Goodwick Brass Band had plenty to celebrate when they had two entries in the Welsh regional contests of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain at the weekend.

In only their second appearance in the Welsh regionals at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall, the comparatively new Phoenix Brass won the fourth section title and with it the chance to compete in the national finals at Cheltenham in September.

The victory set the mood for a tremendous performance by the senior band later in the day when they took on Wales’ top bands in the regional finals for the first time. Up against a championship line-up that included the world’s top two bands in Cory and Tredegar, Goodwick gained a commendable sixth place.

Conducting Phoenix Brass in the championships for the first time was Luke Jenkins, principal cornet player for the senior band, and understandably, he was in jubilant mood after the band’s outstanding performance.

“This is great reward for all the players’ hard work and enthusiasm,” said Luke.

“We have had relatively few chances to rehearse but everyone was at the top of their game and we all enjoyed playing the test piece, the Journal of Phileas Fogg by Peter Graham.”

Featuring players from all over Pembrokeshire, the Phoenix Band won the Welsh Regional Challenge Tribute and £200, while one of their percussionists, nine-year-old Sam Howell, won the prize for youngest performer in the fourth section.

Goodwick’s challenge for one of the top three championship places, which would have earned them a place in the national finals at the Royal Albert Hall later in the year, was led by conductor Matthew Jenkins.

Playing the complex and challenging piece, Cambridge Variations by Philip Sparke, Goodwick produced a ‘well-shaped performance, always musically interesting’ in the words of adjudicator Dr. Robert Childs. He also praised the beautiful sounding tones of flugel soloist Ffion Haf Williams and cornet soloist Luke Jenkins.

The judges said it had been relatively easy to place Tredegar and Cory as the top two but it had been hard to separate Tongwynlais, Northop Silver, Llwydcoed and Goodwick.