BUGLE IS BACK….. Well, Almost

As with every other walk of life, the brass band world has had to come to terms with the effects of the global pandemic that is Covid-19. ‘Distance Banding’ has become the new normal for now as players that are desperately missing the comfort of the band room seek to continue to express themselves via the medium of music.

The West of England Bandsmen’s Festival (Bugle Contest to regular attendees) has, like every other event, had to be cancelled this year but with the help of The Cornwall Channel are putting together a Virtual March Down which will be broadcast as live at 10am on Saturday 20th June. There will be contributions from personalities such as Philip Harper and Ian Porthouse and the WEBF Committee are hoping viewers can at least imagine that they are watching from their usual position on the route on a sunny morning in the Cornish Village of Bugle. Secretary Ian Powell commented “While we are desperately disappointed not to be holding our 96th contest this year we are hoping that players and spectators will engage with this broadcast and that in some small way it might help to keep the spirit of our Festival in people’s thoughts and minds at this difficult time.

We are extremely grateful to Shane Solomon and our friends at The Cornwall Channel for their help in putting the whole thing together and we are very excited to reveal the finished article that will be broadcast live on Facebook at 10am on what would have been contest day Saturday 20th June”.