SCABA Autumn Contest
Every year the band drive along the coast to the dramatic location of the Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone, which has recently undergone a much needed and impressive refurbishment of the rehearsal and catering facilities. This is the venue for SCABA's own choice test piece contest held every October.
Competing in the First Section the band has been placed fourth twice and third twice in the last few years. Steve Smyth is one of the best players in the band, regularly playing trombone solos. At this very contest in 2000 Steve won the Best Soloist in the First Section for his performance of Year of the Dragon, and then had the audacity to repeat this feat with the same piece two years later in 2002.
The band use this contest as their annual weekend break, staying overnight on the Saturday in one of the many hotels that are situated close by the hall ready for a fresh and early start to the contest on the Sunday morning. Many a story can be told of the activities that go on - including walking into mirrors, falling off bar stalls, and amazingly enough waking up the following morning with car tyre tracks across their chest!
| Year | Section | Conductor | Test Piece | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 3rd | John Williams | Promenade | 1st |
| 1988 | 3rd | John Williams | California Legend | 3rd |
| 1989 | 3rd | John Williams | Partita | 3rd |
| 1990 | 3rd | John Williams | Sinfonnietta | 6th |
| 2nd | John Williams | Plantaganets | 6th | |
| 1991 | 2nd | Dave Allen | Music for a Festival | 4th |
| 1992 | 1st | Dave Allen | Suite for Brass | 3rd |
| 1993 | 1st | Christine Nonoo | Oceans | 4th |
| 1994 | 1st | Christine Nonoo | Partita for Brass Band | 4th |
| Chp | Christine Nonoo | Land of the Long White Cloud | 6th | |
| 1995 | 1st | Christine Nonoo | Aeronauts | 5th |
| Chp | Christine Nonoo | Fantasy for Brass Band | 5th | |
| 1996 | 1st | Martin Buss | Hollywood | 8th |
| 1997 | 1st | Estelle Flood | DID NOT ENTER | - |
| 1998 | 1st | Estelle Flood | Trittico | 5th |
| 1999 | 1st | Linda Baron | Essay | 3rd |
| Chp | Linda Baron | Paganini Variations | 6th | |
| 2000 | 1st | Estelle Flood | Year of the Dragon | 3rd* |
| 2001 | 1st | Estelle Flood | Prisms | 4th |
| 2002 | 1st | Estelle Flood | Year of the Dragon | 4th* |
| 2003 | 1st | Estelle Flood | Endeavour | 7th |
| 2004 | 1st | David Hughes | Year of the Dragon | 8th |
| 2005 | 1st | Martin Buss | DID NOT ENTER | - |
| 2006 | 1st | Matthew Hackett | CONTEST CANCELLED | - |
| 2007 | 1st | Matthew Hackett | Aeronauts | 6th |
| 2008 | 1st | Matthew Hackett | DID NOT ENTER | - |
| 2009 | 1st | Matthew Hackett | Land of the Long White Cloud |
13th |
* Also won Best Instrumentalist
(Steve Smyth - Trombone)
Recent Contest Results
- London & Southern Counties National Qualifying Contest
- SCABA Entertainment Contest
- SCABA Spring Contest
- Regional Contests