Blanchardstown Brass Band recently took part in a unique relay race for Brass Bands entitled “Brass the Baton”, which is one of the official cultural events of the London 2012 Olympics. The Band relay features 5 individually coloured Conductors Batons which are travelling around Europe (mostly in the UK) during May, June & July loosely following the route of the Olympic Torch. Each Baton represents one of the colours of the Olympic rings and the Baton is passed from Band to Band in the form of a relay race. Each Band will perform a concert with the Baton to include a new composition entitled “Going the Distance” which was specially commissioned for the event from one of the UK’s top Brass Band composers Paul Lovett-Cooper.
Blanchardstown Brass Band Secretary John Harford & his son Roy travelled to Manchester to collect the Green Conductors Baton from the Slaidburn Silver Band on Friday 1stJune. The Baton was handed over by the event organiser Terry Luddington who was delighted that 3 Bands in the Republic of Ireland had decided to take part in the relay race.
Blanchardstown Brass Band had their first performance with the Baton on Saturday 2nd June when they played a joint concert with the Stedfast Shoes Brass Band at the local Carrickmacross Summer Festival. Both Bands then travelled south to perform at the Balbriggan Summerfest where the Stedfast Conductor Mark Newman passed the Baton to the Conductor of the St. Patricks Brass & Reed Band Larry Dunne. Following an entertaining programme of music from the St. Patricks Brass & Reed Band to their home audience the Baton was passed on once again to Zdenek Ondrousek the Conductor of the Blanchardstown Brass Band for a final performance which concluded with all 3 Bands playing the theme music “Going the Distance”.
The Green Conductors Baton was then taken north across the Border to the CWA Brass Band Band in Carrickfergus for a performance on the 3rd June before being returned to the UK to continue its journey to London 2012.