Knottingley Silver band is heading off to national finals

The sun shone and hundreds of people turned out last Sunday to hear the Knottingley Silver Band perform at the newly refurbished bandstand in Queen’s Park, Castleford.
Knottingley Silver Band at the bandstand in Queen's Park, CastlefordKnottingley Silver Band at the bandstand in Queen's Park, Castleford
Knottingley Silver Band at the bandstand in Queen's Park, Castleford

The packed programme of more than 20 pieces of music was well received as families picnicked on the grass and relaxed.

Members of the band will be heading down to Cheltenham Racecourse on the weekend of September 18-19 to represent the county at the Section One National Finals after being placed second in the Yorkshire regional heats in 2020.

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Also at the regional heats, the award for Best Euphonium player was awarded to Knottingley’s Elizabeth Wood.

At the final next weekend along with 15 other bands - including the other Yorkshire contender Unite - The Union Brass Band - they will all play the set piece Connotations by Edward Gregson which lasts around 13 minutes.

The order of play will be drawn on the day and the three adjudicators will not be aware which band they are listening to.

The winners will be crowned Section One Champions and have an automatic promotion into the Championship Section next year - a section they have not been in since 2004.

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Knottingley Silver Band was formed in 1860 as the Knottingley Subscription Band.

Following a string of successes in National and other competitions the name was changed to the Knottingley Silver Prize Band in the early 1900s with the word Prize being dropped in the 1980s.

The band consists of 28 players - 25 brass and three percussion - and they recently played at a fund raising garden party at the home of MP Yvette Cooper.

At the event Ed Balls conducted them playing Sweet Caroline, a piece of music that has become synonymous with the Castleford Tigers rugby team.