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News from the World of Brass Bands
The Year 2006
Arklow Shipping Silver Band play host to world class players |
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On the weekend
of the 16th September the people of Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Ireland had
the opportunity to hear three of the brass band world"s best players in
concert when Dave Thornton, Principal Euphonium and Martin Armstrong, Solo Horn
with the world renowned Black
Dyke Band and also Mark Wilkinson, Principal Cornet with the Fodens
Richardsons Band paid a visit to the Arklow
Shipping Silver Band.
All three players spent the weekend taking group workshops and full band practices with the band, indeed, over 25 hours of playing was squeezed into the weekend. They also enjoy the local hospitality and were made welcome everywhere they went. The Black Dyke members were on a high after winning the 2006 British Open Band Championships the previous weekend thus making them the number 1 brass band in the world. The weekend cumulated in a concert in the local parish hall (Arus Lorcain) which, everyone agreed, was a thoroughly enjoyable event. Each of the players took turn conducting the band and performing a solo. 30/9/06 |
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Blackpool Brass 40th Anniversary and Reunion |
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40 yrs ago a group of enthusiasts met
in a pub in Blackpool to talk about starting a band. As a result, this year sees
their 40th anniversary celebrations being held at the Marton
Institute, Blackpool on 3rd
November.
If you have any connection with the band during those years you will be welcome to come and celebrate with us. The band has been formerly known as Blackpool Town Band, Dutton Forshaw Band, Marton Mere Caravan Park Band and now is known as Blackpool Brass. For full details about this event, please call either Tony Mortimer on 01253 623371 or Dave Hall on 01253 290211 or Phil Sherlock on 07779 807795. 10/9/06 |
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Brass Band Aid Reaches Blackpool |
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Blackpool Brass have got into the full swing of their effort towards Brass Band Aid. They are putting on a concert as part of their contribution towards the money-raising effort for this very worthwhile project. The award-winning band has so far negotiated a very busy year and it’s going to get even busier over the next few weeks and months.
The Brass Band aid concert is being held at 7pm on July 22nd at the Salvation Army Citadel in Raikes Parade Blackpool. Tickets cost £5.00 and are available at the Citadel reception or by calling Dave Hall on 07752 035697 or Phil Sherlock on 07779 807795. It will also be possible to pay on the door on the evening of the concert. Why not make a day of it, come and spend the day in Blackpool and finish off with a great concert for a worthwhile cause in the evening 15/7/06 |
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St. Ronan's Silver Band's New Conductor |
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St.
Ronan's Silver Band has appointed Alex
Knox as its new Conductor. Alex
conducted the Band at the 2006 Scottish Championships and following the
resignation of David McLeod, he has been appointed as the Band's full-time
Conductor. David
made the decision to step down after almost four years at the helm. Since
David came to the Band, there have had many successes, including a win in the
Borders Entertainment Contest and promotion to the 2nd Section for
the first time in the Band's long history. There have also been many
memorable concert programmes enjoyed by hundreds of the Band's supporters.
David has taken this decision, not to join another band, but to enable him to
spend more time with his family and to concentrate on his playing and work
commitments. Alex Knox was born in Edinburgh in 1966.
He took up music when he joined Newbattle High School in Midlothian, where he
was taught Cornet, Tenor Horn and eventually French Horn. After obtaining Higher
Music at School, he followed the footsteps of his three elder bothers and joined
the Army as a musician, when he enlisted into the Royal Scots at the Junior
Infantry Depot in Aberdeen in 1983. After a further year's musical training at
the Royal Military School of Music (Kneller Hall), he was posted to the
Regimental Band of the 1st Battalion The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) where
he served in Germany, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. In 1991 he carried out his
secondary role as a Medical Assistant in the 1st Gulf War.
Both the Band and Alex are looking forward to working together on the many projects planned for the future. 31/5/06 |
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Yorkshire & Humberside Golden Anniversary |
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The Yorkshire & Humberside Brass band Association celebrates
its 50th anniversary this year. Although it is one of the younger associations,
it has one of the largest memberships. The association has been planning various
ways to celebrate this milestone in its history for the past 18 months and has
come up with something for everyone.
A new piece of music has been commissioned from Goff Richards. A Yorkshire Fantasy and it is ready to be premiered at an anniversary concert given by the Grimethorpe Colliery UK Coal Band to be held in Ripon Cathedral on 15th July 2006. A copy of this music will be given to all the member bands of the association after the concert. The following day, Grimethorpe's conductor Richard Evans is staying on in Ripon to take a conductors' workshop. This workshop is open to anyone who would like to learn from the Maestro, it is a full day event kicking off at 9.30 till 4.30. Tuition in the morning followed by practice with the local band in the afternoon. Refreshments including a light lunch are provided and it will be limited to the first 20 applicants. Cost is £20 and enquiries should be directed to Peter Gilby on 01765 60049. For anyone wanting to spend the weekend in Ripon, the local Rowel players and the Ripon City Band have teamed up to put on the stage play of Brassed Off in the local leisure centre on the 12th, 13th and 14th July. Tickets available from Peter Gilby above. 23/5/06 |
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Blackpool Brass Sponsorship |
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The search for financial help for Brass Bands can often be a
fruitless quest, but Blackpool Brass were delighted when they were told that the
Community Foundation for Merseyside would be able to help them with purchasing
some new concert jackets. The old ones had seen better days and with marches in
the rain and bandstand jobs in bright sunshine, as well as new jackets
added over the years, this resulted in an unusual array of differing colours of
red, so a change was necessary.
The Community Foundation for Merseyside, known as SURF in the Blackpool area, donated £5,000, which meant that the band was able to purchase from Roger Handley a complete set of new jackets. Added to that figure was another of £500, which has enabled the Blackpool Brass Junior Band to purchase a new Tenor Horn and 2 sets of music which they are enjoying immensely. The Community Foundation for Merseyside is willing to help needy organisations including Brass Bands and they would be worth contacting on 0151 966 4604. Needless to say that Blackpool Brass are very grateful indeed to the foundation and are now looking very smart once more in their new red jackets. 22/5/06 |
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Whitwell Band Bike Ride |
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A group of Whitwell
Band members endured a wet May Sunday afternoon on a sponsored bike ride.
Over £200 has been raised for band funds from the event.
The 25 mile route took the cyclists from Whitwell, to Clumber Park and Creswell Crags before returning back to base. There were a few sore backsides at rehearsal the day after! The next concert for the band is a Proms Concert, at the Whitwell Community Centre on Thursday 18th May. Don't forget your Union Flags, and be ready for a bit of a sing-song. Tickets will be available on the door. 8/5/06 |
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Southern Counties BB Association AGM |
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Following their Annual General Meeting on Sunday 2nd April 2006 at Godalming Band Room, the Southern Counties Amateur Bands Association are pleased to make the following announcements. Due to the resignation Dennis Wilby last October, the posts of Chairman, Public Relations Officer and Editor of the Association's Quarterly Journal, The Bugle, were vacant SCABA are pleased to announce that John Williams, Musical Director of the Hangleton Band, has accepted the role of Chairman and David Sheedy, Soprano Cornet and Band Manager of the KM Medway Concert Brass, has taken on the posts of Public Relations Officer and Editor of The Bugle. SCABA would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Dennis and Margaret Wilby for their hard work and dedication to the Association over the past few years and give our best wishes to them both for the future. After yet another successful day at our Annual Quartet and Ensemble contest at Ringmer, we would like to announce the following changes to the format for 2007 event. The 1st section and open quartet events shall be combined allowing a new Youth and Junior Slow melody section to be added to event. The Association hopes that this will yet further promote playing among younger people and help ensure the future of brass bands in the region. 14/4/06 |
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RNCM Conductor Training Weekend |
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Although not a brass band event, budding conductors will no doubt
gain a lot from the RNCM's training weekend with internationally acclaimed
Baldur Brönnimann (www.baldur.info) and
Stockport Symphony Orchestra.
The course will focus on key practical issues including conducting technique, leadership, interpretation, rehearsal and preparation. In addition to sessions with orchestra, there will be theory classes and workshops with rehearsal pianists. The weekend will culminate in a celebratory concert performance of Brahms's Hungarian Dances No 1, 3, 10, Kodaly's Dances of Galanta and Beethoven's Symphony No 3 Op 55, Eroica. If you're free either Saturday 29/4/06 or Sunday 30/4/06 and would be interested in joining them, please contact Holly Marland on 0161 907 5283. Full information pack available at http://www.rncm.ac.uk/?_id=1039 9/4/06 |
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In 1992, he was selected to attend the 3-year Bandmaster's Course, again at the
Royal Military School of Music. On completion of this course in 1995, he was
awarded 7 prizes including best original composition and best overall Student
Bandmaster. He also attained the highest marks in the Ministry of Defence
Bandmaster examinations and was awarded with the Silver Medal from the
Worshipful Company of Musicians for musical achievement. In 1996, he was
appointed Bandmaster of The Gibraltar Regiment, where he spent 18 months before
taking up the appointment as Bandmaster of the Light Division in Winchester. In
January 2000, Captain Alex Knox was commissioned and appointed as Director of
Music of the Royal Irish Regiment. Captain Knox retired from the Army in 2006.