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22 September 2017 -
News Update
Since my last news update the summer has come and gone I’m afraid, however we have been very busy with different events.
The Church Music Festival, supported by a grant from Arts Council England, was a huge success and our guest artists, Gary Sieling (Organ), Jemima Phillips (Harp), Osian Griffiths and Wynne Evans, all thrilled the audience with their wonderful performances.
The Porthcawl Male Voice Choir, who performed at the Welsh Evening, was fantastic and really appreciated by the capacity audience.
The band had successful concerts at Stroud Subscription Rooms (on the hottest day of the summer) and at Malvern Bandstand where we dodged the storms!
The Training Band performed at Highnam Court at a fundraising event for the Great Oaks Hospice where more than £1,000 was raised during the afternoon. They also performed in Lydbrook for the Orchard Trust Summer Fayre, where over £3,000 was raised for the Trust.
Our own Garden Party at Lydbrook House (courtesy of Mrs. Ann Hayes) was enjoyed by everyone who attended on a lovely summer afternoon.
The Training Band were out again straight after the summer break, taking part in the play ‘Passing the Baton’ with Wyldwood Arts, which told the story of Lydbrook Band in fact and fiction. A great evening was had by all who came along to a packed village Memorial Hall.
We now move on to my 60th Anniversary Concert on 30th September at the Forest Theatre where the band will be joined by some brilliant soloists and conductors. We have Brett Baker on Trombone, Glyn Williams on Euphonium, Steve and Carlton Sykes on Tuba and Jarnfrid Gunnarson from Norway on Cornet. The conducting will be shared by Ian Holmes, Glyn Williams, Brian Howard, Remigijus Vilys and Tom Brevik.
Although the concert is now sold out it’s always worth a telephone call towards the end of the week to see if any tickets have been returned (telephone Barbara on 01594 860944).
We are then off to Torquay on Saturday 4th November to take part in the South West Brass Band Association Contest where we will be conducted by Glyn Williams (there are 13 bands entered in our section).
Our Christmas Concert this year is on Saturday 16th December when our guests will be the Blaenavon Male Voice Choir. Tickets at £9.00 each can be obtained from Barbara on 01594 860944 and are on sale now.
We are pleased to welcome a couple of new players to the band; Mark Gaisford joins on 1st Horn from City of Bristol Band, following Marie Pearse’s family move to Exeter and Ian Walshaw joins on 1st Baritone following a spell in Yorkshire with Carlton Main and Yorkshire Imperial bands.
We would like to wish Marie, Les, Thomas and Gemma all the best for their relocation and hope to see them soon at future brass band events.
More news as we move into the winter months.
Robert Morgan
Secretary