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GRIMETHORPE
COLLIERY BAND SOLD
OUT! BAND ON TOUR (1.4.10) St. Ronan's Silver Band's bicentenary celebrations continue this month with trip to the Isle of Arran. The party of 58 leave Innerleithen on Thursday (8 April) and will be on Arran until Sunday. The invitation to visit was extended by Ethne and Robert Cumming (former Innerleithen GP) and the Band will play a various locations around the island, including a concert at Lochranza Village Hall and a visit to the Isle of Arran distillery.
SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIPS 2010 (14.3.10)
Rothes
Halls, Glenrothes,
Saturday
4th, 3rd, 2nd sections in that order - start
Sunday 1st & Championship sections - start 10.30am
Adjudicators: Championship Section - Bret Baker & Chris Wormald 1st Section - Dave Barringer & David Thornton 2nd Section - Nigel Seaman & Chris Wormald 3rd Section - Bret Baker & Dave Barringer 4th Section - Nigel Seaman & David Thornton
NEW YEAR'S DAY (3.1.10) After a few extracts from the Alex Knox joke book (which must be the thinnest book in the world!), the band moved onto an arrangement of the theme tune for The Box of Delights 1980s TV adaptation of the novel of the same name. This Baker arrangement features motifs from the carol the first noel for all sections of the band, with Craig Tait and his team on the back row excelling throughout. Alex
Knox then reminded the audience that St Ronan’s Band, founded
in 1810, is the oldest band in Scotland, and consequently
about to celebrate their 200th Birthday.
Alex explained that the Band had commissioned two pieces to
commemorate this amazing achievement, and that they would
both be premiered at the concert. The first was a march
from Bandmaster David Robb entitled St Ronan’s MMX.
Davie has written some cracking marches in the past,
notably Traquair , Bonnie Leithen Vale and The Cleikum
March and writes in a style that provides enjoyment for
both the audience and the player. This latest
creation is the best yet. Combining two of the best
Innerleithen tunes around it leads off with an upbeat Leaving
Leithenside (K.Speirs) and moves into the trio section
with Raise high the banner (Yorkston). The band
were in superb form as they romped through this great new
piece e that will certainly be a big hit around the town at
the New Year and the Games. Next came an overture from
ace arranger Alan Fernie entitled Echoes O’er Leithen.
A perfect follow on to the earlier march, this clever piece
interweaves Border melodies and sounds to provide different
moods throughout with fanfares, flourishes and beautiful melodies.
On the night, the Basses were solid throughout, Jill Keddie
again shone on Flugel and Davie Robb rose to the occasion
with a muted Repiano solo. Alex and the Band then closed
the first half of the concert with the Salvation Army march
Christmas Joy, played with a swagger and some enthusiastic
trombone playing.
The
St Ronan’s Future band then took the stage and continued the
festive mood with a great rendition of Frosty the Snowman.
The Future Band are enjoying a very successful year, having
gained a Gold award at Brass in the Park, Gold award and first
prize at the Borders Entertainment Contest and a credible
Silver award at the Scottish Youth Championships. The
band left the audience in no doubt about their ability during
this great Alan Fernie arrangement displaying a mature, confident
sound from the 22 youngsters. As is the custom at the
Christmas Concert, the Innerleithen Community Council Chairman
Ross McGinn took the stage to present the trophy to the young
player of the year. Davie Robb explained that it had
been a very difficult task to single out one player
from this talented group, but one player in particular had
not only played to a extremely high standard, but had shown
great teamwork and leadership percussionist Robert Wilson.
The Future band’s next number was a great showcase for the
young band. Alan Fernie’s arrangement of the Freddie Mercury
hit Bohemian Rhapsody provided the perfect opportunity
for the band’s soloists to star and show off the band to great
effect. Ruairidh Allan’s horn introduction and the ballad
section from Rebecca Lindsay on euphonium and David Tait on
cornet were exceptional, and the band sounded great, with
the percussion section driving the pulse through the rock
ending and an outstanding bass sound from Calum Macfadyen.
The youngsters closed out their programme with Davie Robb’s
arrangement of Winter Wonderland in
fine style, with star soprano player Graham Adam in great
form. The band is going from strength to strength and
looks good for greater things. CHRISTMAS CONCERT - SAT 12 DEC (30.11.09) St. Ronan's Silver Band and Future Band are getting set for their traditional Christmas Concert to be held on Saturday 12 December in Innerleithen's Memorial Hall at 7.30pm. Bandmaster David Robb will lead the Future Band whilst Musical Director Alex Knox will conduct the main band and both have planned a varied selection of music, including some Christmas favourites alongside other pieces. Hot on the heels of their success at the Borders Entertainment Contest (first prize) and at the Scottish Youth Championships (silver award), the Future Band is on a roll just now and is not to be missed in concert. Meanwhile, the main band is set to feature two new pieces commissioned specially for the Band's bicentenary next year. All-in-all a St. Ronan's concert is the ideal way to get you into festive mood. There will be a licensed bar. Anyone who would like transport to/from the concert should telephone 01896 830577. To book tickets email here or call in at Adam's Bakery in Innerleithen or Robb's KeyStore in Peebles. Alternatively ring 01896 831721 or pay at the door. Tickets cost senior citizens and school children).
St. Ronan’s Future Band had cause for celebration on Saturday in Peebles when they were declared overall winners of the Borders Entertainment Contest Youth Section. Under conductor David Robb, the Innerleithen outfit has made great progress in recent months and were rewarded with a Gold Award and First prize at the prestigious event. Meanwhile, their senior counterparts, St. Ronan’s Silver Band took the honours as the highest placed Borders band at the event, being placed fourth out of the seventeen bands on the day. Newtongrange Silver Band, conducted by Nigel Boddice MBE, lifted the Scottish Borders Trophy with last year’s runners-up Shotts St. Patrick’s Band came second again, with Coalburn Silver in third place. The music adjudicators were Richard Evans and John Boax. The entertainment judge, Paul Drury, gave the entertainment prize to Coalburn Silver Band. SUPER SOP SCOTT RETURNS TO ST. RONAN'S (21.9.09) Super soprano cornet player Scott Forrest will make a welcome return to his home town this weekend when he will be guest soloist at the St. Ronan’s Silver Band concert in the Memorial Hall on Saturday (26 September).
Having learned the basics of music at school in Germany, Scott
joined the Innerleithen band in 1999 and rose to become its
principal cornet player before joining Whitburn in 2004. Since
then he has progressed onto soprano cornet, where he has made
a huge impression with many fine performances. Scott has
also performed with the European Youth Brass Band and the National
Youth Brass Band of Scotland, where he was awarded the Best Student
Award in 2005. He was the Whitburn Band Player of the Year in
2006.
Scott will play a variety of trumpet and soprano cornet solos accompanied by the Band and the concert will also feature the award-winning Future Band. Tickets for this Borders Festival of Brass event are priced at nd nd are available at the door. The concert has been generously sponsored by Innerleithen Union Club.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
(23.8.09)
SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIPS (10.3.09)
A GUID NEW YEAR! (1.1.09)
St.
Ronan’s Silver Band carried out its traditional duty of playing
around the town on New Year's morning waking the townsfolk and heralding
A Guid New Year tae Yin and A' ! St. Ronan’s Silver Band, ably supported by St. Ronan’s Future Band, applied their undoubted musical virtuosity and panache to provide a feast of seasonal entertainment at their annual Christmas Concert in Innerleithen’s Memorial Hall on Saturday 13 December.
The audience’s attention was riveted on the stage from the time the band launched their programme with a powerful and arresting fanfare arke’s arrangement of “A Christmas Heralduntil the farewell strains of the obligatory encore e Wish You a Merry Christmasbsp; The Christmas theme did not curtail the variety of the musical menu. Courses included the now classic Pogues and Kirsty McColl “Fairytale of New Yorkrr. McKenzie), the distinctly Spanish flavoured “Feliz Navidadrr. Van der Velde) and Duncan’s arrangement of “A Christmas Festival skilfully woven medley of seasonal hymns and tunes. Anyone wondering if the senior band would be able to sustain this level of excellence in the years ahead would have had any qualms banished by the superlative and confident performance by the youngsters of St. Ronan’s Future Band. Dedication, hard work and lots and lots of practice were evident in their all too brief programme, especially in the euphonium solo by Rebecca Lindsay (with an eye on Dad David’s position, perhaps!). Her rendition of Mabon’s arrangement of the Robbie Williams song “She’s the One was first class. Conducted by David Robb, her fellow musicians were no slouches either as they played “The Joy of Christmas (arr. Mann), “Let Me Entertain Younother Mabon arrangement), and Alan Fernie’s arrangement of “Frosty the Snowman a final flourish.
For the 10th year Innerleithen, Traquair and Glen Community Council chairman Ross McGinn presented the council’s award for the young musician showing the most endeavour throughout the year Such are the dedication and work ethic of members of the Future Band finding a winner is always extremely hard, but a decision was reached and cornet player Douglas Couchman emerged as this year’s recipient of the trophy.
As
usual, St. Ronan’s Silver Band was guided by the brisk baton of
conductor Alex Knox. Alex, ever considerate of his charges,
contrived to ensure band members had time to regain breath between
items by inflicting on, sorry, telling wee jokes and amusing anecdotes
to the audience least, the laughs outnumbered the groans!
The musicians raised their share of laughs, too, especially the
trombone trio of Keith Belleville, David Phillips and Gordon Burns,
suitably attired in green and red, who led the band in delightful
medley entitled “Santa’s Little Helpersrr. Barry). On
a more serious note, Alan Patterson excelled with his cornet solo
of a beautiful prayer of “Share My Yolkrr. Bosanko).
An unexpected but very welcome surprise on the evening’s programme was a performance of “Onamiugenkyo, arr. Naish), a piece of Japanese Taiko Drumming by St. Ronan’s Percussion Group conducted by their tutor Sarah Naish. This was much appreciated by the audience, especially the participation in the group by the youngest performers on the stage, Robbie Bell and Maddie Pullan.
Other items on the Christmas bill of fare included “Nativity Carolrr. Van der Woude), a foot-tapping march “Goldcrestnderson) and an Ashmole arrangement of “Christmas Swing-a-longbsp; Goff Richardsrangement of “When the Saints Go Marching Inralded the arrival of the interval, while the reflective “Somewhere Out Thered the Indiana Jones style “Christmas Adventureoth arranged by Barry, preceded the final encore.
All in all, a wonderful evening’s musical entertainment and a great way to get folk in the mood for Christmas.
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