[JUNE 2018] Last month it was announced after rigorous shortlisting Jack had made it into the final 12 Conductors who would be heading to the semi-finals of the National Association of Brass Band Conductor’s (NABBC) Conducting Competition. After a long day of rehearsals and competing, Jack made it through to the finals and finished overall in 2nd place.
The competition itself took place yesterday, June 9th in Eccles Town Hall and was judged by Paul Holland and Mark Heron. A huge amount of thanks go out to them and everybody involved in the competition, and a tremendous amount of thanks also go to the two phenomenal bands who worked tirelessly and performed to such a high standards - Rainford Band and Eccles Borough Band.
Jack himself in the semi-finals had the opportunity to work on Montage’, structurally inspired by Lutoslawski, a composer who has had a lot of influence on Jack’s own compositional voice, with the Rainford Band, and in the finals of the competition Jack was adjudicated on his work on River Dance, an exciting yet challenging piece for both band and conductor with Eccles Borough band.
"My sincere congratulations go not only to winner, Joshua Geddes; a wonderful man who thoroughly deserved the title; and runner up Ryan Watkins (a fellow Yorkshire man) but to all involved, both in conducting, playing and most importantly organisational capacities.
The event today was excellent, featuring total commitment from the Rainford and Eccles Borough Bands and NABBC’s own Mareika and Russel Gray, along with James Holt to boot. "
Both bands performed excellently and tirelessly to make the competition an excellent experience for all of the conductors present.
After winners were announced Jack later said “I’m both delighted and very humbled to have been awarded 2nd place at the NABBC conducting competition in a strong field today.
My sincere congratulations go not only to winner,Joshua Geddes; a wonderful man who thoroughly deserved the title; and runner up Ryan Watkins (a fellow Yorkshire man) but to all involved, both in conducting, playing and most importantly organisational capacities.
The event today was excellent, featuring total commitment from the Rainford and Eccles Borough Bands and NABBC’s own Mareika and Russel Gray, along with James Holt to boot.
I feel privileged to have been involved, and to walk away with a trophy and, more importantly, an NABBC tie!
Thank you all for your kind wishes of support and congratulations - it’s truly wonderful to have such friends and colleagues.”
The winner himself Joshua Geddes, who hails from Austrailia, said that he was in a “state of shock” but that it was “wonderful to meet so many talented colleagues and to get the privilege to conduct so many wonderful musicians.”
All finalists have been welcomed as new members of the NABBC and the date for next year’s event is Saturday 8th June with applications opening in the new year.
Jack looks forward to consolidating the work put in toward the NABBC competition, along with the advice received this weekend and with working with Mark Heron in the future and is excited to see what his conducting career might lead to in the future.
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