News
A Winning Start to the Year
It’s that time of year again when brass bands up and down the country meet in their areas for the Regional Brass Band Championships. Sunday 25th February was the turn of the North West, and 2nd section bands across the region have been preparing Triptych for the past few months. The band was in the 2nd half of the day, playing 15th out of a total of 17 performances, but the long wait didn’t have any impact on the performance the band gave, and Skelmersdale Prize Band managed to secure 1st Place, and Best Trombone Section, ahead of some close competition.
MD Ben Coulson wrote:
Well done on delivering such an outstanding performance, and of course for achieving our result. We set out to do what we planned and truly delivered our best. Not only did we have some sublime soloists, duetists and the winning trombone section, but we had a genuinely brilliant band, with quality coming from every seat
The band are thrilled with the result and is looking forward to completion at the National Finals in September. Congratulations to the other North West bands that have qualified.
North West Qualifying Bands
Championship Section
1. Foden's
2. KNDS Fairey
3. Pemberton Old Wigan DW
1st Section
1. Wardle Anderson Brass
2. Tyldesley
3. Blackburn & Darwen
2nd Section
1. Skelmersdale
2. Diggle
3. Besses Boys
3rd Section
1. Morecambe
2. Eccleston Brass
3. Golborne Brass
4th Section
1. Stalybridge Old
2. Littleborough
A Year In Review
As 2023 draws to an end we reflect on a great year for Skelmersdale Prize Band.
Following our 2022 title of Third Section National Champions we secured promotion to Second Section for 2023, our first time in the second section for over 20 years. Our debut contest in the second section saw us in the prizes in 6th place at the Area.
We thoroughly enjoyed rehearsing the test piece Les Preludes and were very pleased with our 3rd place at Buxton Contest.
We had a hugely successful Whit Friday, winning 5 villages and overall second section champions!
Later in the year we headed to Bolsover for our first entertainment contest in decades to take 2nd place with our exciting space-themed programme.
We welcomed some very talented new signings and are proud to have a full band who not only work hard together and enjoy performing but enjoy the social side of banding just as much.
We've enjoyed some great concerts both as Skelmersdale Prize Band and as our oompah band The Skelmensteiners, some new for us whilst continuing to strengthen our links with our more regular hosts.
We're very much looking forward to what 2024 has to bring and will keep you updated.
Thank you to our members and MD Ben for their hard work and commitment throughout the year and thank you to all of you for your continued support.
Wishing you all the best for the New Year and we'll look forward to seeing you soon.
A Top 200 Band World Ranking!
Some incredible news came in today (25th October 2023) ahead of our Christmas season when the band found out they were in the top 200 bands in the world, coming in at 182. This is an outstanding achievement as they have placed higher than some of their biggest competitors as well as bands who compete in higher sections across the country. The MD, committee and players are extremely proud of this achievement as it is a testament to their hard work and commitment over the last few years. Congratulations to our North West and Yorkshire friends who came in the top 5:
1. Foden's
2. Cory
3. Black Dyke
4. Tredegar
5. Brighouse and Rastrick
To see the full rankings for global brass banding, head to 4barsrest
Another Podium Finish for Skelmersdale Prize Band
It was an early start for the band on 30th September, 2023 as they headed to Bolsover for the annual Entertainment contest. Armed with a space themed program featuring film music, original brass band compositions and a soprano solo, the band put on a show for adjudicator Mark Wilkinson and secured themselves a 2nd place finish. This is the first time the band have entered Bolsover Entertainment Contest in their recent history and for many in the band, their first time competing there.
This was the last competition for the band in 2023, with the remainder of the year filling up with private concerts, Oktoberfest and Christmas themed events.
Success for Skelmersdale at Whit Friday
June 2nd, 2023, saw bands from around the world head for the sunny hills of Greater Manchester to compete in the annual Whit Friday March Contests. This year, Skelmersdale Prize Band competed in 8 contests across the Tameside Region, accumulating a number of prizes along the way including Overall 2nd Section Champions.
Individual Prizes Included:
Broadoak - 1st
Droylsden - 1st
Heyrod - 1st
Hurst - 1st
Stalybridge - 1st
Denton - 2nd
Mossley - 3rd
Carrbrook - 4th
Your National 3rd Section Champions!
On Friday 16th September 2022, Skelmersdale Prize Band, led by MD Ben Coulson, travelled down to Cheltenham, ahead of the National Brass Band Championships Sections 1-4 that weekend.
Following promotion the previous year, the band competed in the 3rd section, performing Sinfoinetta by Joseph Horovitz. The band drew the dreaded last band on, and performing to a full audience, delivered “a magnificent performance from all concerned” -Sandy Smith (Adjudicator) and claimed the champions title.
As well as the band winning the overall prize, Solo Horn, Gemma Rowlands was awarded the Best Instrumentalist Prize for her outstanding performance throughout the piece.
I'm incredibly proud of the players and everyone who supports us in so many ways. Now we look forward to the Second Section knowing we can play the type of works that ask a great deal of us both technically and musically. - Ben Coulson - MD
Another Podium Place for Skelmersdale
On Sunday 15th May, 2022, Skelmersdale Prize Band headed over the hills to The Pavilion Gardens, Buxton for the annual Buxton Festival of Brass. The band have been working hard over the past few months preparing Purcell Variations by Kenneth Downie. This contest was only the second the band have competed in in the 3rd Section after their recent promotion and they managed another podium finish of 3rd place. MD Ben Coulson is extremely proud of the bands achievement and is looking forward to the upcoming Whit Friday March Contest, and concert season ahead.
Mayor and Mayoress of West Lancashire Visit Skelmersdale Prize Band
The band were honoured to be visited by Councillor Gordon Johnson on 11th April, 2022. While visiting, the Councillor presented the band with a recognition award on behalf of West Lancashire Borough Council, for the efforts and achievements surrounding the recent win at the North West Regional Championships. The band thoroughly enjoyed performing for the Mayor on his visit, and look forward to seeing them again at a concert in the future.
Success for Skelmersdale! Winners of the North West Regional Brass Band 3rd Section Area
On 27th February, 2022, brass bands from around the North West gathered in Blackpool for the North West Area Regional competition. Winners and 1st runner up from each section qualify for a position at the National Brass Band Finals of Great Britain, held at Cheltenham Race Course in September.
In 2019, having placed 2nd in the 4th section, Skelmersdale qualified for a place at the finals (where they then placed 2nd) and also qualified for promotion to the 3rd section. The 2022 North West Area was the first competition since this promotion, and the band are pleased to announce they only went and won, qualifying once again for a place at the National Finals, this time representing the North West in the 3rd section.
Everyone in the band is excited about Cheltenham and proud of everything they have achieved in the run up to the competition, none more than MD, Ben Coulson who said
Since returning after the pandemic, the band have worked unbelievably hard to maintain and improve upon their standard. This win is a testament to what full rehearsals, hard work and a good and positive atmosphere can bring to a brass band. I am extremely proud of the performance we put on today and am looking forward to what the future brings for this band.
New Signings!
Skelmersdale Prize Band are excited to announce our three new signings: Neil Samuel (Solo Trombone), Tracey White (1st Horn), and Ste Gordon (Solo Euphonium). All three musicians have had stellar careers in some of the countries’ most prestigious bands.
Neil Samuel began his career at the age of 7 playing with the Salvation Army. By the age of 16, he was attending Chethams School of Music and quickly became the lead trombone player of their award winning Big Band. But his success didn’t end there! Alongside playing for bands such as Leyland, Fodens, Brighouse & Rastrick and Fairey FP Band, in 2003, Neil accepted the position of Musical Director of the Rainford Band, where he led the band from the 3rd section to the Championship Section. Neil started coming along to Skelmersdale in 2021 as a guest conductor and trombone player. After bringing his fiancée (Tracey) along, they both decided to make Skelmersdale Prize Band their home.
Tracey started playing Tenor Horn at the age of 11 with Dobcross Youth Band. After following her musical career through to The University of Huddersfield under the direction of Philip McCann, Tracey joined YBS, where she stayed for 2 years. After moving back to the North West to continue her teaching career, Tracey has played with Oldham, Leyland, Fairies and more recently Wingates. Tracey has recently accepted the role of Headteacher at a secondary school and college in Bolton and is looking forward to continuing her banding success at Skelmersdale.
Finally, Ste’s playing career began at school, aged 11, before moving on to join his first local contesting band, Parr Band, at the age of 15. Over the years, Ste has performed with various bands, ranging from the 4th to the Championship section, including playing under Neil Samuel while he conducted both Rainford and Poynton bands. One of the highlights of Ste’s career has been playing with the Hammonds band, where he played alongside Ben, who would later invite him to help Skelmersdale Prize Band following the easing of the COVID-19 restrictions. In January 2022, Ste officially decided to stay with the band after, “…seeing how easy-going, friendly and pushing towards the same goal” the band was. Ste hopes that he, “can help the band move forward” with his knowledge and experience as a player.
Dave Lyon Made Honorary Lifetime President
Skelmersdale Prize Band are proud to announce that long time member Dave Lyon has been made the first ever Honorary Lifetime President of the band. The Lyon family were one of the founding families of Skelmersdale Temperance Band back in 1876, and throughout the last 120 years of the bands history, they have been prominent members at each stage of it’s development.
Dave joined the band on Soprano Cornet in 1960, having started his playing career at Skelmersdale Secondary Modern, where his dad (Tommy Lyon) and uncle (Bill Lyon) conducted the school band. From Soprano Cornet, Dave went straight to EEb Bass and remained on that seat until his departure from the band in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Skelmersdale Prize Band would like to thank Dave and his family for the longstanding support they have provided, and wish him every happiness in his retirement.
National Finals Success
Skelmersdale Prize Band are delighted to announce their success at the 2020 National Brass Band Finals. Following a run of successes at contests throughout 2019 and early 2020, the band qualified for a place at the finals, and for promotion to the 3rd section at the 2020 NW Area (Blackpool). Despite COVID-19 pandemic and a delayed finals, the band put together a fantastic performance on the day and finished in 2nd place, making them the highest qualifying NW band in the whole competition.
I am so proud of the band, and everything they have achieved. Despite the pandemic, members moving on, and limited rehearsals, the band put out a stellar performance on the day and I cannot wait to see what they have to bring in the 3rd section for the upcoming year.
-Ben Coulson (Musical Director)
The band are looking forward to competing in the upcoming contest season and continuing their run of success.