Friday, November 5, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
BASBWE weekend
BASBWE weekend 30/31 October 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
2010 Annual Report
Registered Charity – number 1087848
Committee
Simon Witcomb - Chairman, Ian Hulin – Secretary, Fiona Benjamin - Treasurer, Eleanor Brooks - Friends, Lynne Ellis, Jean Rollinson - Programmes
Other roles
Librarian – Ann Moore, Publicity – Alyse Ashton, PR – Eileen Caster, Grants – Julie Wright, Fixer – Jolanta Modelska, Webmaster – Tim Skinner
Conductor
We are still very fortunate to have Robert Roscoe as our conductor. The quality and technical ability of the band has continued to improve under his direction. We know, because we can now perform pieces that we could not even play a little while ago. On the occasions when Robert has been unable to be with us, we have been fortunate to be conducted by John Kane, Trevor Defferd, Andy Smets, and Richard Powell, as well as Tom Verrier (in the barn, on a flying visit from the US).
Constitution and object
The band is a registered charity, and its constitution is available to all members. The object of the band is to advance the education of the public by raising the aesthetic taste through the performance of music.
Membership and rehearsals
We have had 42 paying members during the year. We rehearse every Friday during term time from 7.30pm to 9.45pm in Beenham School Hall.
Finances
A copy of the accounts for the year to 31 July 2010 is attached. The band had an excess of income over expenditure for the year of £422, and the balance to carry forward to 2010/11 is £1,525. Subscriptions were £100 for the year or £40 per term. Being a charity, we are able to recover income tax on subscriptions.
Music
We are building a library of music pieces written specifically for wind band together with arrangements of popular tunes and marches, music from shows and films, and light classical music.
Performances and events
5 September 2009 Enborne Flower Show
27 September 2009 Cold Ash Play Day
14 November 2009 Concert in Ashford Hill church
18 December 2009 Christmas concert
19 December 2009 Christmas Dinner in the Victory Hall, Beenham
22 December 2008 Carols in Woolhampton
23 December 2009 Carols round the village
28 March 2010 Concert in the Falklands Memorial Chapel, Pangbourne
20 June 2010 Forbury Gardens, Reading
29 June 2010 Chamber music concert in the Old Bluecoat School, Thatcham
16 July 2010 Concert on the Rec
24 July 2010 Jonathan Hodgett’s wedding in Andover
24 July 2010 Englefield Flower Show
Main concerts
The November concert in St Paul’s Ashford Hill was a celebration of the life of Jose Marshall, and featured pieces that she loved or that had some significance in her life. Annharmonics, the clarinet group that Jose played in (led by Ann Moore) also performed at the concert.
The March concert in the Falklands Chapel was a joint event with Englefield Primary School, when the theme was animals.
In rained again for the Band on the Rec in July, but fortunately, we were able to use Fred Brown’s barn which turned out to be an excellent venue.
Other news
We started using the Old Bluecoat School in Thatcham for chamber music rehearsals and the concert. This ancient building is ideally suited to this, although it was a bit cold early in the year. A grant from the Greenham Common Trust helped us to get started with this.
During the year, we bought a conductor’s stand with a legacy from Janette MacPherson and donations from band members.
The committee is very grateful to band members who have helped with the administration of the band, by performing the “other roles” listed above.
Future
Our main aim is to ensure that members enjoy making good music, whilst meeting our charitable objective.
Simon Witcomb – Chairman 14 September 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Not on the Rec
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Video of Beenham playing before wedding
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Jonathan's Wedding
Jonathan and Mei greet the band after the ceremony
It's a big church, and the band fitted fairly easily into the south transept, where we were joined by two of Jonathan's tuba friends.
We'd been uncertain just how long it would take for the couple to walk up the aisle, and had prepared for various contingencies when we played the Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin.
No worries though: bride and groom made a perfect and beaming progress to our bright and sonorous accompaniment!
And doubtless they enjoyed the choice selections from Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, and Fiddler on the Roof we played before they processed.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Bandstanding in Forbury Gardens
This year our conductor, Robert Roscoe introduced Dave Brubeck: It's About Time to us and our listeners, together with a generous selection from Fiddler on the Roof.
We had something for everyone: with Holst's Second Suite in F; The Simpsons putting in an appearance from TV; a really exciting rendition of Pirates of the Caribbean; and the seductive tango, La Cumparsita.
We even attracted a few dancers!
Of course, there were many other pieces too, but what I don't understand is why, with the sun providing full support, no one took advantage of The Stripper: perhaps it needed even more brass than we could supply?
Photos by Helen Skinner (please click to enlarge).
Friday, May 7, 2010
Englefield School
Dear Fiona
Many thanks for your letter dated 29 April. I confirm I have forwarded your very kind donation to the Falklands Chapel to Rev.Cunningham, and we would like to donate your other cheque to MacMillan Cancer Support, the charity we donated to when Janette died.
Our children thouroughly enjoyed the concert, as did their parents, it is a wonderful opportunity for our children to play in such a lovely venue. Please pass on our thanks and appreciation to your band members and we would welcome the opportunity of joining with you again next year.
Kind regards
Julia Kidd
School Administrator
Friday, April 23, 2010
Ann Zebedee MP?
I see from the Reading Chronicle that Ann Zebedee, who used to play euphonium with Beenham Band, is making a bid for a political career.
Beenham now falls within the Wokingham constituency, and Ann is standing as Wokingham's UKIP candidate in the general election.
GetWokingham says:
I wish her luck!The 67-year-old mother-of-three, who lives in Reading, said she is incensed at the ineptitude, mismanagement and behaviour of the existing Members of Parliament and believes she has what it takes to make a change.
It is the first time Miss Zebedee, who is a keen musician and is associated with the Waltham St Lawrence Silver Band, has been put forward for the position of MP, but she is relishing the challenge.
She said: “I have always been politically minded – my father was a councillor in Bethnal Green for 34 years and I have always been interested and would spend many an hour as a youngster talking to him about politics.
“But this is all new to me and I have never done public speaking before, but I will just try to be pro-active.
“If I see something needs doing I will try to action for it to be done. But I think something needs to be done to improve the image of the politicians of today and without trying to sound big-headed I think I could actually do something.”
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
BLOW WITH THE FLOW
Beenham Band and Englefield Primary School Music Department
Childrens Concert at the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel, Pangbourne
on Sunday 28th March 2010
Never work with children or animals! Robert Roscoe and his merry Beenham Band defied this advice. They teamed up with musicians from Englefield Primary School and played a lively programme with two pieces of music about animals: movements from Saint Saens Carnival of the Animals and a thoroughly enjoyable medley from The Lion King. In addition the band made good use of a large percussion line-up to perform Cry of the Celts , which began with a hectic drum solo and Paul Hart’s Cartoon, full of fun sounds and reminiscent of Looney Tunes.
Tiffany Ebrey from Englefield Primary School introduced an impressive team of young singers and instrumentalists. Under her direction and to her piano accompaniment, they performed with enthusiasm and enjoyment. The Junior Band opened with The Rivers of Babylon, Moon River and Down by the Riverside which all flowed well. The Junior Choir’s African Jigsaw was lively and ambitious, the solos well sung. The new Brass Ensemble put a good deal of puff into Once a Man Fell in a Well and Little John. The Englefield First Recorder Group played their traditional tunes with jollity.
A good time was had by all!
EILEEN CASTER
Friday, January 15, 2010
First rehearsal of 2010
December 18 - concert
December 25 - Christmas!
January 1 - New Year's Day
January 8 - Snow!