Hammonds Saltaire Band Qualify for the National Finals

Runners up 2017 Yorkshire Regional Championships

Last Sunday, 6th March Hammonds Saltaire Band took part in the annual Yorkshire Regional Championships which this year was held at Huddersfield Town Hall.

After a brilliant performance the band was placed 2nd, closely behind Black Dyke Band and now qualify for the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall London on the 14th of October.

The bands performance of the set test piece ‘Pageantry’ by Herbert Howells really impressed the two adjudicators, Sandy Smith and Stephen Roberts who commented that it was ‘an authoritative performance, full of musicality, technical control and sensuous sounds’.

The band’s principal cornet player Philip Varley was awarded the best principal cornet prize for his fantastic playing, in particular the opening solo section of the final movement ‘Jousts’.

The band must now begin the task of raising funds for the trip down to London to compete at the National Finals for the first time in 10 years. If you would like to make a donation towards this trip please visit our fundraising page at GoFundMe.com

The top 6 places were:-

1st Black Dyke Band (N Childs)
2nd Hammonds Saltaire Band (M Griffiths)
3rd City of Bradford Band (L Skipsey)
4th Brighouse & Rastrick Band (D Thornton)
5th Rothwell Temperance Band (D Roberts)
6th Grimethorpe Colliery Band (P McCann)