WHAT an excellent start. Newly promoted to the first section, Chalford won seventh place out of 14 bands competing at the 2004 south western regional championships at Torquay's Riviera Centre on Saturday, March 27. And in the fourth section an improving Chalford Training Band beat five bands to come 16th.

Drawn eighth in a strong first section line-up, conductor Steve Tubb and his team went on stage confident that they were well prepared for Bramwell Tovey's Coventry Variations, their most challenging test piece ever. Soloists and ensemble rose well to the challenge and adjudicator William Relton gave some favourable comments. His summary was: "A good band with lack of confidence in the more delicate passages."

Among the seven bands Chalford beat were former champion section Cinderford and Bendix Kingswood.

The judge's full written remarks were:

"Opening not quite together. Nice tone, well shaped and good dynamics - Good timbre change between the two groups.

Var.I: challenging pace and good dynamics. V II: (E) Solo cornets f please. III some struggling to maintain the tuning on the high D. (J) Very neat and a great contribution from the percussion. (V) well slotted together. VI effective but rather perfunctory ending.

VII a strong start but a flaking off in bar 4. 191/2 cornets do not sound confident but a fine build-up to (P) and well balanced then till the end, great octaves in trombones 227. VIII some groping for the upper notes, basses and euph lovely chording. 260 NOT clean. 269 Good attack Bb bass and timp. The last F sharp was not in tune.

IX Good start, 319 good basses. Chorale well balanced, clean lines came through. Rather spongy attacking in the last three bars. You lose your dynamics here.

A good band with lack of confidence in the more delicate passages. "

Earlier in the day, the Training Band - again conducted by Steve and drawn eighth - gave a creditable performance of the Edward Gregson test piece, Partita, for which adjudicator Brian Buckley awarded 166 points. Jis written remarks were:

I Untidy opening – octaves not balanced, cornets/trombones. 1. Basses could have more sound to convince. Balance poor but outer parts secure to 2. Melody not really shaped before 3. better with cornets. Good soprano! Trombones - untidy after 4. Octaves, untuneful at 5. Not balanced to end – find close too short.

II Loose start again – quavers stabbed - should be longer for this style of music. Soloist (cornet) stiff at the start 7, then improves. Fairly well co-ordinated trios. Stiff again at 8. Well done soprano. at 9. Untuneful ensemble to 10 - Cornets. Very loose in the trio and later in this section. Good entry, euphonium at 11. Music should be intense at this point (before/after 12). Secure soprano. Very untuneful middle parts at 13. Again this abrupt quaver detracts from the flow of the melody. Untuneful final chord.

III Fairly rhythmic opening but lacks brightness. Semi-quavers not really clean in the melody line at 16. Good balance of parts at 17. Melody should flow more easily. Quavers are being rushed. Cornets/percussion entries not precise and lack energy. Untidy quavers at 19, better before 20. Semi-quavers rather untidy in all sections before 21. Ending lacking in shape and final chords very untuneful