News from the World of Brass Bands

The Year 2005

Stocksbridge Band Moves

The Stocksbridge Band of Sheffield UK, has moved bandroom to The Peggy Tub Club on Manchester Road, near Stocksbridge town centre, because of the refurbishment of their previous home at the Victory Club. The band is well known in the area for its series of band concerts which attract some of the best bands in the area.

Isobel Radford, chairman of the band, told The Brass Band Portal that "[our] popular series of concerts and Band Club will be held as usual at The Peggy Tub and [we are] looking forward to welcoming everyone at this new venue."

The band's Christmas concert will be held on Sunday, 18 December 2005 at 8.00 pm, entrance £5 payable at the door and the Band Club’s first concert will be on Sunday, 15 January 2006 at 8.00 pm. All are welcome and entrance to the Band Club is free. Further bands will be featured most Sunday evenings until April 2006.

Isobel Radford

13/12/05

Band helps with church funds

In March this year, Holy Trinity Church in Larkfield, Kent, suffered some serious structural damage. The cross above the gable of the church came loose and fell away, causing the surrounding stonework to fall.

Several members of the KM Medway Concert Brass play at the church as part of the monthly family services and within the last few years, two members of the band were married there, soon followed by the Baptism of their son this summer.

Upon hearing of the misfortune the band offered its services to the church. "Given the happiness the band has seen there, it was the very least we could do" said the band's manager, David Sheedy. "Obviously we have had to wait until the initial re-instatement work had been completed, but as that is now complete we are now able to perform a concert to help fund the re-build ".

The concert will be held at the Church at 7.30pm, Saturday 29th October. Tickets are £5 each, and are available by calling either the Band on 07752102579 or the church on 01732845731

David Sheedy

1/10/05

Saltash Band celebrates 30 years

Saltash Town Band, Robert Julian, celebrated their 30th Birthday at Saltash Community School on Friday, 29th July. The audience was kept entertained by the Town Band, Youth and Training Bands, and by the guest John Honywill, on Piano. David Dobson, as a special guest and former Musical Director of the band, conducted "Celtic Song", written by his son, Simon.

Ernie Reynolds, was the compere for the evening.

Many friends and guests continued the celebrations the following evening at The Cecil Arms, Saltash, with a Barbecue (and yet another Raffle). Everyone was very merry and helped raise some much needed pennies towards the Band's New Uniform Appeal.

Tina Fulcher

5/8/05

Hawthorn Band Re-union

The Hawthorn Band from Victoria, Australia has had a successful history of performance and competition for over 115 years.

With a new era dawning taking the band to new levels, the band is updating its database of past players, conductors and friends that have been part of their culture.

The plans to host a re-union will be discussed at the band's Annual General Meeting on the 18th August.

They invite all those players, conductors and friends that have been a part of the band's history to contact Brett Lucas, the secretary, on +61 3 9769 4914 or via email.

Gordon Lindsay

31/7/05

Belvoir Castle Results

The Belvoir Castle Entertainment Contest, organised by the North East Midlands Brass Band Association, was held on 19/6/05 in very hot conditions. The adjudicator was Barry Thompson:

1st: Stonesfield Silver
2nd: Long Eaton Silver Prize Band
3rd: Kirkby Colliery
4th: Melton Borough

Solo prize: Eddie Yarker (baritone, Stonesfield Silver).

Sharon Stansfield

25/6/05

Weston Super Mare Results

The Weston Super Mare contest was held on 15/5/05.

**4th Section**
Verwood Concert Brass	Paul Norley	180	A Mendip Celebration	Darrol Barry
Bream Silver	Huw Cole	179	Music For A Festival	Philip Sparke
Severn Tunnel	S. Crawford	177	Northern Landscapes	Peter Graham

Best Soloist – Euphonium Severn Tunnel

Adjudicator - Malcolm Brownbill

**3rd Section**
Newbridge (Celynen) Brass	Paul Holland	185	Prisms	Peter Graham
Portishead	Rhodri Grifiths	183	Oceans	Goff Richards
Leicestershire Co-op	Graham Jacklin	180	Oceans	Goff Richards

Best basses - Portishead

Adjudicator - Malcolm Brownbill

**2nd section**
Lympstone South West Telecoms	Charles Flemming	185	Purcell Variations	Kenneth Downie
Blaenavon Town	Malcolm Jones	184	Dimensions	Peter Graham
Corsham	Maria Fricker	183	Music For A Festival	Philip Sparke

Best Euphonium - Blaenavon

**Championship and 1st sections**
Abergavenny Borough Band	Alun F Williams	191	Chivalry	Martin Ellerby
City of Bristol	Andrew Jones	190	Connotations	Edward Gregson
Treherbert	Graham Sheppard	189	Diadem of Gold	Frank Wright

Best Cornet – Treherbert Soprano

Adjudicator - Roy Roe

Next year's contest – 21^st May 2006

Mark Smith

17/5/05

Contest on the Radio

ABC 774 radio in Melbourne, Australia, is to run a brass band contest entitled The Evening Show Brass Band Competition between April and June 2005. The competition pits Melbourne's five A grade brass bands against each other in a live competition each Wednesday night on The Evening Show.

Each band performs a small concert and after each performance, judges and online voters rate the performance. The overall winner receives The Australian Broadcasting Commission Brass Band Shield and returns to the Iwaki Auditorium on the 8th of June with the runner up to perform a full concert.

Broadcasts (starting 8pm AEST):

27th April - Moreland City Band
4th May - Darebin City Band
11th May - Hawthorn Band
25th May - Footscray and Yarraville Band
8th June - Finale

For further information, visit, The Evening Show Brass Band Competition site.

27/3/05