www.hitscotland.org.uk - More West Lothian Awards.

More West Lothian Awards.

It has been an award-winning couple of months for Arts Services’ Instrumental Music Service which has picked up a record five “gongs” since October.

National Music Council

On 25 October the service was awarded the prestigious The National Music Council “Will Michael Diploma” in recognition of its outstanding commitment to jazz in education.   On Friday 21 November Arts Manager Colin Hutcheon and representatives of Instrumental Music Service travelled to London to be awarded a Diploma in the National Music Council (NMC) Local Education Authority Music Awards in recognition of the overall quality of the service.

These awards “celebrate the remarkable achievements of music services in providing evidence year on year that those services reach an ever increasing number of young people and introduce them to a breadth of musics from world, folk, rock, jazz to classical.”   West Lothian is one of only three Scottish Local Authorities being honoured with a Diploma this year.

Gold and Silver at the NCBF

On 9 November the National Concert Band Festival (NCBF) at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama saw West Lothian Schools Wind Ensemble win a silver award in the Youth Wind Band category and West Lothian Schools Big Band win a coveted gold award.

This competition was the annual Scottish Regional Festival of NCBF and featured 22 bands.   The awards are based on a judgment of musical achievement made by an independent panel of adjudicators.

Scottish Brass Champions Again

West Lothian Schools Brass Band rounded off November by winning the prestigious Scottish Youth Brass Band Championships 2008 for the fourth consecutive year.   The Championship was held at Perth Concert Hall on Sunday 30 November and WLSBB was run very close by both Aberdeen City Youth Band and Carnoustie & District Youth Band.   All three bands were presented with a gold award.

The band, conducted by Nigel Boddice MBE, played a spectacular 25 minute programme of the highest quality including Olympic Spirit; In Heaven featuring Principal Cornet Susannah Downs; Soul Bossa Nova; Carrickfergus featuring Principal Trombone player Ross Learmonth; Malaguena and Loch Lomond.   Loch Lomond was a new piece commissioned from composer Andy Duncan and paid using the prize money awarded for winning the competition last year.

West Lothian Schools Brass Band also hold the titles of British and European Champions..