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Copyright © 2009 Lydney
Town Band
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Lydney Town Band is an unsponsored, non-profit making organisation, dedicated to the promotion of Brass band music, and the provision of brass instrumental musical education within the local community. _________________________________________________________________ NEWS... NEWS...NEWS... from the band room ... updated - 26th February 2012 _________________________________________________________________ Current news now available on the band's Facebook pages: Lydney Town Band & Lydney Training Band ____________________________________________________________
Training Band awarded Gold at 2011 GBBA contest ! Their performance of Alan Fernie's 'Anglian Dances' also won them the Training & unregistered band Section Congratulations to everyone involved in reaching this milestone achievement! The Band's Principal Cornet, young Rory Gordon (12), took the Section's 'Best instrumentalist' award. Another splendid achievment!
photo from Tim Ford (Facebook)
Tradition Revived: - The annual Remembrance Sunday wreath laying ceremony on 13th November 2011 at the War Memorial outside St Mary's Parish Church in Lydney,was attended this year by Members of the Lydney Band & Lydney Training Band. Solemn music, including 'Nimrod' was provided during the wreath laying, reviving the tradition established previously by Lydney Band.
....more pictures can be found on the band's Facebook page.
photos Neil Crowe (Facebook)
Training Band a Hit at Summer Fete! The Training Band was on fine form at the Woolaston with Alvington Church Fete in August 2011, (held at the Woolaston field this year), and duly impressed the audience who attended with a splendid selection of entertaining music from its repertoire.
_____________________________________________________________ **** Christmas stars! ****
Training Band Tutors nominated for Community Awards! Trust you have all seen brothers Roger and Ken Powell in the newspapers, having gone through to the Top 5 of the 'Pride of Gloucestershire Community Awards'. The citation read - 'Roger and Ken Powell are two brothers who have dedicated more than half a century to their beloved Lydney Town Band. The brass band was formed more than 100 years ago and is still going strong today. The brothers, who both play the cornet, have been involved in developing a new generation of musicians offering free coaching to young people who want to play in the band. The band has competed at the highest level over the years with many of the musicians going onto forge successful careers in the industry'. They were rewarded at a lavish Oscars-style ceremony at Cheltenham Town Hall hosted by Coronation Street star Jennie McAlpine and BBC Radio Gloucestershire Breakfast Show presenter Mark Cummings. Judges for the awards, organised by Gloucestershire Media, publishers of the Gloucestershire Echo, Citizen and Forester newspapers, said it had been an incredibly difficult task to choose the best from a shortlist where everyone was a hero. _______________________________________________________________ Brilliant Early Season Outing for Training Band -
Sunday 29th March 2009 - Venue: Lydney Park Estate Brilliant weather ,Spectacular setting, Confident playing, great start to the Season! - details see Training Page
_________________________________________________________________ Winners All!
Prize winners in Forest of Dean competition - full details see
_____________________________________________________ from the LYDNEY BAND archives - _______________________________________________ Another first for Lydney Band! - Remember this? If you're old enough - your in it! The time :1993 - the place : Desvere /Hucqueliers, France - we showed 'em! YouTube - Blast from the past! Future clips - '...pardon my French, ...and 'the singer not the song' _________________________________________________________________ More gems from the archive! The date : 1991 - the place : Woolaston Carnival - pt1. - March 'Simoraine' YouTube - Lydney Band, Woolaston 1991 (pt.1) Parts 2 and 3 - soon! _________________________________________________________________________ Recruitment - If you are a brass band player who has just become resident in this area, or have recently been 'resting', then why not come along to the Senior Band on Friday nights. Kerry and Kevin and the others will make you welcome, as well as offering you the chance to make a real contribution. All standards of players can come along, even if you are already committed to another band and just fancy a different 'blow’ for a change, in a friendly environment, with the promise of a 'pint' afterwards!. In addition to this, the Training Band section continues to develop under the guidance of experienced tutors. Individual tuition is given to the youngsters who can opt to take the nationally recognised Associated Music Board Exam 'grades', which is by far the best way to progress in order to become a proficient all round instrumentalist. Book the Band! - Please contact Kerry Ford on 01594 530886 (Secretary) or email: secretary@lydneyband.co.uk if you want to discuss any aspect of the band, or to book for your event. _________________________________________________________________________ New sponsorship welcome! - Please get in touch to ensure the continued existence of this traditional local institution. ______________________________________________________________ Band Knows its Onions! - (and not a tear in site!)
The 'Black Dog' pub car park was a lively venue - (and handy for a pint!) gallery (click)
Yes! - the Band performed at the 2007 Newent 'Onion Fayre' . A dry and hot day - made up for the flash floods & wash out of the event a couple of years back!
tour of the Fayre (click)
______________________________________________________________________ Another first for Lydney Band! The Lydney Band Podcast is now available to download - Live on the web! Four tracks from the band's CD are featured in the 05th August 2007 Podcast produced 'down under' by hosts Lucas Burns and Peter Ryan, and can be found on their website www.brasscast.com The 27 minute MP3 compilation, which you can download to your PC or iPod, contains the march Lydney Park, - the blues Georgia On My Mind with soloist Greg Morgan, - the 23rd psalm tune Crimond in the arrangment by Peter Graham, and Bohemian Rhapsody by Freddy Mercury arranged by Darrol Barry, as well as an interview about the band. ________________________________________________________________ Lydney Band at the West of England Regional Contest Torquay 2007
_______________________________________________________________________ Battle of Britain' Concert on 10th September 2006 in Lydney Town Hall was given the thumbs up by the enthusiastic audience of townsfolk and assembled civic dignitaries. Local Cadet unit colours paraded to the march 'RAF March Past', followed by a memorable concert program that contained much of the music associated with this event and time in our history. Eight year old David Crow from the Training Band stole the show with an amazing performance in true 'Von Trapp family' fashion, of 'Edelweiss' from 'The Sound of Music'. Later, the roar of Merlin engines in Lancaster and Spitfire, followed by Churchill 's famous words from his speech 'The Few' provided the perfect prelude to band's performance of the stirring March from the film 'The Dam Busters'. Also included was an audience 'sing-along' selection, ably led by our very own, Mr Des Yeates. ________________________________________________________________ PRIZE DRAW WINNERS ! Winners of the Band's monthly PRIZE DRAW , here . The draw, which now takes place on the last Friday of of the month during the band rehearsal, offers better odds of winning than the National Lottery! 50% of the fund is paid as a single prize, each month. To apply to join the Draw, (a registered lottery) - get a free information and joining pack by sending name and address to (click): contact prize draw ______________________________________________________________ By Royal Appointment ! Members of Lydney Band joined forces with Parkend Silver on Friday 19th May to greet the arrival of HRH The Princess Royal at Parkend Station, where a plaque was ceremoniously unveiled to commemorate the new extension of the Forest of Dean Railway from Norchard to Parkend. After a short concert program to entertain the VIP's, and assembled crowd awaiting the Princesse's arrival, the band struck up 'Congratulations' when the Princess unveiled the plaque.
Special trains were laid on to escort the Lydney band members and VIP's to and from Parkend Station from Norchard..
Steam engine 'Bradley Manor' had been suitably spruced up for the occasion.
_____________________________________________________________________ Proms - 'Last Night' style concert on Saturday 20th May 2006.
The Town Hall Lydney, was the venue for this popular flag waving ritual that featured soprano soloist Sue Black, who delighted a large audience with solo arias by Franz Lehar. The band performed many favourites from it's repertoire and the Training Band demonstrated remarkable progress, by contributing several short pieces and solo items under Kevin Ford's baton. Sue returned to lead to the flag waving and sing the Traditional 'Last Night' patriotic favourites which rounded off this gala evening of musical festivities to the obvious enthusiastic enjoyment of the audience! ______________________________________________________________ Cavalry arrive in nick of time for 2006 Regionals! With only 6 days to go before the the West of England regional contest, two of the bass seats crucially remained to be filled! Then the Cavalry arrived !
Jetting into town from Columbus Ohio, USA, especially to join the Lydney band for the contest, came Patrick Herak and Sean Maloney - both experienced American bass players with British Brass Bands back in the States! These guys were soon up to speed on the parts - which was great - especially as the final week of preparation was dogged by a severe virus spreading through the bandroom, affecting over half the band members, and preventing bass player Robin Cawley from taking part!
Neil Crowe with Sean and Patrick
Sean and Patrick had time for a quick tour of the sights of the Forest of Dean and surrounding area, visiting Symonds' Yat, Chepstow and St. Briavels Castles, Tintern Abbey etc, followed by a profitable day at the Cheltenham Race Festival!
The Lydney Band of 2006 at Torquay -
The band with conductor Cptn.Tim Cooper pictured in the hotel Ballroom, Torquay.
Percussionists Amy & Gary took the title of Alan Fernie's vibrant arrangement of Cole Porter's '..be a clown' quite literally at the Town Hall concert that launched Lydney British Legion's 2006 fund raising Appeal! £700 was raised by the event, conducted in spirited fashion by Capt.Tim Cooper. The concert also featured The Forest of Dean Male Voice Choir.
3rd place in 1st Section at GBBA! In spite of an enthusiastic audience reaction to the Band's programme at the GBBA entertainment contest on 12th February, Adjudicator Stan Lippeatt marked the band down to 184 points, resulting in 3rd place amongst the 1st section competitors.. - Mephistopheles :had a 'confident start' with 'neat trio' and 'good solid ending', but p not soft enough. - A Time for Peace : 'Fine horn sound', but 'accompaniment a shade too strong' - Czardas : 'Well played' - Irish Blessing : Opening Quartet required 'smoother articulation', but 'Good Euphonium' noted, however 'softer ending required'. - Batman (the Movie): 'Good percussion, lots of energy and good style'. - Be a Clown : 'Lots of fun' and 'a good finale to an interesting programm
Band shows its commitment to training, by purchase of new instruments! The Training Band have recently acquired new cornets, to provide instruments for the growing number learning to play. In recent months, numbers have grown hugely!
What a difference a year makes!
Aylburton Carnival 2005 - Sweltering hot, too hot......
photos by Des Yeates
......compared with 2004's - torrential hosepipe downpour!
Hot sunshine at Lydney Hospital Fete
Band in the Park! - Seasonal photo gallery click Band on Air! - Radio: Sounds of Brass Philip Hunt's popular radio programme broadcast on Sunday 16th May included the track 'BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY' from the Lydney Band's CD! This was followed by a track
by the City of
Bristol Brass Band under the
baton of one of band's frequent Guest Conductors -
Bryn James. Dan Winder (former Flugal at
Lydney), was the cornet soloist in Stephen Roberts popular
arrangement of the 'LONDONDERRY AIR'. £2,000 raised for local Cancer Charity in Concert The Charity concert organized on Saturday 21st February 2004 raised around £2000 towards a building expansion program at the Oncology Department within Cheltenham Hospital. Band stalwart Brian White had been receiving treatment at the department.
Brian's eldest son Andrew White guest conducted the band and brother Kevin compered the show in his inimitable fashion. The concert which also featured the 'Chepstow Male Voice Choir' conducted by Brian Howard, provided an entertaining program of 'Music from the Stage & Screen'. The large audience present at the Forest Theatre, Five Acres, near Coleford, was certainly impressed, and showed their appreciation throughout. Another new conductor? click to find out! TV presenter takes over! Return to Top.
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