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Christmas is nearly upon us and we’ve got another fabulously busy season ahead of us! the first time in four years for a Christmas Concert in Chepstow. The Town Band is returning to the Mount of Olives Church, Coleford on Sunday 10th December! You may remember that last year’s concert was cancelled due to snow so fingers crossed Jack Frost stays away this time. We hope we get chance to see you at one of our events next month.  Lydney Town Band and Lydney Training Band both returned to the Gloucestershire Brass Band Association (GBBA) Contest on Sunday for the first time in four years...and both bands enjoyed great success! First up was the Training Band, led by Kevin Ford. They performed a five piece set which opened with Concert Overture and was followed by Irish Blessing, which featured a quintet of players from across the band. Next up were two well-known classics - Beyond the Sea and Bohemian Rhapsody before the band finished with Kenilworth March. The band on stage featured a number of new players who've joined the band over the last twelve months, who were taking part in their very first contest. Their brilliant performance was recognised when the Training Band received a Gold Award from the Adjudicator, Stephanie Binns. Next, the Town Band took to the stage for the March and Test Piece Contest. They opened their set with Swan Road, the march composed by Thomas Dunne for the Band's 130th Anniversary in 2022 and based on Camille Saint-Saëns' The Swan. For the test piece, Philip Harper's magnificent Kingdom of Dragons was chosen - a piece which has special resonance for many players in the band including those who performed it with Gwent Youth Brass Band in 2010. We were elated to take home The Maxie Cup for Best March (Third Section), The AR Watkins Cup for Best Test Piece (Third Section) and the Haydyn Evans Trophy for Best Percussion Section! We're really excited to share an update about two members of the Band who are at very different points of their musical journey and have recently both celebrated a fantastic achievement! We believe that music should be fun and that individuals should be rewarded and recognised for their achievements. The development programme for our players produces well rounded performers including Alasdair and Rhys! Alasdair, who we recently we bade a fond farewell to as he headed to University, has just achieved a Grade 8 Distinction on his Trombone! He has been a member of the Band since he was just eight years old and over time has become a superb and well rounded musician. Just at the very start of his musical journey, we have Rhys, who is the youngest member of the Training Band. He recently received his Silver Achievement Award from the Band and this weekend, he will be taking part in his first contest alongside his mum and sister who also play in the Training Band! Success involves time and effort and we are so proud of these two young people and can't wait to see what they achieve next   Players from Lydney Town Band and Lydney Training Band came together this morning to take part in the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph, St Mary's Church.  Lydney Town Band returned to the Wychavon Festival of Brass following our success at last year's contest. This time, we came with a nautical themed set of original music composed and arranged by our Musical Director, Thomas Dunne and Malcolm Hannaford-Waddingham. The audience's voyage aboard 'The Good Ship Lydney Town' started with Out of Portsmouth, a new march composed by Malcolm and dedicated to Clare Rawlyk. Our Solo Horn, Samantha Ford performed a wonderful solo as part of Ar Lan y Môr, a traditional Welsh love song, before there was swashbuckling drama in A Lofty Ship to Lee - featuring Herbie on telescope and Louise on pirate flag! Next, Thomas' arrangement of Felix Mendelssohn's Calm Sea brought some music needed peace to proceedings before we ended our set with a rip-roaring arrangement of the sea shanty Johnny Come Down Hilo - drunken sailor/trombonist included! We were really pleased with our performance and absolutely thrilled to get third place! In addition to this our Principal Cornet, Kerry Ford, received the Dave Hodgetts Memorial Trophy for Outstanding Contribution - a well deserved recognition! |
