Stewarton Academy Senior Wind Ensemble achieved a Gold Award at the National Concert Band Festival held at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama on Sunday 9 November.

Twelve School Bands took part in this category of the Scottish Regional Festival and Stewarton was one of four which achieved the required standard to receive a Gold Award. The demanding criteria for this award cover details of tone, tuning, balance and dynamics as well as rhythmic accuracy, articulation and phrasing, and style and interpretation.

The Festival organisers stress that the Festival is non-competitive and that the adjudication is a measure of the band's success in achieving a particular level of performance and is not intended as a comparison between participating bands. 

There are six Regional Festivals and Gold Award winners from each region are invited to take part in the National Festival which takes place in spring each year. The spring 2009 National Concert Band Festival will be held at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff, on 18 and 19 April and Stewarton Academy Senior Wind Ensemble are already looking forward to this exciting opportunity.

Stewarton Academy Senior Wind Ensemble rehearse together twice a week at 8.00am on Tuesday and Thursday mornings under the leadership of Mr. Alan Friel. In preparation for the festival they also had a rehearsal weekend and one or two extra practices: the young people and tutors involved have to work hard to achieve this level of success.

The Stewarton Band Support Group has recently reformed to support Mr Friel with the work he does with all the Stewarton Learning Partnership bands (there is currently a Primary Band and a Junior Band in addition to the Senior Wind Ensemble). Membership of this group is open to all parents of band members (past and present) and others with a legitimate interest in the Stewarton school bands. For information on how to get involved contact sbsgroup@me.com.