64th Annual Slow Melody Contests - February 2009

· The Bobby & Ray Dunn Trophy for the “player of the year award” was won by Rachael Jones on Cornet.

· The George F. Monksfield Award, for the player thought to have made most progress during the year, was won by Iona Baird on Percussion.

FULL RESULTS OF JUNIOR SLOW MELODY

FULL RESULTS OF SENIOR SLOW MELODY

On Saturday 21^st February the Band members, families and supporters gathered at the Community Centre in Dalmellington to stage the 64^th Annual Slow Melody Contest.

 

The previous Saturday saw the staging of the Junior event and this year, as last, the first 4 placings in the 15-17year old section were invited to compete in the Senior Contest.  Last year Laura Wilson made it into the Senior Prize list with a very impressive 2^nd Place. Would any of our Juniors this year give our Seniors  as big a fright? One other question being asked was “Will Derick win for a record equalling 5 in a row and by doing so surpass Willie Hainey’s long standing record of 7 wins in total?”

 

As is tradition, the Band conducted by Archie Hutchison got proceedings underway by playing the Hymn Tune “Repton” (Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind) in an arrangement by the Band’s former Professsional Conductor Allan Street. Archie then handed the baton  over to our adjudicator for the day Simone Rebello who took the Band through the march “Midwest” by Joseph J. Richards.

Once the opening formalities were over, the competition began.

 

In all, 20 players competed, including 3 Juniors who accepted the invitation to perform at the Senior event. Ably accompanied on the piano by Ian Munro, a wide variety of solo pieces were performed, from traditional airs to modern jazz classics.

After the conclusion of the playing and the meal, the Band were back on stage for the Prize Giving Ceremony. Presenting the prizes this year were Jim and Stella Johnstone.

 

Jim and Stella have given generous donations to the Band in recent years and it was a result of their generosity that we have on display in the Bandroom a magnificent board listing all the winners of the Slow Melody since the competition started in 1946. Jim also has an extra special link with the Band as his uncle is none other than Hugh Johnstone.

 

As we were potentially watching history in the making, the atmosphere was tense as we approached the final two places. Brian Mackie was awarded 4^th Prize and the Highest Placed Bass Player trophies, David McKellar was 3^rd and the Highest Placed Euphonium/Baritone player, whilst in second placed and the Highest placed Cornet player  for the second year in succession was Laura Wilson which left 1^st Place for…..Derick Kirkwood.

 

Congratulations to Derick for becoming the player to win the competition most times – 8 in all now – and who is to say he won’t win it another 8 times in the years to come.

 

After posing for photographs taken by our intrepid resident photographer Donald Reid, the Band gave a short concert which included accompanying our adjudicator Simone Rebello.

The audience were left gasping at the dazzling skill and musicianship Simone displayed as she gave virtuosic performances on Marimba, Vibraphone and Xylophone. Many members of the audience hailed Simone as the best soloist the Band has had at this Competition.