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The band qualified to play at the national competition in February 2018 when they won 1st place in the second section in the North West Area Brass band Contest, held at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. This was the first time in the band’s history that they have ever won 1st place at the area competition.
\nThe band have been working very hard under talented Musical Director Kevin Gibbs since the Area contest on the testpiece for the National Finals. The selected piece was Firestorm by Stephen Bulla.\u00a0 The inspiration for this composition was the recent war in the Persian Gulf and its continuous presentation to the world through the medium of television.\u00a0Bulla wanted to capture the emotion and colour of the events of the war as they were played out on the television screen and included\u00a0riveting sounds of airborne bombing raids,\u00a0a Baghdad market scene and a poignant soliloquy depicting the calm, unspoiled beauty of the Iraqi countryside before its siege.<\/p>\n
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![<\/a><\/div>\r\n <\/div><\/figure>\r\n <\/div>\n\n <\/p>\nUnlucky for some (but not Middleton) the band drew 13th out of 18 bands from all over the United Kingdom and gave it their all on stage,\u00a0 giving their best performance of the piece.\nMiddleton are absolutely delighted to have won the second section national title,\u00a0 another first in the history of the band. No strangers to attending the National Finals, they were crowned third section champions in 1983, gained a 3rd place in the third section in 2002, crowned third section champions in 2007\u00a0 and gained a 4th place at the second section finals in 2013.<\/p>\n](\"http:\/\/www.middletonband.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/41931291_10213162311112226_1843704704257753088_n-1.jpg\"){kind=link}