Comments ~ 2004: March

Comments from March 2004

Fox in the Box?

Well done 4BR! After travelling to hear the bands at both the Championship Sections at Wales and the West of England, all I can say is - why weren't you in the box?

Mr Fox seems to have a good ear and for once (and possibly only for once!) I was in full agreement with all his comments - and very witty they were too! Nice to read reports from someone no scared to say what he thinks. Keep it up!

Bob Winston
Weston

Standards are slipping

After just coming back from the West of England Championships I would like to say that even though it was an enjoyable two days of contesting, the standard of playing in the Region seems to have dropped away somewhat over the past few years.

What William Relton was drinking I don't know, but his comments seemed to be over generous to say the least. The standard of playing in the top section (after the top two bands) was average if that, with at least four bands giving performances that were not Championship Section standard.

I agreed with all your comments on the playing, and I look forward to reading what you thought about the First Section, which was, apart from the winners, one of the porest I have heard for many a year. Can any band at this level play quietly without losing the prroduction? It appeared not.

Ray Gould

Remember the Flowers!

Just a quickie - I received a copy of the above CD (2003 Spennymoor Brass in Concert) which I ordered on your site!! - Great service by the way.

Do you know why every band apart from Flowers are mentioned on the back of the CD??

I have emailed Doyen but with no response and Flowers aren't aware of any problems either, maybe being in the know you may be able to shed some light.

I hope it isn't a case of because they are a southern band then they are not important?!?!


Lee Downie
Ex-Flowers Percussion

4BR Reply:

We are sure it is an oversight. 4BR received a preview copy which also didn't have Flowers name on the back, but also contained at least two additional tracks from Grimethorpe. These were omitted from the final pressing (reasons unknown) and the Flowers name was missed out as well. We are sure it wasn't done on purpose, and it doesn't detract from a very fine "live" CD.

There's no hope like Stanhope

Many thanks re the comments on Stanhope Silver Band and the predictions for the area's this weekend. Just one amendment, our principal cornet player, Victoria Buddin, 15yrs, (one of 10 young players in contest seats under 16 yrs old), won both the solo prizes at the Durham league contest not one.....she is a super player.

As already mentioned the band is relatively young, the players have been brought up from the junior band, which now boasts 24 players, all up and coming. Given that we live in an extremely remote and rural area, the band is progressing well. However, the younger players are still developing their contest experience so we aren't expecting great things this year, having said that, we hope we give a good show!

We are building for the future, having raised over £34k in the last 8 months, we are developing and extending our band house into a teaching and examination centre. On completion, and tens of thousand pounds later! we will boast a suite of PC's with latest version of sibelius, digital piano, recording equipment and grand piano, for accompaniment and guest solo concerts. In addition to sound proofed practice rooms, office, meeting room, music and resource library, the band will have a purpose built rehearsal room large enough to accommodate the band and full percussion. No more squeezing in of the timps, marimba and tubular bells! The senior Band meets every monday evening, theory classes are held an hour prior to rehearsal. Junior band meets on tuesday evenings and beginners/ one to one tuition takes place on thursdays, so we are quite busy really, and lots of band widows and widowers at home!!

The Band has a solid foundation in the community, %99 of the players all resident in the dale. The support from the community and a hard working commitee is superb and central to the bands continued success.

It is our vision to continue to progress and develop the band and a range of other musical genres in the Dale, offering free tuition, instruments and opportunities to perform and contest on an individual and group basis. Who knows, in a few years we may even be the next Horden.........smiles

Bob
Stanhope Silver Band

Scottish Percussion?

When I was at the Scottish Championships, I noticed that the top three winning bands took their own percussion on stage with them. Now I remember at one band practise that the band was told from SBBA (from a letter) that because the piece (Tristan Encounters) had that much percussion in it, all the bands were to use the percussion on stage supplied.

Now this sickings me in a few ways, the top leading band in Scotland, the Scottish Co-op should be leading an example, also all these bands supplying their own percussion ran over the time limit of 5 minutes to get on stage and start with there first note, and also the president of the band coming in 2nd place Kenny Crookston is a high up member of the SBBA and you would think that this band would follow SBBA's letter or there isn't really a need for SBBA is there? If all the bands on the day done this trick, the contest would have run onto the early hours of the next morning and SBBA would have a big problem. I don't see why one rule applies to one band and not the other. This isn't the first year this problem has occurred, and a really think it is a bit of cheating, yes we all like playing with our own instruments, but come on.

Well done to all the bands who did what SBBA said, and can I just say I think Dalmellington didn't deserve to go down, but hold your heads up high, because the Scottish Co-op went down ten years ago also. Can I also say well done Mr Hugh Johnston who is coming up 80 years of age and Sbba still phone him up every year to help slave about the stage with percussion.

Chris Dale

King and Flixton

Just read the article about David King playing at the area and would like to make a correction to the comment that this is first time in a decade that David has played in a contest. In 1999 he helped out Flixton band for the North West area playing on the front row. I have a link that directs you to this information- which I can also verify because I was on the stage with him!

Julie Pickering, Flixton Band

Bass solo wanted

I am writing to you for help. I am currently solo E flat bass with Queensferry community band. The reason for this mail is I am hoping that you may be able to recomend a solo for me and the band, I am grade 8 however as you already know the band are part of the 4th section.

Kirsty Adams

4br reply:
Anyone know a suitable bass solo?

Erroneous McCann details

Your news item about Mr.McCann returning to Faireys is erroneous when it states that Philip first joined Faireys "Fresh from Scotland". Phil was brought down from Scotland "Lock stock and Haggis" to join Yorkshire Imps in 1964 by the then Band Controller, the late Tim Shackleton, a really great guy. Phil's Mum and Dad were found employment and housing by the company, (Even Grandad McCann came South !!) and Phil himself worked in the cost dept.

I worked in the Sales Dept, and later; Roy Roe worked in export Dept alongside Ian Craddock, and Fred Muscroft worked in "Plastics Dept" - the late Tom Gommersall (ex Welsh Guards) a fine Euphonium player (and man), worked as a Superviser in the factory. (Several other bandsmen were employed in various capacities by the Company.)

Phil left to join Faireys in 1967/68 to replace Norman Ashcroft who was retiring (Norman had depped on a few jobs for Imps and realised Phils' potential).

Phils Dad continued to work in the Company "Fittings Dept" for many years. After his departure, Imps, signed the great Irvine Vaines as Principal for a year, to be followed by the fabulous Graham Walker who served Imps with distinction through a glorious period. Just to put the record straight, Phils' band history is :- 1) Bo'ness and Carriden 2) Kinniel 3) Yorkshire Imps (Four years) 4) Faireys 5) Black Dyke.

Tim Shackleton deserves the credit for recognising Philip's potential and introducing him to the "English Top Section"

I really appreciate how much "Graft" goes into 4barsrest and enjoy it hugely - keep up the good (if sometimes controversial !!!) work.

Ian C. Wilkinson

Meaningless Titles

I would take John Roberts to task over his "Meaningless Titles" comment.

A Doctorate or Professorship is an indication of a mental discipline to achieve a recognised qualification - a personal dedication to progression.

John Roberts - how dare you demean Trevor Walmsley by disparaging his Distinguished Flying Cross?

Trevor piloted a Mosquito with the RAF Pathfinder Squadron in WW2 which went into enemy territory to drop flares and mark out Military targets for the brave men of Bomber Command who followed.

These Pathfinders were attacked by enemy fighters and anti aircraft fire and suffered heavy losses. Without brave flyers like Trevor, who knows what would have happened to Britain in the dark days.

To put DFC after your name is not a footling affectation - it is a statement and recognition of selfless bravery. John Roberts, Trevor Walmsley laid his life on the line to make YOUR future free and Democratic. You don't risk your life to get a Dr. or a Prof.

You will say it has no relevance to Brass Bands - it certainly has relevance to the man.

Ian C. Wilkinson

BBTV reply

That's a cracking letter from Simon Oates about BBTV.

Most of us have watched so much telly that we know at least a little bit about the incredible costs involved in creating programmes - but it could be done. Over the years many channels have "Piggy-backed" on the same frequency at different times of the day- One of the kids channels could be used from 7pm etc. etc. Also, some recently added channels just play old 60's shows and pay royalties - they have no creativity at all but have found the money and a niche audience. We would be a strong candidate for arts/lottery/government funding to balance out the trashy trends in TV.

But it's not always about money, it's often about timing and about contacts -a wonderful thing about our movement is the diversity of trades and professions taking part.. there must be a contact somewhere within our own social circles. Some of the channels already available are just so crappy that if we were presented properly with various aspects left hanging each night or each week it could be entertaining. - What we need is the talent to put it together - If wallpaper can be exciting - or digging ditches and planting triffids - I'm sure we can be!

Maybe we could share the idea with other forms of traditional amateur musicians likely to appeal to each other - choirs, wind bands, small ensembles, organists etc.

Whatever - but you have to admit that most of us, given the emerging diversity of the last couple of decades must at least imagine it to be possible.

Keith Wardle

Well done Scotland

Gosh. I noted at long last two adjudicators at the most important contest of the year - In all sections! Well done the Scots lets hope other regions follow your lead.

Graham Rix

You Legend

What a performance!! I only ordered this CD on Friday and have now already listened to it once - just beginning the 2nd run through !!

Just to say thanks for the speedy shipping - you are a credit to mailing - so many firms take weeks to send out their merchandise.

Peter J. McDowell

Unsightly tears

I recently brought a brand new Besson 967 Euph, I noted that it was a slightly different design (i.e the siting if the lyer securing point) Anyway 2 months old and that "new feature" seems to have resulted a rather unsightly tear in the lining of the case. Has anyone else experienced similar goings on or has yours truly just been unlucky

Dave Woollam United Norwest 2000

Sympathy for Ashton

I can sympathise with the Ashton band , (this has happened to our band several times) and their loss of principal cornet at such short notice. I read the rules in January and immediately saw the use of "new registrations" and how that could be used up to the last minute.

Top and bottom of it - don't ever transfer a player on the run upto a contest. Cancel the card and re-register upto 3 days before the contest. The only anomaly is the four week transfer period. Get rid of it because it doesn't do what is intended. (i.e. prevent players transferring between bands on the run up to a contest)

One other point - registry cards are owned by the registry and players can come and go as they please. Feel free to discuss it at band and make your displeasure felt but players can vote with their feet. Nothing you do can stop the process if a player and receiving band want it to happen.

Simon Davies

Think carefully...

4barsrest needs to think more carefully about their predictions! Bands can fold in a year and many are struggling for players (which is why the first section is smaller this year).

There are even bands still attending the first section competition who are only just scraping enough players together!

You can't make predictions on previous results either, because they are all down to individual adjudicators. Come on people...think about it for goodness sake!!!!!

Caroline Irwin

4br reply:
Thanks for that Caroline. Why do you think we call them dodgy predictions?

Improvement needed?

I think the 4BR band ranking system could be slightly improved. It appears that the number of ranking points awarded for say 1st place is not just based on the ranking of bands beaten into 2nd, 3rd, 4th place etc. It is also based on the current ranking of the band. Yes if the best band wins, they get points proportional to their existing ranking points!

I quite agree that if, say, Clapham Junction Town Band (hypothetical 4th section band) play extraordinarily well and beat YBS in a two-band contest, Clapham get about 20 points in the 4BR system and shoot up to 50th in the rankings. But if YBS come first, YBS collects 20 points and climbs above Fodens and Cory in the ranking (according to the current table). But the reality is: everyone expects YBS to beat Clapham Junction Town Band. No-one believes YBS is a better band for such a win, and certainly shouldn't make strides up the rankings for it.

Of course this flaw only affects things when you have bands with widely varying points competing together. But it means bands know they can climb several places in the rankings by thrashing some much lower ranked bands. It might add a lot of prestige for a lowly contest to have a top band there: this is a very good thing for the movement, but not something we should award ranking points for.

Perhaps Mr Casey would clarify this part of the ranking system? Also, as the system matures and more confidence is built on it - have you ever thought about publishing the number of ranking points to be awarded to each placing in the build up to each contest? This may cause endless post-rehearsal speculation about what the rankings might become, just like in football.

David Read (not the adjudicator)

Weber details answered

Rebecca Owen asks if Weber's concertino for Eb Clarinet has been published with Brass band accompaniment. I am assuming that the Weber's Concertino arranged by Michael Kenyon for tenor horn is one and the same. It is published by SP&S. It may be worth contacting World of Brass for Information .

Mike Saunders

Last again...

I hope I speak for all involved down here in the "west of england area" when i ask why are we always the last area. This is somewhat of a puzzle to me. Someone has to be the last area , then it should be a draw each and every year. Obviously this is not directed at 4barsrest, but to see if someone out there has an answer. I feel it unfair as the bands in each and every section that qualify have to try and find hotels each and every year, we have a hard job to find hotels in close proximity as the best and closest are all gone before we get a look in. I hope someone can come up with a good enough explanation to this simple question.

Steven Day, Bodmin Town Band

Thoughts on Stevenage...

Having attended the recent area at Stevenage I felt compelled to write about the result anyway, but even more so having now read your retrospective. I personally thought on the day that the contest was clearly between Alliance Brass and Aveley & Newham. However I do understand that the only opinion that counts is the one in the box, but hopefully lively debate and differences of opinion are an integral part of banding!!I have a couple of questions as a result.... here goes:

In your review of the Redbridge performance you said that there was attention to various tempi, yet at the end of the piece despite the lack of any ritenuto mark they did the most enormous pull up (not strictly at the same time either) In the Ellerby article on your site he clearly states that the end of the piece is a mirror of the opening. It's a small quibble to start with, but pertinant, I think.

This leads to a further question though. Is it not the duty of the man in the box to be aware of the composers wishes as much as is possible? Maybe he commented on it to the band in question, but when it seems to be a rather important feature of the work according to the composer and there is no rit mark one would hope he noticed. ‘In my beginning is my end. In my end is my beginning.'

Another point from your article is the mention of errors costing Aveley & Newham. Their's wasn't an error free performance, but what of the three crashing wrong entries of the timpani for Redbridge? Did these not count? Again I quote Mr Ellerby "I am also keen to acknowledge the contribution made by percussionists in contemporary works for the medium" There were
errors round the band in both performances, but apart from a dodgy glock moment from Aveley the percussion was at least in the right place (and together at the end!). Does this devalue the contribution from both bands kitchen-sink departmants? Answers on a postcard...

And now to Alliance...

These chaps are obviously a talented bunch of fine players, I don't think anyone could quibble about that. But, as you say yourself they sound like a classical brass ensemble. If a "classical" sound is what is wanted why not just have a straight transcription of the Prelude to Tristan and have done with it. (Though if memory serves, on the transcription of Enigma Variations at the finals last year the classical sound didn't cut much ice as they came 19th) Tristan Encounters is a Brass Band piece and, as such, should sound like that. I was under the impression that this is a brass band contest, not a "classical ensemble" contest. However they play well together and have undoubted ability, but what use is that when the big guns at the Nationals will blow them away?

This is obviously just one opinion out of many, but I did think that the contest was between the accuracy of Alliance against the traditional (if slightly more error prone) Aveley & Newham with Redbridge bringing up the rear (was it just me or did their MD look less than pleased post performance...?)

I do hope that for the sake of the area's standing that the two bands put in a better showing at the Nationals than last year though (It would be nice to have a London band somewhere near the 7th place I think it was Aveley managed a few years ago)

Keep up the good work reporting on the banding world 4barsrest,

Peter Jolly.

Why June?

Does anyone know *why* the pieces for the nationals are not being announced until the first of June?

William Elsom, Fulham Brass

Is There Anybody There ?

I was unable to attend the recent North West Regional Contest due to ill health, and so unable to see my grandson's band compete in the third section.

I was therefore looking forward to your retrospective reports, which usually give a flavour of the day. You certainly give their arrival much publicity on your site.

What a disappointment when they did eventually arrive.

It appeared that the Championship and First sections were reported by someone who actually attended those contests. Unfortunately, the reports from the other sections (particularly 2nd & 3rd) looked as though your team had merely got hold of the adjudicator's remarks, and summarised each performance from them. Certainly, there were no names at the bottom of these reports.

If this is the case, then why not be honest, and state that the reports are summaries of the adjudicator's remarks.

I realise that at this venue you probably didn't have many correspondents present, and that sections were competing at the same time. However, please do not pretend to have attended a contest if you didn't. Your readers have come to expect more.

Ted Rishton, Southport

4br reply:
Sorry to disappoint you Ted. Our reporters heard everyband in the North West. If you don't think our reports we up to scratch - we apologise. We'll try harder next year!

Steve Freckleton

As a former player with Langley Band, I was delighted to hear of the band's success in winning the First Section of the Midlands Area contest.

This delight was soon overshadowed by the tragic news of the death of Steve Freckleton.

I played soprano cornet with Langley Band from 1977 to '79, and during that time, Steve gave me a great amount of encouragement and support, for which I am forever grateful.

Steve was a true bandsman, who will be sorely missed.

Gordon Jenkins
Soprano, Whitburn

On a Mission...

My name is Pat Misson, living in Brisbane Australia.
I am trying to ascertain whether there would be records of people connected with brass bands in the mid 1800's.

I recently commenced researching my family's history and learned that my gt.gt.grandfather, a John Smith, declared his profession as Bandmaster on the wedding certificate of his son, John Smith, in Manchester 1875.

I realise that your organisation would not be in possession of such records, but hoped you might be able to direct me to a source.

My father, Horace Smith, played in brass bands all his life, particularly euphonium for Bessies O' The Barn, and Wingates Temperance; also his older brother William Sheldrick Smith (Billy) played cornet for Fairie Aviation. It is because of this family connection I am hoping to find John Smith senior in brass banding.

I would appreciate any suggestions you might be able to offer.

Pat Misson
misson@itxpress.com.au

Meaningless titles

I couldn't agree more re your editorial. I have several contest programmes from the 50s to early - mid 70s when conductors were merely listed by initials e.g. Fairey Aviation - H. Mortimer, G.U.S (Footwear) - S. Boddington, Grimethorpe Colliery - E. Howarth, Black Dyke Mills, P. Parkes.etc - much more egalitarian...

References to conductor's honours are pretty amusing - over the years I can recall DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) and BEM as the most irrelevant.

John Roberts

Medical advice...

I am not a doctor, but a Clinical Nurse Practitioner.
I suggest to the soprano player of the Freckleton Band, that they speak to the neurologist in charge of their care. Many things have to be considered
in this case. I do not know whether the player had surgery following this small hamorrhage, and whether or not the weak vessel was 'clipped'. The
circumstances leading to the bleed would probably have been due to high blood pressure and therefore one would hope that this player is being
treated with medications to ensure the blood pressure is maintained within normal limits. However, I am not a medic, but an experienced nurse, but I am connected with two brass bands (Pennine Brass, and Rochdale Borough Youth
Band), and can fully understand the demands of playing the soprano cornet!!

My advice is - speak to your neurologist they are the specialists and they will be able to advise you more in depth.

Julie Mills

On the lookout...

I am desperately looking for an arrangement of Carl Maria von Weber's Concertino in Eb for clarinet with Brass band accompaniment rather than the usual Orchestral accompaniment. I know it exists but i cannot and dont know how to get hold of it. Does anyone know where i could get a set of parts for it as i would like to play it in a future concert.

Does anyone know of any other works for solo clarinet that have Brass Band arranged accompaniments?

Thankyou for your help,

Rebecca Owen.

BBTV - now there's an idea

I am of the view that the brass band movement as a whole has ridden the storm well coming this far through what has been a very difficult couple of decades for us as a whole. I can see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel and as long as it isn't a distant torch light of someone placing more obstacles for us all, the road to recovery for the movement is not far away.

We have seen some well established and respected casualties along the way, most famously being CWS Manchester, William Davis Construction to name but a few and well respected and high profile contests such as Granada Band of the Year.

Perhaps it is a case of survival of the fittest leaving the bands that remain healthier and leaving capacity for new contests to develop and flourish in to high profile events.

The BBC has rightfully supported our movement for many years in its programme 'Listen to the Band', albeit just limited to a maximum of thirty minutes a week and I recall writing to Classic FM when it was launched to develop a rival programme so as to encourage competition.

Radio 2 is currently resting on its laurels as far as we are concerned. It knows that as long as it gives us 30 minutes a week not much will be said and they will remain the National broadcasting channel for brass bands. Competition does us all good and as soon as a National commercial broadcaster takes an interest in us you will see an upward curve in coverage on the BBC.

The same has happened in brass band journalism. I used to buy 'The mouthpiece', 'Brass Band News' and the 'British Bandsman' until the last one bought out the previous two. It was then that journalistic standards dropped because the competition went. We can all remember buying two sheets of paper that represented itself as our weekly publication.

The influx of new journalism for brass bands such as Brass Band World, The Brass Herald and 4BarsRest has undoubtedly concentrated the minds of all resulting in what has once again been an upturn in attention to us all and the standard of journalism. Consumers are pleased with the transformation of two sheets of paper becoming glossy magazines with free supplements almost every other week.

What is now required in this digital television revolution is our very own Brass Band TV channel. A channel that televises contests, concerts, brass band news and even a pundit panel to review performances and judges placings (like they do on Grandstand after a dodgy penalty).

We could operate it every evening starting at 7pm through to midnight and show every performance of every regional contest, brass festival, European championships... the material is endless.

If other channels keep going that sell cheap shiny tat and holidays then I am sure we can do it too with the odd instrument and product review to help fund it from sales.

If the BBC are not going to show the world the standard of brass music in this present day then let's do it ourselves.

Simon Oates
Managing Editor, BBTV?
Lincoln

Associations...

Having read you editorial about brass band associations and problems with sorting out issues between member bands, I can only agree with the sentiment you express.

We may well be one of the bands that you mention that had a problem with it's association, and not received satisfactory support in investigating the grievance. We had a player forge a signature on a day transfer to play for another band. For this that player is now serving a twelve month suspension from playing in all competitions.

This did not however stop that player playing in an association contest for which the rules would seem to have been manipulated to suit some of the association committee members own bands.

Having decided not to attend the association's recent AGM on the basis that it took almost three months to receive a reply to our letter of protest, (and that letter passed the buck to the registry who two months earlier had already banned the player) we are now considering whether there is a benefit to being a member of the association at all. The least we expected was the support of our association when we were clearly the wronged party in this instance.

My personal preference would be to scrap all associations and start again with some sort of elected body that will listen to the needs of the brass band world and have the power to act decisively and not promote individuals self interests.

David Harding
Chairman Drybrook & District Silver Band

Steve Freckleton

On behalf of the Enderby Band I would like to express both our sincere thanks and condolences to the friends and family of Steven Freckleton at Langley Band. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances with our own Bass Trombone's mother, we lost him at very short notice for him to be by her side. Steven was asked to step into the void, and accepted. It seemed to us that Steven was only to willing help us out and put in an admirable performance of Coventry Variations for the second time in only a short space of time. Steven even went to the extent of offering his services to the band for any rehearsals and concerts over the coming weeks if our current players' problems had not been resolved. In only a short space of time, our experience only reinforces the sentiments that others have expressed about Steven, that he was an honest and loyal servant to Langley Band and the Brass Banding scene as a whole.

Steven has our utmost respect.

Antony Szafranek
Enderby Band

All Star Youth

Have you ever considered doing a youth All Star Band??? as you do one for the championship section it could be a good idea to encourage younger players.

Paul Saggers - St Austell Band

You Legend!!!

Just bought and listened to the "Sir" Peter Roberts "Legend" CD from you.

WOW! BRILLIANT! AMAZING! To anyone reading this. If you only by one Brass Band CD in your life, BY THIS ONE!!!!!

I feel priveliged to listen to it and also pliveliged to know one of the arrangers on the CD. (Stuart Pullin)
This is an instant Brass Band Classic. It really is a truly great CD.

Thank you Peter Roberts and of course YBS. I suppose Kingy must have a mention too. To say "Well done all of you" is not enough!
God Bless You!

Tom Johnson

Medical help...

I'm writing to you in hope that you could help a soprano playing friend and band colleague of mine.

Phil Symonds who plays for my band, Freckleton Band, was diagnosed with a small brain haemorrhage just before Christmas last year. Hopefully Phil is past the worst of it and he is heading in the right direction to recovery.

However Phil is unsure as to when to start playing again, or even ever to start playing again!

I have spoken to him regularly over the last few months and in a recent conversation, the idea was raised of trying to find a medical doctor who plays in a band or plays a brass or even a woodwind instrument. The benefits of this are obvious. To have a Dr (who understands the pressure of playing especially sop, and the possible effects it will have!) who could advise him on a come back.

Where you come in, if it possible, to post a news item (or something similar) on your 4barsrest site, asking around if any one knows of a playing doctor, or in-deed if anyone them self's has experienced the problems Phil has?

Any help you could give would be very gratefully received.


Chris Redman (Freckleton Band)

4BR reply:
Does anyone have any knowledge of these circumstances?

Coventry errata

Sorry to add to all the hype over Coventry Variations but can anyone confirm that the 2nd Eb Horn ,& 1st/2nd bari parts are correct in bar 89? Is this dissonance intended as the other parts are mostly in unison or thirds. After having corrected parts from the two sheets of errata (at least 47 errors so far)that we have already received, Ive started to become a little suspicious and unsure of the composers intentions at certain points . Especially after finding that so many bars of the Xylophone part were incorrectly printed. Please can anyone help? After all, we just want to do the music justice dont we?

Stephen Tarry

Eric Crees Connections...

How do I connect with Eric Crees or a source for his
trombone ensemble arrangements?

Paul Niemisto
paulniem@yahoo.com

WEM we were famous...

For the midlnds regional 2004 for third section you wrote a small piece about each band participating. I am in wem jubilee band, and for our comment you asked what did WEM stand for, well it doesn't. Wem is a small town in shropshire between Shrewsbury and Whitchurch. Just thought i'd let you know.

Joanne Elson

Having read your predictions I've discovered that you wanted to find out what WEM stood for. Well it's actually a small town in North Shropshire and is where Wem Jubilee Band rehearse. Alternatively it could stand for Wonderful Eloquent Musicians!!!!!

Kari Anson

WEM Jubilee - you wrote - "If we could only find out what the WEM stood for?"

Just thought I'd let you know that Wem is a small town in Shropshire. Sadly WEM stands for nothing...although we have come up with a few suggestions
over the years!!

Caroline Twigge

KM Medway in concert with...

Having read the letter from Roger Pearcy regarding music in schools, I felt that, even though I am not band secretary and may therefore get some details wrong, I should tell you of the programme run by our sister band, KM Concert Brass. A few years ago, one of our cornet players (whom I believe is a teacher at the school, but don't quote me on it) decided to get the band involved with helping the kids at the local school with their music.

Instruments are loaned to the students, and periodically members of the KM Concert Brass go to provide assistance and tuition. This culminated in their appearance at the KM Medway Towns 75th Anniversary concert last October, where the students played a short programme during the interval. The upshot of it is that the Band now have a number of new members, who are progressing really well with plenty more in the pipeline. It has brought new people into the band scene, such as parents, siblings, and other teachers at the school.

Richard B. Parsons
KM Medway Band
Kent

A Marathon effort...

The Ireland Colliery Chesterfield Band are planning to do a sponsored marathon concert. What we are trying to find out is, if any other band has done this, and in what time. We are trying to raise funds to take the band to the Rhyl Festival of Brass in June. We have done this for a few years as a youth band, and been quite successful, but we will be entering the 4th section this year. It will be our third contest since the band underwent many changes, in the last two years, and hopefully, we can be successful once again. If you can provide any details at all, please e-mail mlvfro@aol.com.

Mel Frost

Help wanted...

We are havind diificulty obtaining tickets for the Besson National Youth Championships. We are told by various departments to try someone else. Any advice please?

Andrew Russell

More help wanted...

You have been very helpful in the past. Recently I had a lady - Julie Symons (Vernon) - contact me about her family story. Unfortunatly she left an incorrect email and no phone number so I can't contact her. Could you please put out an SOS for her to contact me again.

My contact email is derekbrass76@aol.com or 01326 569299 / 07733470463.

Derek Johnston
Cornwall

Some serious help required...

Don't know if you are able to help but worth a try !! My name is Sarah Readings from Chalgrove Band, Oxon. I have arranged an all inclusive trip to the Whit Fridays with Champion Brass to take a scratch band along a mixture of players from different bands. Cost per head £193 for three nights, hotel, coach and all meals included, trips to Whit Walks, contest, concert Saturday night and full programme of activities.

To cut a long sad story short am now 14 people short of the 40 I need to make the trip due to people pulling out. I have two alternatives risk going ahead short of numbers and take a financial kicking, cancel now and take a hit on the deposit I have already paid. When you have stopped laughing !!

Just wondered if there is any chance of a plug on the website, I have until Monday 8th March to cancel or go ahead. If you can't help no probs as I now realise my optimism was a bit misplaced and I have dropped myself in this mess and have only myself to blame.

Sarah Readings
07775 924881
sarahbps@aol.com

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