Broad smiles all round at Ardington House on 5th August, as 'A' Band members Ian Davies and Pauline Kowalski celebrate their wedding at this beautiful venue, with the rest of the band providing the music for the occasion. Congratulations to the happy couple!
In common with so many other Scouts worldwide, the 1st Cuckhamsley troop celebrated the Centenary of the Scout movement on 1st August. They gathered for an early morning event at the Ardington Millennium Stones for a brief service of re-dedication, led by Rev. Rita Ball and a contingent of WSB. The picture shows local landowner Thomas Loyd, High Sheriff of Oxfordshire, alongside leader Andy Brewer, presenting his opening address to the Scouts gathered at the stone 'circle', explaining the origin and purpose of the "sundial" which the stones create, together with the adjacent representation of the solar system, and linking them to the 100 years of Scouting. The band continued to play for a while after the service, while the tantalising smell of grilling breakfast bacon wafted across the site from the 'campfire' barbecue.
On Friday, 27th July the ‘A’ band, conducted by Philip Bailey, presented a concert in Wantage Civic Hall, loosely based on the format of the famous last night of the BBC Promenade Concerts. They opened with Leslie Condon's march "Celebration" and Frank Wright's arrangement of Berlioz's "Carnaval Romaine", which were the two pieces played at the recent Bugle concert (see next item). The evening continued with several band arrangements of well-known orchestral compositions, interspersed with solo items from Danny Dullforce (euphonium), Nicola Morrell (flugel horn) and Steve Chapman (cornet). The climax of the evening came with the traditional final items of the genuine 'last night of the proms': Henry Wood's "Fantasia on British Sea Songs", with singing led by Julia Reynolds, pictured above, then Edward Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1" and Joseph Parry's "Jerusalem". The large audience, suitably roused by the high standard of playing, celebrated with flag-waving during this finale.
Our 'Concert Band' organised a 'Supper Concert' in West Hendred village hall on Saturday evening, July 21st. While the band set up and played at one end of the hall, the sizeable and appreciative audience sat around tables at the other end and partook of some excellent buffet food in the interval. The picture shows Gareth Coulson conducting the band for one of their last public performances before he departs for a university course in September. The event provided nearly £400 for band funds.
On Saturday, 16th June, the ‘A’ band competed in the famous West of England Brass Band Contest in the Cornish village of Bugle, coming 6th out of the 8 bands in the Championship Section. The first picture shows the band, with conductor Phil Bailey, taking applause after their performance. We drew to play last – normally a good spot, but not if you follow the two best bands, Camborne (ranked 58th in the world) who played No 6 and Mount Charles (ranked 23rd) who played 7th! We were made to feel very welcome by the organisers and the audience, and got thoroughly drenched by a downpour (see the second picture above) when taking part in the traditional march through the village following the Contest – hopefully the 'walking out' jackets will recover! In the evening, some 20 players and supporters accepted an invitation to visit the St Austell Bandroom, where again we were made very welcome. St Austell (ranked 124, who came 3rd) have a tradition of meeting up after the Contest and have very extensive premises,including a large Hall for social events and concerts, and two band rehearsal rooms, one of which is leased to Mount Charles Band – we look forward to having similar facilities at Wantage soon!
This year, the local Music Festival lost its traditional venue, due to the impending closure of St. Mary's School. Most other sections were accommodated elsewhere, but the Brass section was entrusted to WSB to organise, to be incorporated with our traditional "inner band contest". This was held on Sunday 3rd June in Charlton School, with adjudicators Phil Bailey and Danny Dullforce. There was a large entry, across the 15 classes. Winners were:
New Beginner Solo: Alexandra Morrison
Beginner Solo: Calum Thomson
Beginner Duet: Gareth and Alastair Paterson
Beginner Solo: Calum Thomson
Solo, less than 5 years experience: Kit Tinker
Junior Solo: Josie Chapman
Junior Slow Melody Solo: Sam Chapman
Junior Duet: Jackie Ward and Jennifer Culshaw
Junior Percussion Solo: Matthew Thomas
Junior Ensemble: Eileen Sykes' Beginners group
Open Solo: George Clark
Open Slow Melody Solo: Brian Thomas
Open Duet: Paddy Clark and Danny Dullforce
Open Ensemble: 'A' Band Tubas and Chapman Quartet, equal
Hymn Tune Quartet: Mike Palmer's 'Concert Band' four
Entertainment / Family Group: Thomas family
The pictures above show the Paterson brothers playing their duet and entrants for the 'Less than 5 Years Solo' collecting their certificates from adjudicator Danny Dullforce (winner, Kit Tinker, on the left).
For some other pictures, click here
The first two Southern Counties Amateur Bands Association (SCABA) Peggy and Bob Tucker Memorial Bursaries have been awarded to 10-year old Patrick (Paddy) Clark, of Wantage Silver Band, and Oliver Brooks, of Mid Sussex Brass. They will both be attending this summer’s course of the National Children’s Brass Band. These bursaries have been set up by Janet Blackford in memory of her parents, to whom she is eternally grateful for giving her the chance to benefit from becoming a member of the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, with which she attended 12 courses.
The course takes place in Bromsgrove in July with Dr. Nicholas Childs as the Musical Director and some of the top players from Black Dyke, Fodens and Grimethorpe bands as tutors. This will be the second year that Paddy, playing Euphonium, will join elder brother George (13), on Soprano Cornet, at this highly beneficial course. Paddy currently plays with WSB 'B' Band, while George has moved to Kidlington Band to find room for his talents.
On Sunday 22nd April, the Wantage Band led the St. George's Day Parade in Wallingford for the first time, instead of the more usual venue of Wantage or Faringdon. The parade was attended by many Scouting groups, who were commemorating 100 years of Scouting. The band, conducted by Gareth Coulson, played on the march to and from the main Parish Church, and during the Service. The photo shows (part of) the Band playing outside the Town Hall as the parade files past the saluting point.
The Band held it's annual Junior Band Concert on Saturday 21st April, in King Alfred's School centre site hall, featuring performances by the 'Wantage Junior Brass' led by Denise Clark (with 3 pieces being conducted by members of the Band - Hannah Talbot, Jennifer Culshaw, and Jackie Ward); by 'Wantage Youth Brass' led by Roger Middlebrook (who also conducted the massed band item at the end of the Concert), and by the 'Wantage Training Band', led by Brian Thomas (pictured above). The concert was commered by 'A' Band percussionist Rachel Kowalski, herself a former trombonist with the Junior Bands. The event returned a profit of over £800. During the concert, a bouquet of flowers was presented by Hannah Talbot on behalf of the Junior Bands to Mrs. Sue Mudway, who with her family, have run a bric-a-brac stall in the Wantage Arcade for several years, raising about £3000 for purchase of instruments for the Band's training sections.
At the annual London and Southern Counties National Area Qualifying Contests in Stevenage on Sunday, 18th March, our 'A' and 'B' Bands achieved great results. Playing in the Championship Section for the first time, the 'A' band was placed 6th among the 12 competing bands, which establishes them firmly in the top class. 'B' Band were well placed too, coming 8th out of 24 bands in the 4th Section - the highest they have achieved. The photograph shows 'A' Band with conductor Phil Bailey, back in the 'holding area' at the Stevenage Leisure Centre after their performance, wearing their new performance uniforms of purple waistcoats and bow ties.
As is usual at such events, the various bands' peformances are reviewed and published on the internet by the on-line band magazine "4BarsRest". The 'A' Band review was generally complimentary, with the reviewer placing them 5th, in his estimation. Of particular note was the review of the 'B' Band performance, reading as follows: "Wantage Silver 'B' had the star of the weekend for this reviewer - 13 year old Sam Chapman, the band's Principal Cornet. Sam played like his life depended on it and with a real sense of style and authority as well. It was so musical and he enhanced his band's performance enormously, from the first notes to the last". What more can we say?
It was a full day for the Chapman family, with parents Steve (Principal Cornet) and Judith (Solo Horn) playing in 'A' Band, following their children's performance with 'B' Band - Josie on Solo Horn as well as Sam on Cornet. Danny Dullforce had a busy day too, first conducting 'B' Band, then exchanging his baton for a euphonium in his role as Principal Euphonium in 'A' Band.
In addition to the new waistcoats, 'A' Band arrived at Stevenage, resplendent in their new black 'walking out' jackets with familiar WSB badges, which were part financed by a generous donation from the Wantage Town Council.
Another very successful concert, involving all the sections of WSB, including the newly-formed 'Wantage Concert Brass', emanating from the division of the former 'B' Band. They are seen here on stage, conducted by Andy Clarke, with one of their junior players, William Young, taking the solo Flugel line in "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from the musical "Jesus Christ, Superstar". With a full hall, donated for the evening by the Mayor of Wantage, the band raised the grand sum of £1750.
As usual, the opportunity was taken for the presentation of annual awards, this year by the band's President, Jim Moley. Winners were: Elizabeth Myers (Training Band award); Leah Mason (Bandsman of the Year); Jack Tinker (Band Personality of the Year); Gareth Coulson (Youth Band award). And this year there was a new trophy, donated to the band by our founder, Doug Brand, named the 'Enterprise Cup'. This was awarded to Tim Reade as 'A' Band's most improved player. For pictures of Jim's presentations, click here
In the annual tradition of WSB, 35 players from various sections of the band, plus a few family members, joined together in the week of August 5th-12th and enjoyed a holiday at Cofton Holiday Park, near the popular Devon resort of Dawlish. Pleasant weather allowed a boat trip and canoeing on the River Exe, a walk on Dartmoor and an outdoor performance of Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale" at Powderham Castle, among other things.
Three concerts were organised, at Powderham Castle, Trago Mills Shopping Centre in Newton Abbott and The Lawn at Dawlish. Joanne King took the Principal Cornet role in all three, despite falling and hurting her ankle early in the week, requiring a couple of nights in Exeter hospital! The picture above was taken at Powderham, with Jo in a wheelchair while young Daniel Willis (percussion) takes a bow with conductor Eileen Sykes.
Having revived past contacts with the Kenfig Hill Male Voice Choir a couple of years ago, joint concerts are becoming an annual event again. The most recent was held in the lovely setting of Wantage Parish Church on Saturday, 29th July, 2006. Both groups presented their own items during the programme, while the picture shows band conductor Philip Harper leading one of the combined offerings. Note the recent band trophies mounted on the pulpit in the background.
On the glorious afternoon of Saturday July 15th 2006, WSB held a party around the bandstand in Wantage park, to celebrate the promotion of the 'A' Band to the Championship Section of the national contesting organisation, as from next year. Members and friends from the whole of WSB took part, with picnic and games, together with a short concert on the bandstand, performed by the 'A' Band.
The band picture includes guest conductor Phil Bailey, Band President Jim Moley, Jenny Hannaby (deputy chairman of the Vale of White Horse council), and Julia Reynolds (Mayor of Wantage). The celebration cake is being cut by three founder members of the band, in its days as a youth band, Helen Wright, Carolin Giles and Judith Chapman.
'A' Band's bass trombonist, Tim Reade, was married in the local village of Ashbury on Saturday July 8th. The remainder of the band played at the church service and formed a guard of honour as Tim and his bride, Mihaela, stepped out happily.
Sunday, June 25th saw the annual 'pilgimage' to Swanage, Dorset. What began as an invitation to the opening of the Swanage steam railway in the 1980s and again to the celebration of the line extension in 1995, has continued as a pleasant outing to be one of the series of visiting bands playing on summer afternoons, either at the bandstand overlooking the seafront or, as on this occasion, in the attractive setting of Prince Albert Gardens, near the pier. In recent years, it has been the old 'B' Band keeping up the tradition, but with the reorganisation, it was the 'Concert' Band which formed the core of the visiting party, with a boost from a few 'A' and 'B' Band members.
A mixed band from WSB (and a few guests) was one of many which journeyed to Saddleworth and district for the traditional and famous series of marches and contests on Friday, 9th June (made even more famous through being featured in the film "Brassed Off"). The day began (top left) with a march into Greenfield at 8.30 a.m., playing the traditional hymn tune "Hail Smiling Morn", then later joining up with the Methodist Church parade. Marches and performances in five of the participating villages followed. The final picture shows the band waiting at Dobcross band hall for their turn to play. All-in-all, a very busy and tiring day, but a memorable and enjoyable event.
The annual WSB 'Inner-Band Contest' was held on Sunday 14th May at Charlton School. This year there was a total of 100 entries. Many thanks to adjudicators Phil Bailey, Danny Dullforce, and Graham Lewis .
The picture shows adjudicator Danny Dullforce with the entrants for the Junior Solo class, won by Paddy Clark. Click here for a full list of winners and some other pictures.
On May 13th, WSB held a 'Youth Concert' in King Alfred's School. With such a strong Youth membership in the organisation, this has become an annual event, with the Youth Band, Junior Band and Training Band all participating. The picture shows Roger Middlebrook conducting the entire massed bands in its final number.
For several years since the creation of a separate Youth Band, the 'B' Band was an almost exclusively "adult band", while the most talented juniors were absorbed directly into the 'A' Band when vacancies arose. Then, in the last two years, with fewer opportunities to join 'A' Band, a few such juniors have been welcomed into 'B' Band. With a growing influx of young beginners over the same period, heading quickly towards inclusion in Youth Band, an extra band has been created, so for the moment there will be two "B Bands", with essentially equal adult and youth population.
The former 'B' Band has had a chequered history in contesting over the years, with several members being reluctant to participate in other than local Oxfordshire contests. So one of the newly-created bands will concentrate its activities towards contesting, while the other will exclude contests and aim towards concert work. Titles for the bands are not fixed yet, and for the moment are merely being referred to as the "Contest" and "Concert" branches of 'B' Band.
This split puts further strain on availability of both suitable practice venues for the entire organisation and on conductors. Any proposals for assistance in either of these respects will be welcome.
As usual, WSB supported local Remembrance events on Sunday 13th November, leading parades in Wantage and Hanney, and providing cornet players to play "The Last Post" at other locations. Here, 'A' Band plays as the attendant crowd gathers around the memorial outside Wantage Church, after the laying of wreaths.
Wantage Civic Hall was full, as usual, for the WSB annual concert, as most of the 190 playing members, in their various band formations, took their turns to contribute several items each to a very entertaining concert. The picture shows 'A' Band, conducted by Philip Harper, as they yell "Ole!" at the end of "Amparito Roca".
Some highlights of the evening were the excellent contributions by Denise Clark's young training band, including an adventurous version of Mussorgsky's "Great Gate of Kiev", and Youth Band's "Is This the Way to Amarillo", with the audience singing along from "hymn sheets" and conductor Roger Middlebrook impersonating Peter Kay.
During the evening, annual awards were presented by Vice-President Ken Robey to: Jennifer Culshaw (Pollard Trophy for trainee of the year), Maria Pepper (most improved Youth Band player), George Clark (Bandsman of the year) and Julian Shirley (Band Personality of the year). Following the presentations, 'A' Band included a surprise extra item as a tribute to Ken's long association with the band - they played Rudolf Herzer's "The Watchtower", which Ken had recently revealed to be one of his favourite marches from his old military days in the Royal Berkshire Regiment, playing Euphonium in their band. For pictures of Ken's presentations and other concert pictures, click here
The new Orchard Centre shopping precinct at Didcot was opened officially on Saturday, 17th September. This is a major development for the town - relatively small as modern shopping centres go, but including a major supermarket, catalogue store, clothing outlets, etc., with a multiplex cinema and other attractions to be added soon.
WSB Youth Band were engaged to provide musical entertainment at the ceremony. The car from the film "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" was there as a focal point for the crowds, and appropriately, the band played a medley of the music from the film as the car drove in!
The picture shows Paul Uzzell conducting 'B' Band outside the refreshment tent.
This year's holiday, during the week of 6-13 August, was centred on Clippesby Hall in Norfolk, with some of large contingent of band members staying in the Hall itself (the grandest setting yet), while others took to tents, chalets and caravans nearby. The band played concerts at the campsite, at a nearby theme park, at Great Yarmouth and at Sandringham.
The pictures above and below show the band on a cold Sunday morning in Great Yarmouth, and in both formal pose and in action in sunnier surroundings at Sandringham.
