Area Assault

Most reading this will know how the "leagues" in Brass Bands work.

How it works

For those that don't, think of a football style ranking system. Different parts of the UK hold their own Area competitions to determine and classify the best bands from their regions; London and Southern Counties, Midlands, North of England, North West, Scotland, South West, Wales and Yorkshire.

Within each of these regions, there are 5 different sections; 4th Section, 3rd Section, 2nd Section, 1st Section and Championship Section. The bands are classified by their ability on the day of how they perform a preset test piece, which differs by section. The bands perform, then, at the end of their respective sections, adjudicators will announce the results.

The promotion works similarly to football as well, with bands performing well consistently promoted up to the next section. Likewise, poor performances will result in demotion to the lower section. The difference being that a win doesn't guarantee promotion in one year. For a band to change Sections, an average placing over three years is taken into account.

For bands that have been promoted or demoted, their previous section results are translated into mid table placing, which is calculated by the amount of bands in their section.

For example; Foresters promoted to Championship. Our previous results in the First section are adapted into a middle placing in the championship.

Foresters Brass last year won the Midlands 1st Section, so this year a high result (above 6th place) will see us promoted to the Championship Section from January 2019.

The test piece this year is James Curnow's Brass Metamorphosis. The band have been hard at work in rehearsals and sectionals to draw as much music and instruction from the piece as possible.

Open Rehearsal

Having given the piece a run out at our recent Aylestone Concert, we are now into the last week of preparations before the performance on the 10th March at Bedworth Civic Hall.

Additional to our regular Tuesday rehearsal, Foresters are delighted to be visiting local Championship band Ratby Co-operative Senior. Ratby Band will be hosting an Open Rehearsal night where they will spend an hour followed by Foresters preparing our respective test-pieces. Ratby band will be preparing Oddysey by Kevin Norbury.

The Open Rehearsal will take place at:

New Springs City Church

Loughborough

The NSC Arena

No. 4 Belton Road West Ext.

Loughborough

LE11 5XH

This event begins at 20:00 and will go on until 22:00. Feel free to come and listen to the two bands and to see what goes on behind the scenes in a rehearsal!