2006 has been a fairly successful year for the band. Not only have we managed to climb our way back up the rankings into the top 20 but have also managed to re-gain our place at the British Open Championships, arguably the world’s premier brass-band contest, after a fantastic 2nd placing at the Grand Shield.

We have welcomed several first-rate professional conductors into the bandroom this year, all of whom proved to be exceptional and are in no small part credited with the re-emergence of Carlton Main as a force to be reckoned with! Allan Ramsay not only did a sterling job at the 2006 Yorkshire Area, gaining a very creditable 7th place, but also led the band up to the British Open with an excellent 2nd placing at the Grand Shield.

This was followed by Russell Gray leading the band to an outstanding 6th place at the British Open, a result that firmly cemented Carlton Main’s position back at the very top of brass banding. Russell then went on to lead the band to victory at Dronfield Entertainment Contest.

Most recently, Garry Cutt did a sterling job in directing the band to 3rd place at the Scottish Open, performing the own choice work, ‘Vienna Nights’.

2006 has also been a year of individual success for the members of Carlton Main. Principle Cornet Kirsty Abbotts continues to sustain her reputation as one of the leading cornet players of the day. Not only did she gain the toughly fought ‘Best Instrumentalist’ prize at the Grand Shield just weeks after coming out of maternity leave, but she also added the ‘4br Best Instrumentalist’ Scottish Open award to her already impressive collection. Principle Horn Kate Eggleshaw was a finalist in the BBC Radio 2 Young Brass Soloist Competition and sustained her role as Principle Horn of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, gaining the NYBBGB’s Harry Mortimer Solo Award after a closely fought contest at the band’s summer course. Principle Eb Bass Ben Dixon won critical acclaim for his outstanding performance of the taxing tuba solo from Vienna Nights at the British Open. He is just 15.

Kirsty Abbotts collecting the ‘Best Instrumentalist’ Prize at the Grand Shield.

We have also welcomed several new faces into the band, thus strengthening the ranks even further. Most recently, the band has welcomed Claire Jenkins on Soprano Cornet and Andy Dickinson on 1st Horn, both of whom gave excellent performances at the Scottish Open. Bob Archer has also returned to the band to take up the Solo Baritone Position. Bob previously held the same seat at our nearby rivial band, Grimethorpe Colliery.

The band has also said goodbye to a few faces, most recently Jess Burns, Malc Portman and Kate Eggleshaw, who have all left to fulfill work and education commitments.

The band now looks forward to 2007 with its new line-up, and with first-class professional conductors already booked for the major contests (including the ‘English National Championships’, a first for Carlton Main) we are confident of building even further upon the success of 2006.

Special mentions of thanks must go towards Ray Sykes, Chairman; John Kendall, Band Manager; Kirsty Abbotts, contest secretary; Nigel Dixon, Publicity Officer and Shaun Roche, ‘FoF’ co-ordinator and Concert Sectretary for the particular time and effort they have put into the band, both this year and in the past.

The message for 2007 is this - whilst we have had a fairly decent 2006, 2007 must be better! The ethos of the band is all about improvement and climbing the rankings. We have risen to 18th by the end of the year and looking back a further 12 months ago this would have been seen as a good result…except 15th was the aim!  There is little chance of us climbing above some local rivals such as Black Dyke, YBS or Grimethorpe, but there rest are there for the taking and the aim at this year’s Area is to be best of the rest! It is a travesty that some Bands who are tens of places below us in the rankings get to go to the Great British National Championships in the Albert Hall as a result of their geographical placing in the UK. The Yorkshire Area is undoubtedly the hardest in the world and like it or not, its the one we find ourselves in!

So, our aims this year - to get as close to the Top Ten in the World Rankings as possible, to qualify for the GB Nationals, consolidate our place at the British Open and maybe even win something!