And The Band Played On

Saturday the 5th March 2022 saw Huddersfield and Ripponden Band and other brass bands from the whole of the county finally be allowed to come together to compete in the Yorkshire Brass Band Championships.

Rehearsing under government guidelines and Brass Band England’s covid health and safety restrictions, the health and wellbeing of its members has been the band’s priority since rehearsals were allowed to resume last July 2021.

Drawn to play 3rd in its section, Huddersfield and Ripponden Band arrived at Huddersfield Town Hall filled with enthusiasm and excitement, determined to give the very best performance possible; this was the first major performance for the band since covid restrictions began 2 years previously.

With comments about the band’s performance from the section’s adjudicators, Martin Heartfield and Alan Morrison such as “much to admire” and “So much to commend”, it was easy to understand how the band under the baton of its MD Adam Bell, won 2nd place in the competition, justly earning them a place in the 2022 National Brass Band Championships held in Cheltenham.

Praise must go to the band’s members – especially the soloists and MD – for being forced to perform under the unfortunate conditions caused by the raucous behaviour of a random audience member. Unfazed by the commotion, Huddersfield and Ripponden Band played on….. all the way to Cheltenham!