Smithills Community Band under MD Chris Wormald, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special concert played before a packed audience at Smithills School.
446th rehearsal
Formed in 2003, the band started the day with their 446th Saturday rehearsal, before the 70 members performed an evening programme for its 55th concert which included ‘Bandology’, ‘Ben Hur’ and ‘Valero’ to ‘42nd Street’ and ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’, sung by 76 year old founder member Harold Bowers, who appeared on ITV’s Opportunity Knocks in the 1960s!
The Smithills Community Band members range in age from 14 to 85, with well over half of the band over 50, and no less than 8 members over 80 years old.
Latest octogenarian
Life-long professional drummer and Chairman Fred Shawcross (79) made a short address at the concert, which was held on trombone player Ralph Birbeck's 80th birthday, the band's latest octogenarian.
vocalist Harold Bowers was only beaten on Hughie Green's ITV ‘Opportunity Knocks’ programme by two pig puppets called Pinky & Perky!Smithills Community Band
Pinky and Perky
A spokesperson told 4BR: "More than 70% of the members who began to play an instrument exactly 10 years ago are now members of local brass bands including Darwen, Eagley, Hoover, Farnworth, Tottington, Radcliffe and many others.
Only six members are teenagers who play in Smithills School ensembles and vocalist Harold Bowers was only beaten on Hughie Green's ITV ‘Opportunity Knocks’ programme by two pig puppets called Pinky & Perky!"
