of Brassed Off.

After the success of our joint production of, the ever popular, Brassed Off with the Ackworth School last February, the band are starting rehearsals again this week on another production of the play, this time with Bingley Grammar School & Cohesion Arts Theatre on the 9th & 10th February..

The band are very excited to be working with the school and are hard at work making sure that this performance is once again note perfect.

We are more than happy to take bookings now for next February's production if anyone is interested!
2nd Place at Butlins Mineworkers Contest!

Well, that was some weekend! January 21st, saw Drighlington make it's debut at the Butlins Mineworkers Contest in sunny Skegness.

Playing against a very strong field of 23 bands, the band were drawn to play number 6 on the Saturday morning on Eric Balls excellent piece High Peak. To say things weren't looking promising as we prepared to go on stage was a slight understatement!

Earlier in the week, our top man was admitted to hospital (we wish Nick a full and speedy recovery!) and despite the extensive efforts of everyone in the band we were simply unable to acquire the services of a replacement in time for the big day. This left us one option, borrow from the band playing number 5.

This rule in brass band contesting can be risky, however for us this time it is safe to say we fell very lucky. Becontree Band were drawn number 5, and although we knew little to nothing about them, Mark Kennedy, their top man, kindly agreed to take to the stage with us straight after. What a star! A quick tune up backstage with Michael Archer and away we went.

Come results time our local rivals (and bookies favourites) at Yorkshire Imps were in the running as were our other close rivals at UNITE the Union (City of Sheffield), also making their Butlins debut, and everyone was waiting with eager anticipation to find out who was up there in the prizes.

The adjudicators announced 4th place, UNITE the Union.. Nail biting stuff.. 3rd place, Yorkshire Imps.. Nails long gone.. 2nd place....... Drighlington!!! Screams and raucous cheers rang around the hall as we jumped up and celebrated!

We were still celebrating as the adjudicators started to announce the overall winners and 1st place, and much to everyones satisfaction, our new friends at Becontree came out on top as the Butlins Mineworkers 1st Section Champions 2012! A fantastic result which was celebrated the whole night long, as we also helped make sure that our super-dep, from Becontree, celebrated winning an amazing 1st AND 2nd in the same contest!

So, we start 2012 on a high (peak) and look forward to the Yorkshire Area contest in Bradford in just 6 weeks time, bringing another alpine theme with the piece Mountain View!

Also watch out for us as we make a long awaited return to the Spring Festival Contest in Blackpool in May!
Death or Glory - Recorded live at Morley Town Hall Cafe Concert, November 2011
Two great concerts in one weekend

The run-up to "silly season", a brass bands busiest time of the year, is normally, deliberately, quite calm around the Drighlington Band family. Not this year however!

Last weekend (5th & 6th November) didn't see our members wrapped up tight drinking hot cider and eating toffee apples in front of nice big bonfire and firework display. Instead we were taking part in two great concerts in Otley and Morley.

Saturday night saw the Senior Band return, for the 23rd year, to the Prince Henry Grammar School in Otley to support the Royal British Legion in their Poppy Appeal, where a capacity audience, including representatives from the Chelsea Pensioners and the Gurkha's, were treated to a night of popular music from the stage and screen.

Sunday afternoon saw the return of our own, highly popular, Autumn Cafe Concert at the impressive Town Hall in Morley. Sadly, the members of the Youth Band were not able to join us this year, but the audience were very well catered for with popular light music from the Senior Band and surprise special guests from the Ackworth Community Choir whilst the enjoyed afternoon tea served to their tables.

The choir, founded only 18 months ago and led by our very own Rhiannon Davies, performed a number of items which had members of the audience, and the band, feeling tingles down the spine with the shear quality.

All in all, a tiring, but thoroughly enjoyable weekend!

Up next? Well the band start the Christmas season on Thursday (10th November) playing carols at Tong Garden Centre for the launch of their Christmas Celebrations whilst also preparing for the Northern Open Contest in St Helens on 20th November.

The Youth Band, meanwhile, will be out at the end of the month for the turning on of the Christmas lights at East Bierley and much more.
Three more new signings!

The Senior Band are very pleased to announce three more new signings to help fill our numbers.

James Turner joins the horn section following his successful progression through Hade Edge Junior Band to the solo horn seat in the Senior Band.

Krishan Church also joins the horn bench, on 2nd Horn, as he returns to Huddersfield to complete his final year of University after a years placement in Germany.

Finally, Stuart Sutherland joins on Eb Bass. Stuart is originally from Shrewsbury & played for Bestwood Black Diamonds before leaving three years ago. He returns to full time banding after a three year break.