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We've got a very special announcement! 🥳🎶 Lydney Town Band are delighted to welcome Louis Thomas as our new Principal Euphonium! Louis is started his musical journey with Parkend Silver Band, and over the course of his playing career has had connections with bands across the Forest of Dean including Cinderford Band and A W Parker Drybrook. He is also a talented conductor, leading Parkend and Severn Tunnel Band, and was shortlisted for the 2024 Brass Bands England Conductor of the Year Award. Louis' musical talents will undoubtedly make a significant contribution to the band as we prepare for promotion to the Second Section in 2026! Speaking of his appointment, Louis said "I am unbelievably proud to be a part of Lydney Town Band. I have admired what they have achieved since reforming in 2012 and has seen a steady development under the baton of Tom Dunne. When I was asked to join Lydney Band, I said yes straight away, and I look forward to an exciting and enjoyable future with the band."  Many thanks to 614 Lydney Squadron RAFAC for inviting Lydney Training Band to take part in their fundraising evening, alongside the Innsworth Military Wives Choir. We had a cracking day in Stroud yesterday, many thanks to Stroud District Council for inviting us along to perform in the gorgeous Stratford Park! Next up, this weekend, Lydney Training Band will be performing a very special concert with the Innsworth Military Wives Choir, hosted by 614 Lydney Squadron at the Masonic Hall, in Lydney. It would be great to see you there, ticket details below!  Next weekend, we’re kicking off our summer concert programme with a return visit to the gorgeous Stratford Park in Stroud, hosted by Stroud District Council! If you’re in the area or fancy a pootle to the other side of the river with us, it’d be great to see you there.  Thanks to Kerry for these lovely photos of the Lydney team that attended today’s Flowers Band Workshop, and thanks to Flowers themselves for putting on such a wonderful day. Commenting on the event, Kerry said: "Ten members of the Lydney Town Band organisation had a great workshop day with the principal players of Flowers Band, who are the current National Champion Band of Great Britain - its easy to see how with such quality players in the top seats. With a mixture of full band rehearsal, sectionals and a Q&A session, there were many tips to pick up from these amazing players and their incredible Musical Director Paul Holland. The 'workshop band' of 45 players gave an amazing concert at the conclusion of the day with a great selection of music: Westwood Ho (Edwin Firth), Country Scene (Goff Richards), The Legend of Hans Roth (Howard Lorriman), Out of Africa (John Barry, arr. Alan Fernie), Bright Lights Big City (Richard Taylor). Many thanks to GBBA for presenting the event and providing back-office support. Thanks also to Karin Lythell for her work. We'd love to attend another one as we're always looking for ways to improve" Yesterday, we marked the 80th anniversary of VE Day and several of our members were out and about taking part in various events around the area! Our Principal Cornet, Kerry, performed the Last Post at the lighting of the beacon in Alvington; our Musical Director and Solo Horn, Tom and Samantha helped ring the bells of St Mary’s Church in celebration, and our Bass Trombone player, Matt, took part in Parkend Silver Band’s special VE Day concert in Ruardean. Lydney Town Band are on the look out for our newest member! If you, or someone you know, might be interested to joining our Euphonium team, please get in touch. The next twelve months are going to be incredibly exciting for the band as we return to the Wychavon Festival of Brass in the autumn to defend our Third Section Champions title and move up into the Second Section of the West of England Region, not to mention the plethora of concerts we've got coming up over the summer and beyond! Please get in touch, in confidence, if you'd like to find out more!  Thanks to the Border Counties Steam & Country Show for having Lydney Training Band at their event in Monmouth this weekend. Shout out to the gentleman who heard the band across the field and proceeded to drive his little steam engine over to see us Thanks also to Samantha for these cracking photos! It's been a scorcher this week hasn't it?! The mini-heatwave's timing has been spot on though because we're really pleased to be able to announce our Summer 2025 concert programme! Lydney Training Band will be kicking things off this weekend with an appearance at the Border Counties Steam & Country Show in Monmouth on Sunday 4th May! Fast forward into June and there are loads of opportunities to see both Lydney Town and Lydney Training Band. Watch out on Saturday 14th June because both bands will be out and about in the Forest of Dean! Any questions, get in touch!  Quick shout out to our Principal Cornet, Kerry, who will be hosting an open garden fundraiser for Cancer Research UK and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust on Saturday 10th May!  On Monday, the Lydney Starter Group returned to Goode Court to perform their Spring Showcase, ably assisted by a cohort of players from Lydney Training Band! These events are a fantastic opportunity for new players to build their confidence at playing in public as part of an ensemble and performing solos to a fabulous audience, who always make our team feel so welcome. The evening saw a wonderful variety of music with 16 solo and duet performances, including highlights from the recent Bailey Lane End Music Festival and trial runs for players' upcoming ABRSM exams, as well as a brass quartet version of Yellow Submarine.  Enormous congratulations to our Principal Euphonium, Idris, who absolutely smashed his Grade 8 exam achieving a distinction! Idris first joined Lydney Training Band in 2014 and over the last eleven years he has become an integral part of the Lydney Band organisation, moving upto the Town Band in 2019 at the age of 13 before taking on his current position in 2022. It has been a pleasure for us to see Idris develop from a precocious young player to a superbly talented musician, who we have no doubt has an incredible musical career ahead of him! Shout out to our Youth Development Officer Kerry, who has guided Idris through his grades and musical journey from the beginning!  We paid a visit to Severnbanks Primary School in Lydney this morning with an ensemble of Town Band players as part of our outreach programme which aims to encourage more children to take up playing brass instruments. They were such a brilliant and welcoming audience! If you or someone you know, perhaps one of the kids in today’s audience, fancies trying out and learning brass, we’d love to hear from you!  Many thanks to A W Parker Drybrook for hosting yesterday's Bailey Lane End Music Festival and to Liz Sheridan for the smooth running of yesterday's event! We had a great team from Lydney Training Band in attendance! Congratulations to Edith, who came third in the Solo under 11 category; Idris, who came second in the Solo under 21 category; Idris and Wren, who came second in the Duet under 21 category; Kerry and Dougie who came third in the Open Duet category; and Jago, Jonah, Wren and Idris who came second in the Quartet under 21 category! Shout out to Tracey, who accompanied our soloists yesterday and to Ellie Carlson for her supportive comments and superb adjudication notes, as well all the parents and guardians for their encouragement!  We’re incredibly proud to have received confirmation that in January 2026, Lydney Town Band will be returning to the Second Section!!! Enormous thanks to our Musical Director Thomas Dunne for all of his hard work over the last few years and his continuing efforts to improve the band’s musical standard. Shout out also to all the incredible players, past and present, who’ve helped contribute to this achievement. Typically promotion is a multi-year undertaking and we couldn’t have done it without the breadth of support we enjoy! Here's a fabulous photo of the band, taken by Lizzie, three weeks ago at the WEBBA Regional Championships  |
