It’s great to Lydney Town Band represented at the Elgar International Brass Band Summer School, thanks to Kay for this photo of her, Louis and Matt who’ve been in attendance this week.

Don’t forget, there’s a free brass workshop being held by Brass Band Summer School coming up this week in Stonehouse for players aged between 10-15yo (Grade 3+). For more details head to their website.

We’ve got a last minute addition to our summer schedule: this Sunday, we’ll be kicking off Lydney Town Council’s Music at the Bandstand programme in Bathurst Park!
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We start at 2pm, so bring a blanket and a picnic and enjoy an afternoon of music provided by a combined ensemble of Lydney Town and Training Band.

It was brilliant to be able to finally perform under the new Scarr Bandstand roof at Scarr Brass Fest yesterday! We couldn’t have asked for better weather or a warmer reception from the audience. Shout out to our fabulous soloists: Kay, Sarah, Idris and Louis, and the Trombone team: Ade, Julie and Matt; as well as to A W Parker Drybrook who kept the afternoon’s entertainment going after us. 

Many thanks to the organisers for another well concert - they’ve got a great programme of events happening over the summer that we’d recommend checking out!

This Sunday, Lydney Town Band and A W Parker Drybrook will be performing at the Scarr Brass Fest at Scarr Bandstand!
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Following the inauguration of the bandstand’s new roof by Lydney Training Band at the Rising Stars Concert last month, we can’t wait to see what it’s like to perform there now. We really hope you can join us for an afternoon of entertainment and fun - further details on the poster below.

It was an absolute scorcher yesterday but we had a phenomenal time at Aylburton Carnival.
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Shout out to Carol and Krysten for these great photos of the combined Town and Training Band ensemble!

This weekend, for the first time in over twenty years, a combined ensemble of Lydney Town and Training Band players will be performing at Aylburton Carnival!

Our resident historian, Sarah, has found evidence that Lydney’s connection with Aylburton Carnival goes back to at least 1951 - 75 years ago! (when we were the Lydney Silver Prize Band). Shout out to Adrian for these two photos of Lydney marching through Aylburton at the carnival in the late 1980s (when we were Lydmet Lydney)
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Are there any faces you recognise?
What’s your favourite memory of Lydney Town Band performing at Aylburton Carnival?

Following Lydney Training Band’s efforts at Scarr Bandstand on Saturday, yesterday an ensemble of Lydney Town Band players joined the festivities at Alvington Fun Day. 

​Massive thank you to Sarah for leading the ensemble, to David for providing the ensemble arrangements, and to Ian for these amazing photos!

Now that Bugle is out of the way, its time for the summer and we've got a cracking update for you about our upcoming concerts!
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Starting this weekend, Lydney Training Band will be taking part in the Rising Stars concert at Scarr Bandstand and a Lydney Town Band ensemble will be performing at the Alvington Fun Day. Looking further ahead, we're returning to Aylburton Carnival and we're hosting a special fundraising quiz night in late August (more details to come...)

A few more photos! At yesterday’s contest, we met the fabulous The Sew and Sews Cornwall CIC and a few of us decided to let off a little bit of pre-contest nervous energy on their sewing bike. Under the careful guidance of our very own craft maestro, Louise, we ended up making some Lydney Band bunting! ​

Time for a few ‘behind the scenes’ photos from yesterday’s West of England Bandsmen's Festival. Massive thanks to everyone who contributed photos from across the day!

There’s just three days until the West of England Bandsmen's Festival, where we will be performing Simon Dobson’s emotional tour de force: Penlee. Over the last few weeks, we’ve been delighted to welcome Duncan Robertson, who will be covering the 2nd Baritone part for us at the contest!

What a day we had at the Coleford Festival of Brass!

Starting off, the Town Band performed in the Coleford Baptist Church with highlights including our Flugelhorn player Sarah performing Kate Bush’s The Man with the Child in his Eyes and the bass instrument special of Saint-Saëns’ L’Elephant . Our thanks to David Pilkington-Crowe for stepping in to conduct the band.

Later in the afternoon, Lydney Training Band took to the Main Stage, culminating in a sensational finale of All That Jazz. Shout out to Kim for her superb performance of Berceuse de Jocelyn.
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We’d like to thank and congratulate Coleford Town Council, the GBBA and everyone else in involved for an incredible day showcasing the breadth of musical talent that exists across the Forest of Dean. Our thanks also to Emma and Ian for these great photos of the bands in action yesterday!

Next week, we’re competing in the West of England Bandsmen's Festival (aka Bugle). 

Alongside the usual pressures of competing in a contest (i.e. learning the piece, finessing the musical nuances, finding those subtle sweet moments), this contest takes place outside which does funny things to how the band sounds whilst playing compared to being inside. We also have to factor in the great unknown: the weather!
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So yesterday evening, the band took advantage of the calm, if slightly chilly, conditions, to rehearse outside. If you heard us, we hope you enjoyed the performance

We’re really looking forward to being part of this year’s Coleford Festival of Brass!
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Both Lydney Town Band and Lydney Training Band will be performing (1:30pm and 3:20pm respectively), and the whole day will be a great opportunity to see the breadth of the musical talent that exists within the Forest of Dean!