British Open countdown - 10 days to go

2-Sep-2009
Star soprano player Alan Wycherley reveals his personal high and low of playing at the British Open

Alan will play with Foden’s at this year’s British Open. He has been part of the winning band on four occasions—1979 with Fairey, 1994 with BNFL and 2004 & 2008 with Foden’s.

High point

"The undoubted high point was my very first British Open win in 1979 with Fairey.

The band played brilliantly under Walter Hargreaves, but it was being able to share the victory with my father at the announcement of the results that made it so special.

Dad had played for so many years with Creswell Colliery on Bb bass and the nearest he came was a second place.

As soon as number 12 was announced I shot up in the air with delight, and Dad followed about a second later—he was slower than me by then—so by the time I was sat back down he was cheering on his feet. You just can’t beat that—he was so proud and it meant so much to us both."

'As soon as number 12 was announced I shot up in the air with delight, and Dad followed about a second later'

~ Alan Wycherely

Other side of the coin

As for the other side of the Open coin?

"Les Preludes with Bram Tovey in 2001.

Difficult to put into words, but it was an honour to be part of that performance.

Contesting is a funny business and we accept results as they come—good or bad, but the feeling of playing under such a great conductor who asked the band to play the music in the way he wanted it and for us to do just that was something else.

The result was really disappointing of course, but in retrospect it was in a way a real musical highlight of my career."

The British Open - 1979

Alan's part in a memorable win is recalled with a new article, as part of our 2009 Open coverage:

http://www.4barsrest.com/articles/2009/1043.asp