Contesting
Not all bands enter competitions and there are some which shun the contest stage, preferring to concentrate their efforts in providing music for local events. For most players, though, contesting has always been an important part of brass banding, the reason that they spend so many hours trying to perfect their art. It provides them with the opportunity to test their musical skills against others and, of course, to bring home that silverware.
This section includes brass band contests which have taken place in Cornwall. I doubt that all are here, and there are certainly some results missing, but, over time, it is hoped that it will become a comprehensive record of all Cornish Contests.
1934
Falmouth Contest
(For second, third and fourth section bands)
2nd June 1934
Adjudicator: T G Moore, Falmouth Band conductor
Second Section test piece: Autumn Flowers
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Gweek | T J Chainey | |
| 2 | St Austell | E F Woodhead | |
| 3 | St Ives | E Ogden | |
Third Section march: Own Choice
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Marazion | Beth David | |
| 2 | St Austell | E F Woodhead | |
| 3 | St Ives | E Ogden | |
Fourth Section hymn: Deep Harmony
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Marazion | Beth David | |
| 2 | Paul | S Carne | |
| 3 | Bugle | W Minear | |
Dress and Deportment
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Mabe | C A Dawe | |
| 2 | Indian Queens | F Knight | |
| 3 | Stithians | T Hubbard | |
| 4 | Redruth | C H Baker | |
Best instrumentalist in the festival—G. Keast. St. soprano, H. Oats. Gweek; euphonium, W. Tremayne, Redruth.
SUCCESSFUL BAND CONTEST AT FALMOUTH – MARAZION GETS TWO FIRST PRIZES. The first band contest held in Falmouth since 1887, was organised on Saturday, and proved to a successful event. The contest was for second, third, and fourth section bands. …” (7 June 1934 – Cornishman)
1935
Falmouth
1st June 1935
Adjudicator:
Second section test piece: In Days of Old
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Indian Queens | Ford Knight | |
| 2 | St Austell Town | E F Woodhead | |
| 3 | Truro City | George Cave | |
| Gweek | Thomas Chainey | ||
| Marazion Town | Beth David | ||
This seems to have been an Open Section at this contest which was won by Redruth Band (“Redruth” by Paddy Bradley)
1936
Falmouth
6th June 1936
Adjudicator: Tom Morgan
Second section test piece: Autumn Echoes (J A Greenwood)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | St Austell | E F Woodhead | |
| 2 | St Stythians | Tom Hubbard | |
| 3 | Truro City | F C Thomas | |
| Gweek | Thomas Chainey | ||
| Indian Queens | T Knight | ||
| St Agnes | T G Langford | ||
| St Keverne | Beth David | ||
Third section test piece:
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Gweek | Thomas Chainey | 80 |
| 2 | St Keverne | Beth David | |
| 3 | St Agnes | G Langford | |
| Mabe | C A Dawe(s) | ||
| Rame Cross | Norman Trudgeon | ||
| St Stythians | Tom Hubbard | ||
| Truro City | F C Thomas | ||
Fourth section test piece: The Spirit of Youth (J A Greenwood)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Mabe | C A Dawe(s) | |
| 2 | St Keverne | Beth David | |
| 3 | Rame Cross | Norman Trudgeon | |
| Indian Queens | T Knight | ||
| St Agnes | T G Langford | ||
1937
Falmouth
5th June 1937
Adjudicator: Harry Heyes
Second section test piece: Hiawatha (Coleridge Taylor)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Redruth | A G Richards | |
| 2 | Gweek | Thomas Chainey | |
| 3 | Indian Queens | Ford Knight | |
| St Agnes | T G Langford | ||
| St Austell | |||
| St Keverne | Beth David | ||
Third Section test piece: Sylvan Scenes
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | St Keverne | Beth David | |
| 2 | Mabe | C A Dawe(s) | |
| =3 | St Agnes | T G Langford | |
| =3 | St Breward | R Bawden | |
| Gweek | Thomas Chainey | ||
| Porthleven | |||
Third Section test march:
| Placed | Points | |
| 1 | St Keverne | |
| 2 | St Breward | |
| 3 | St Agnes | |
| Gweek | ||
| Mabe | ||
| Porthleven | ||
Fourth Section test piece:
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | St Keverne | Beth David | |
| 2 | Mabe | C A Dawe | |
| 3 | St Breward | R Bawdon | |
Open section test piece:
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | Redruth | A G Richards | |
| 2 | Gweek | ||
1939
1st Falmouth Bandsmen’s Festival
Recreation Ground
(Falmouth Chamber of Commerce)
1st July 1939
Adjudicator: Harold Hind
Class “A” test piece: L’ Etoile du Nord (Meyerbeer)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | St Dennis | Charles H Baker | 87 |
| 2 | Redruth Town | A G Richards | 84 |
| 3 | Falmouth | T G Moore | 80 |
| 4 | Indian Queens | F L Knight | |
Class “A” test piece: Bb Babylon’s Wave (Gounod)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | St Dennis | Charles H Baker | 85 |
| 2 | Redruth Town | A G Richards | 82 |
| 3 | Falmouth | T G Moore | 79 |
| 4 | Indian Queens | F L Knight | |
Specials:
Cornet: C Harris (Redruth)
Euphonium: G Bennetts (St Dennis)
Trombone: M Brewer (St Dennis)
Second section test piece: Recollections of Weber (Carl Maria von Weber/J A Greenwood)
| Placed | Conductor | Points | |
| 1 | St Stythians | Tom Hubbard | 74 |
| 2 | Gweek | Thomas J Chainey | 71 |
| 3 | St Keverne | E France | 69 |
Second section test march: The Black Diamond
| Placed | Points | Points | |
| 1 | St Stythians | Tom Hubbard | 75 |
| 2 | Gweek | Thomas J Chainey | 72 |
| St Keverne | E France | 70 | |
Specials
Cornet: R Roberts (St Stithians)
Euphonium: S J Roberts (St Keverne)
Trombone: W E Hocking (Gweek)
Best instrumentalist of the day: G Bennetts (St Dennis euphonium)
(West Briton & Cornwall Advertiser 6th July 1939 – by courtesy of Newquay Museum)
It is not known if this Festival succeeded the Second World War
Reference has been found to contests being held in Falmouth in the 1980s – particularly 1984 and 1985 – but no reports have been found
Compiled by Tony Mansell (Bardh Kernow)