Verwood Concert Brass Bring It Home

Verwood Concert Brass had a great day on Saturday 26th November in being crowned Champions of the Wessex Brass Band Association Winter Contest. A great achievement alongside the special awards of the South Wilts Cup given to conductor Kevin Smith for best musical interpretation of the score and the Kevin Bolton Plaque to Elaine Close, principal cornet, for best instrumentalist on the day.

All awards mean a lot but perhaps the winning of the Arthur Spencer Trophy for the best bass section meant just that little bit more when it was awarded to Verwood’s bass section of Nigel Tiller, Mike Dunnings, Duncan Smith and Jane Cottee.

The reason being is that this trophy was donated to the Wessex Brass Band Association in 2005 in memory of Arthur Spencer following his death at the age of 89 and Arthur was what can best be described as a very important part of Verwood Concert Brass’ heritage.

Arthur was the son of Tommy Spencer, a renowned bass player of his day who conducted Verwood and Shrewton Bands and was a past president of Wessex Brass Band Association. Arthur and his brother, Fred followed in their father’s footsteps and joined Verwood Band. Arthur was a successful euphonium player before joining the bass ranks where he was part of the team that saw Verwood Band rise from the Fourth Section to the Championship section in the late 1960s.

In 1979 Arthur was awarded, like his father before him, the National Brass Band Club award for playing for 50 years. He also received a similar award from the Wessex Brass Band Association. Arthur decided to retire from playing in 1985, aged 70, but retained his links as a Committee member becoming President of the Band in 1986. Arthur was very proud in 1995 when he opened the new Band Hall and it was fitting that the main hall was named the “Spencer Room” in his, and his family’s, honour for their contribution to Verwood Band over the years.

One of the bass players in Verwood’s winning bass section, Nigel Tiller, had the pleasure of playing alongside Arthur in the band before his retirement. He told A4B: “Since 2005 we had seen other bass sections from other bands winning the Arthur Spencer Trophy and it was just a dream that one day we might actually win that Trophy ourselves and bring it home to the ‘Spencer Room’ in our band hall. But on Saturday that dream came true and it was a very proud moment indeed, made all the more special by the connection back to Arthur. Arthur was a great bass player and even after he stopped playing he attended all the band’s concerts and took great pride in the band’s achievements and progress. He would have been delighted with Verwood’s recent rise back up to the Championship section and all the contest awards received but as a bass player I’m sure he would have been extra delighted with us winning the best bass section award.”