The Senior Band made a return visit to Blackpool for the first time since 2019 when the the British Open Spring Festival returned to the contest calendar. The band performed Freedom by Hubert Bath in the Senior Cup after being promoted from the Senior Trophy in the 2019 contest. It seems such a long time ago that happened.
The test piece was originally chosen to mark the 100th spring festival but COVID intervened and the contest was delayed for 2 years. Freedom was originally written for the National Championships of 1922 so playing it in the Senior Cup 100 years later is still quite fitting.
It would have been great to come back with qualifiation for the Grand Shield next year, but the band produced a creditable 12th out of the 20 bands competing and saw a number of well known bands come below them. The result consolidates our place in the Senior Cup and will be something to build on next year.
