The Cobham Band on Sunday 14th February 2010 entered the scaba (Southern Counties Amateur Band Association) Solo, Quartet & Ensemble Contest held at Ringmer Community College, East Sussex, which was adjudicated by David Johnson.

The band was able to field three quartets:

Cobham A – Chris Eicke (Eb Bass); Simon Jackson (Eb Bass); David Beck (Bb Bass); Roy Atkin (Bb Bass)
Cobham B – Joe Smith (Bb Cornet); Beryl McMillan (Bb Cornet); Jeff Bamber (Tenor Horn); Geoff Charles-Edwards (Euphonium)
Cobham C – Matthew Ruel (Bb Cornet); Simon Bristow (Bb Cornet); Paul Barker (Tenor Horn); Gerry Curtis (Euphonium)

Everyone involved put in a tremendous amount of effort and hard work in preparation for the contest and thoroughly enjoyed the process and listening to each others quartets perform. As the adjudicator said, “the losers are those who did not participate and so we are all winners”.

In the Third Section there were ten (10) entries, the other bands competing were Oxted, Lingfield, Patcham, and Mayfield. ‘Cobham C’ played off number one and performed Wagner’s ‘Rienzi’ and was awarded 4th place; ‘Cobham A’ performed ‘Quartet for Tubas’ by Eric Ball and was awarded 7th place; ‘Cobham B’ performed Wagner’s ‘Tannhäuser’ and was placed 8th.

Place; Band; Draw; Points
1; Oxted; 9; 179
2; Lingfield ‘A’; 4; 178
3; Patcham ‘A’; 2; 177
4; Cobham ‘C’; 1; 176
5; Mayfield ‘B’; 7; 175
6; Mayfield ‘A’; 10; 174
7; Cobham ‘A’; 5; 173
8; Cobham ‘B’; 3; 172
9; Patcham ‘B’; 6; 171
10; Lingfield ‘B’; 8; 170

‘Cobham C’ (Matthew Ruel (Bb Cornet); Simon Bristow (Bb Cornet); Paul Barker (Tenor Horn); Gerry Curtis (Euphonium)) also for the first time played up in the Second Section and were the only Third Section (scaba) band to compete in an entry of seven (7). ‘Cobham C’ and the band therefore were very pleased to be awarded another 4th place, performing ‘Petite Suite for Brass Quartet’ by Reginald Heath.

Place; Band; Draw; Points
1;  Oxted ‘A’; 5; 177
2; LGB ‘A’; 4; 176
3; LGB ‘B’; 1; 175
4; Cobham; 2; 174
5; Oxted ‘B’; 7; 173
6; Mid Sussex ‘B’; 3; 172
7; Mid Sussex ‘A’; 6; 171

Full results can be accessed from the scaba website: www.scaba.co.uk