Whitburn pip the Co to regain Scottish Championship title!
Whitburn Band regained their Scottish crown as the 2025 championship weekend in Perth came to a conclusion in this the 130th anniversary year of the Scottish Brass Band Association.
Conducted by Prof Nicholas Childs, the band put in a winning performance of the set test piece, Diversions for Brass Band by Derek Bourgeois, beating closest rivals, the cooperation band – under the baton of Dr Glenn van Looy – into second place with the tightest of margins.
Coming third, in another close call, was Kingdom Brass and their musical director Katrina Marzella Wheeler.
Adjudicators Alan Fernie and David Barringer enthused about the performances they had just listened to. Commented Alan: “We have heard ten great brass bands who would grace any professional concert hall.”
David added that they were both looking for a picture to be created in the music. The top six bands were excellent with the top two bands outstanding in their performances.
“Congratulations to all bands; you have all done a tremendous job,” he said. “And thanks to SBBA who are a great organisation to work with.”
Whitburn and the Co now qualify for an invitation to the finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain at the Royal Albert Hall on 11 October and Whitburn will also represent Scotland at the 2026 European Brass Band Championships in Linz, Austria.
In the First Section, it was Granite City Brass who came out on top, providing a very rewarding swansong for musical director Bruce Wallace with a powerful rendition of Morley Calvert’s Introduction, Elegy and Caprice.
The band’s euphonium Lewis Catto won the best instrumentalist prize while Ben Williams was awarded the Thomas Macaulay Memorial Trophy for best horn.
In the runner-up spot was Newtongrange Silver, conducted by Anne Crookston. Third place was taken by Newmains & District (Paul McKelvie OBE).
Making the judgements on the performances were David Barringer and Mark Wilkinson.
It was newly promoted Perthshire Brass who took the top honours in the Second Section. Conducted by Willie McMullan off the number one spot, the band’s performance of Friendly Takeover by Oliver Waespi was the one which found favour with adjudicators David Barringer and Mark Wilkinson.
And it was the second band to take to the stage, Jedforest Instrumental (Philip Rosier), which took the runner-up spot with flugel player Stuart Black earning the best instrumentalist prize for his blissful rendition of the test piece’s flugel solo.
In third place was Irvine & Dreghorn Brass (Helen Douthwaite Teasdale).
Renfrew Burgh demonstrated ‘bouncebackability’ to win the Third Section with their rendition of Jacob de Haan’s Arkansas. The band’s flugel horn player Shona Jones took the best instrumentalist prize.
It was musical director Mark Good’s interpretation of the Western-style music that adjudicators Stan Lippeatt and Alan Fernie took to the most. It was a most satisfying result as the band had been relegated from the Second Section last year.
St Ronan’s Silver Band, led by Michael Marzella and playing off the no.1 spot, had set the benchmark and took the runner-up position. In third place was Highland Brass, conducted by Mark Bell.
Both Alan Fernie and Stan Lippeatt, in their summing up at the end the section, agreed that they had thoroughly enjoyed all performances of a “beautifully written” piece.
Arbroath & Carnoustie, under the musical directorship of Neill McDonald, took the Fourth Section title, playing the test piece I, Daedalus by Andrea Price for the delectation of adjudicators Mark Wilkinson and Stan Lippeatt.
In second place was Stranraer Brass (Angela Miller) whose euphonium player won the best instrumentalist prize. The youngest BBb bass player award went to 12 years old Daniel Toller of Arbroath & Carnoustie.
Whitburn Heartlands under the baton of Peter Holmes came third.
Martin Wilkinson told the expectant audience that he and Stan Lippeatt had enjoyed their Sunday morning listening to the bands. The set work was a very playable piece which gave the adjudicators something to comment on regarding style, tempo and articulation.
He added that all bands played the music well overall and “had brought something to the table”.
The top two bands in Sections 1-4 have now qualified for invitations to the National Finals in Cheltenham on 13/14 September.
The Fourth Section was followed by Section 4b for non-competing bands in which players are given the opportunity to play a 15-minute own-choice programme on a large stage, not for results, but for a constructive assessment of their performances, this time by Mark Good.
The bands taking part (in playing order) were:
Clackmannan District Youth & Development Brass (Luci Lamb)
Barrhead Burgh (Alan Friel)
Brass Central Strathearn (Dougie Flower)
Stranraer Brass Training Band (Angela Miller)
Forfar Instrumental (Donald Innes)
The full results of the Scottish Championships are:
Championship Section
Sunday 9 March, Perth Concert Hall
Adjudicators: David Barringer and Alan Fernie
1. Whitburn (Prof Nicholas Childs) 196pts
2. the cooperation band (Dr Glenn Van Looy) 195pts
3. Kingdom Brass (Katrina Marzella Wheeler) 194pts
4. Bon-Accord Silver (Adam Cooke) 192pts
5. Dalmellington (Andrew Duncan) 191pts
6. Coalburn Silver (Gareth Bowman) 190pts
7. Bo’ness & Carriden (Phil Chalk) 189pts
8. The Kirkintilloch Band (Hedley Benson) 188pts
9. Bathgate (Craig Anderson) 187pts
10. Kirkintilloch Kelvin (Mareika Gray) 186pts
Best soprano cornet: Scott Forrest, Whitburn
Best cornet: Chris Bradley, Whitburn
Best flugel horn: Sarah Findlay, Kingdom Brass
Best horn: Chris Hamilton, the cooperation band
Best baritone: Carole Ednie, the cooperation band
Best euphonium: Chris Flynn, the cooperation band
Best trombone: Joshua Parkhill, Dalmellington
Best bass: Graham Fraser, Whitburn
Best bass section: Whitburn (Graham Fraser, Robert Fraser, Alan Gourlay, Neill Gourlay)
Best percussion section: Whitburn (Cameron Shanks, Hannah McInnes, Emma Dunn)
First Section
Saturday 8 March, Perth Concert Hall
Adjudicators: David Barringer and Mark Wilkinson
1. Granite City Brass (Bruce Wallace) 195pta
2. Newtongrange Silver (Anne Crookston) 194pts
3. Newmains & District (Paul McKelvie OBE) 193pts
4. Newmilns & Galston (Alan Friel) 192pts
5. Kinneil (Allan Ramsay) 191pts
6. Lochgelly (Chris Shanks) 190pts
7. Dalkeith & Monktonhall (James Chamberlain) 188pts
8. Dunaskin Doon (Ralph Brill) 187pts
9. Clackmannan District (Paul Drury) 185pts
10. Johnstone (Joshua Parkhill) 184pts
Second Section
Saturday 8 March, Perth Concert Hall
Adjudicators: Mark Wilkinson and David Barringer
1. Perthshire Brass (Willie McMullan) 194pts
2. Jedforest Instrumental (Philip Rosier) 192pts
3. Irvine & Dreghorn Brass (Helen Douthwaite Teasdale) 191pts
4. Croy Silver (Kenneth Blackwood) 190pts
5. Campbeltown Brass (Andrew McMillan) 188pts
6. Broxburn & Livingston (Bryan Allen) 186pts
7. Annan Town (Lewis Wilkinson) 185pts
8. Shotts St Patrick’s (Charlie Farren) 184pts
9. St David’s Brass (John A Dickson) 183pts
10. Tullis Russell Mills (John-Luke Harris) 182pts
11. Kilmarnock Concert Brass (Rebecca Wilson Paterson) 181pts
Third Section
Saturday 8 March, Perth Concert Hall
Adjudicators: Alan Fernie and Stan Lippeatt
1. Renfrew Burgh (Mark Good) 190pts
2. St Ronan’s Silver (Michael Marzella) 188pts
3. Highland Brass (Mark Bell) 186pts
4. Langholm Town (Chris Bradley) 184pts
5. Peebles Burgh (David McAuley) 183pts
6. Selkirk Silver (Stuart Black) 182pts
7. Brass Sounds Inverclyde (Alistair Gibson) 181pts
8. Dysart Colliery (Robert Fraser) 180pts
9. Buckhaven & Methil Miners (Steven Craig) 179pts
10. Bon-Accord B (Harry Marshall) 178pts
Fourth Section
Sunday 9 March, Perth Concert Hall
Adjudicators: Mark Wilkinson and Stan Lippeatt
1. Arbroath & Carnoustie (Neill McDonald) 185pts
2. Stranraer Brass (Angela Miller) 183pts
3. Whitburn Heartlands (Peter Holmes) 182pts
4. Kirkton Brass Bathgate (Paul McKelvie OBE) 181pts
5. Coalburn Intermediate (Gareth Bowman) 180pts
6. Hawick Saxhorn (Andrew Holland) 179pts
7. Dundee Instrumental (Bob McDonald) 178pts
8. Pencuik Silver (Jess Purbrick) 177pts
9. Dunfermline City Brass (Stephen Duncan) 176pts
10. Turriff Silver (Matt Bailey) 175pts
11. MacTaggart Scott Loanhead (Amy Paterson) 174pts
