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19th December 2001

Coaching

The band has been busy with their youth/coaching with a visit to the Formby Band. Sectional rehearsals were held by Fodens principals on music that was featured in a concert with Fodens playing the first half and then being joined by Formby Band for a number of massed band items, including Bugler's Holiday and Resurgam.

A visit was also made to the Lions Youth Band to help prepare them for a contest on the set test piece Little Suite for Brass. Fodens have a good relationship with Lions Youth after a number of successful visits to them over the years.

Recently principals visited the Fulbourn and Teversham Royal British Legion Band to help prepare them for the Youth Championships to be held in Salford in February. During a full days coaching, masterclasses, sectional and full rehearsals were held. Mark Wilkinson also took a learners group comprising mainly of parents of the children who have started to play since their children became involved with the band.

Go here to see photographs from the day.

18th November 2001

UK Brass in Concert Championships

Fodens, conducted by Ray Farr, were runners up at this years UK Entertainment Championships in Spennymoor. Results were as follows.

Position
Draw
 Band Conductor
Points
1
9
 Grimethorpe Garry Cutt
258
2
6
 Fodens Ray Farr
254
3
8
 Sellers l Phillip McCann
247
4
3
 Leyland Richard Evans
246
5
2
 Kirkintilloch Allan Ramsey
244
6
11
 Carlton Main Paul Andrews
240
7
4
 Ransome Russell Gray
240
8
7
 Todmorden Old Dennis Hadfield
239
9
1
 DUT Yorkshire Imperial Rothwell David Evans
231
10
5
 Ever Ready Stephen Roberts
230
11
10
 Besses o’ th’ Barn Gareth Pritchard
226
Other Prizes:
Solo Winner: Richard Marshall, Grimethorpe, Charivari, Cornet
Own Choice March: Leyland, Under the White Ensign, Sir Vivien Dunn
Best Soprano: Nigel Fielding, Grimethorpe
Best Principal Euphonium: Micheal Dodd, Grimethorpe
Best Principal Cornetist: Richard Marshall, Grimethorpe
Youngest Player: Johnathon Chalker, Todmorden, Aged 14
Best Secretary: Todmorden

Music Adjudicators: Geoff Whitham & Nigel Boddice
Solo Adjudicator: Jim Davies

11th November 2001

Photographs from the "Best of British Brass Concert" Birmingham - September 2001

20th October 2001

The Boosey & Hawkes National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 2001

Fodens conducted by Bramwell Tovey provided the audience with another very strong performance to gain second place in this years National Championships. Congratulations go to this years winners Black Dyke and their Conductor Nicholas Childs who just managed to pip Fodens by one point.

The results were as follows: -

Placing
Points
 Band Conductor
Draw
1
198
 Black Dyke Nicholas Childs
12
2
197
 Fodens Courtois Bramwell Tovey
20
3
196
 YBS David King
18
4
195
 Williams Fairey Howard Snell
2
5
194
 Buy As You View Cory Robert Childs
13
6
193
 Leyland Brian Grant
8
7
192
 Tredegar Steve Bastable
14
8
191
 Whitburn Phillip McCann
6
9
190
 Flowers Philip Harper
11
10
189
 CWS (Glasgow) James Gourlay
15
11
187
 Brighouse & Rastrick Allan Withington
4
12
185
 Aveley & Newham Nigel Taken
1
13
184
 Ransome Russell Gray
16
14
182
 Eyms Gareth Pritchard
10
15
181
 Point of Ayr Michael Fowles
17
16
179
 Travelsphere Holidays Frank Renton
3
17
178
 Thoresby RJB Stan Lippeat
7
18
177
 Fishburn Ian Robinson
5
19
176
 Camborne Brian Grant
19
20
174
 Kidlington Concert Band Catherine Underwood
9

Test Piece: Albion (Jan Van der Roost)
Adjudicators: Roy Newsome, David Read & Jan Van der Roost

3rd October 2001

Resident Conductor

Fodens Courtois Band and Resident Conductor Bryan Hurdley have agreed to end their professional association. The decision to part company will take effect immediately and is both mutual and amicable. Commenting on the announcement, band secretary Pete Coulson said, "We would like to formally thank Bryan for his dedication and commitment to the band since taking the Resident's job in August 2000. The entire organisation wish him well."

The band's preparation of the test piece, Albion for the National Finals, will be done by the young and talented conductor Simon Stonehouse who is the retired Flugel player with Williams Fairey and until recently Musical Director with the Mossley Band.

15th September 2001

2001 British Open Championships Results

Fodens conducted by Bramwell Tovey provided the audience with a very strong performance early on but were unable to finish in the frame at this years British Open. Our congratulations go to Yorkshire Building Society and their Conductor David King for their win this year.

The first ten bands were as follows: -

Placing
 Band Conductor
Draw
1st
 YBS D. King
10
2nd
 Black Dyke N. Childs
14
3rd
 Cory (Buy as you view) R. Childs
20
4th
 Grimethorpe G. Cutt
13
5th
 Whitburn P. McCann
9
6th
 Williams Fairey H. Snell
2
7th
 Fodens B. Tovey
3
8th
 Brighouse & Rastrick A. Withington
8
9th
 Leyland B. Grant
5
10th
 Travelsphere Holidays F. Renton
1

Test Piece: Les Préludes (Franz Liszt, trans. Bram Gay)
Adjudicators: James Scott, James Williams, John C Iveson

1st July 2001

Norwich Concert

Fodens, conducted by Bramwell Tovey, make a big impression on the audience at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich on 6th May 2001. See review...
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