East of Scotland

Brass Band Association

News

EoSBBA News Feed

  • 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗼 & 𝗘𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁

    What an incredible day of music-making! A huge well done to every single young musician who took to the stage today. The talent on display across the East of Scotland is truly inspiring, and you should all be immensely proud of your performances.

    🏆 𝗔 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀
    We’d like to give a massive round of applause to those who took home the silverware today:

    𝗘𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗵 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻 (Whitburn Heartlands): Junior Solo Winner
    𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗧𝗮𝘄𝗻 (Kinneil Youth): Intermediate Solo Winner
    𝗧𝘆𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗸 (Kirkintilloch Kelvin): Youth Solo Winner

    𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗱: Intermediate Ensemble Winners
    𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗱: Youth Ensemble Winners

    An event like this doesn’t happen without a dedicated team behind the scenes and expert guidance at the front of the hall.

    To our Adjudicator, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱: Thank you for your insightful, encouraging, and constructive feedback. Your expertise helps our young musicians grow, and we appreciate the care you took with every performance.

    To our Accompanist, 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗿: A huge thank you for your sensitive and tireless support at the piano. You provided the perfect foundation for our soloists to shine!

    To the 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: Whether it was your first time on stage or not, thank you for sharing your music with us. The future of the brass band movement is looking bright!

    Finally, thank you to the 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 who make these opportunities possible. We can’t wait to see you all again next year!

  • EoSBBA 2025 Solo & Ensemble Contest

    The East of Scotland Brass Band Association invite applications for the 2025 Solo & Ensemble Contest.

    Date: Saturday 22nd February 2025
    Time: 10:00
    Proposed     Location: Gorgie Salvation Army Hall, Edinburgh. (Subject to final confirmation with venue)

    Closing Date: Friday 14th February 2025

    *This contest is a qualifier for the Scottish Brass Band Association Youth Solo & Ensemble Contest, to be held on 29th March 2025.

  • Resident conductor vacancy at Penicuik Silver

    Penicuik Silver Band is on the look-out for a resident conductor to lead the band in twice-weekly rehearsals and at concerts, public events and contests.

    The band has a long history as part of the community in the town of Penicuik, Midlothian, and welcomes players of all ages and abilities. In the last five years, the band has twice gained promotion to the Third Section and in 2023 represented Scotland at the National Finals.

    Penicuik Silver’s immediate aim is to return to and remain in the Third Section and to continue its annual programme of concerts, contests, gala days and performances at community events.

    The band is seeking an enthusiastic conductor with experience in brass bands and who can prepare enjoyable and entertaining programmes of music for local audiences and rehearse the band to contest standard.

    Penicuik Silver has recently welcomed a number of players from its youth band who will need encouragement to develop within the main band of dedicated members of all ages and genders.

    Rehearsals are held on Monday and Thursdays between 7.15pm and 9pm in the community wing of the town’s Mauricewood Primary School.

    Interested candidates should send their application to band president Tom Easton at penicuiksilverband@gmail.com

    Applications will be reviewed at the end of May, based on merit and without discrimination.

  • Bathgate Steelyard Challenge: Pre-Registration Now Open

    Preparations for the highly anticipated Bathgate Steelyard Challenge are in full swing, and we’re thrilled to announce that pre-registration is now officially open! Secure your spot by visiting our dedicated event website at www.eosbba.org.uk/bsc. This hub not only allows you to sign up but also provides comprehensive details for participating bands.

    Stay in the loop as we curate an enriching experience for all involved. The event website is your go-to source for the latest updates, with continuous data updates ensuring you’re well-informed. Keep a keen eye on www.eosbba.org.uk/bsc for an evolving wealth of information. Let the excitement build as we journey towards this musical extravaganza!

  • EoSBBA and Bathgate Together: Crafting a Unique Outdoor Brass Band Contest

    The East of Scotland Brass Band Association (EoSBBA) is actively engaged with Bathgate Together (a collective of Bathgate Community groups) to bring a distinctive outdoor brass band contest to the East of Scotland region. Bathgate’s George Street will hopefully soon resonate with the sounds of brass music, building on the concepts of “Brass in the Park” and “Whit Marches.”

    This inaugural event is set to be a highlight, featuring each band marching down George Street, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere. Then, settle in as they take the stage in Bathgate Steelyard for an 8-minute own-choice programme, showcasing their musical prowess.

    Stay tuned for more updates as we work behind the scenes to create an extraordinary and unforgettable musical experience for everyone.

  • East of Scotland Solo & Ensemble Winners

    We are delighted to share the joyous success of the East of Scotland Solo and Ensemble Contest, an event that showcased extraordinary musical talents. Please find below our outstanding winners, who truly excelled in their performances:

    • Junior Solo’s
      • Mila Dickson, St David’s Brass (Gold Award)
      • Bailey Dickson, St David’s Brass (Silver Award)
      • Beth Drury, Kinneil Youth Band (Gold Award) WINNER
      • Erin Drury, Kinneil Youth Band (Silver Award)
    • Intermediate Solo’s
      • Roxy Clark, Whitburn Youth Band (Silver Award)
      • William Tawn, Kinneil Youth Band (Silver Award)
      • Amber Gourlay, Whitburn Heartlands Band (Silver Award)
      • Tyler Clark, Whitburn Youth Band (Gold Award) WINNER
    • Junior Ensembles
      • Kinneil Youth Junior Ensemble (Silver Award) WINNER
    • Intermediate Ensembles
      • Kinneil Youth Intermediate Ensemble (Silver Award) WINNER
    • Adult Open Solo’s
      • Phil Terras, St David’s Brass
      • Jackie Brown, Bathgate Band
      • Bradley Doran, Dalkeith & Monktonhall Brass Band (WINNER)

    A special thank you to our adjudicator, Keith Johnson, whose expertise and discerning judgement added a layer of excellence to the event. His dedication to the musical arts played a crucial role in the success of our participants.

    We also extend our sincere appreciation to the Salvation Army Hall in Gorgie for providing a fantastic venue. Their hospitality and support created an ideal setting for our musicians to shine.

    Furthermore, our heartfelt gratitude goes to our sponsors – The Clarus Network Group, Band Supplies, Harper Hall Instrument Repairs, and Polkemmet Embroidery. Your generosity made this event possible, nurturing the musical spirit of our community.

    Thank you all for contributing to this memorable celebration of music, and we look forward to more successful collaborations in the future.