Friday, December 19, 2014

Beenham Wind Orchestra held their Christmas Concert in the school hall on 12 December.  The music comprised old favourites and some new pieces, interspersed with carols for us all to sing.  I always wait in anticipation for the whip-crack in “Sleigh-ride”, and it was dead on time again this year!  I was told that the number of musicians in the bass brass section has increased this year. This certainly made a very round sound that filled the hall and got us all in the Christmas spirit - and ready for the mulled wine and mince pies that were kindly provided by the orchestra.
Beenham is very fortunate to have such a fine wind orchestra based in the village.  It was a shame that the musicians outnumbered the audience.

Peter McEwen

Monday, November 24, 2014

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Autumn Concert

St Mary's Church, Thatcham
Saturday 8th November, 7.30pm

Conductor - Robert Roscoe
Soloist - Anne Laney

We have a varied and, we hope, enjoyable programme of music in our Autumn Concert. Anne Laney, from Beenham Wind Orchestra, will be playing the Clarinet Concerto by Martin Ellerby. This piece was described by the composer as a 'sunshine' concerto, written in a frenzy of activity in 2000. It is, in turn, an exciting, reflective and fun piece, which I know Anne really enjoys playing.

The programme also includes Sea Songs by Thomas Knox and the moving and beautiful American Elegy by Frank Ticheli, composed in memory of those who died and to honour the survivors of the Columbine School Massacre in 1999.

On a lighter note, an exciting arrangement of Gershwin's 'I Got Rhythm', a medley of tunes from the Early Twenties and the exotic 'Armenian Dances' by Alfred Reed. We are also pleased to welcome Sam Wyne. Playing with us for the first time, Sam will be playing Euphonium in 'Tuscan Serenade' by Faure, arranged for Wind Orchestra by Percy Grainger.

Tickets 
Paid in advance £10, concessions £8, U18 £2, available from Orchestra Members or phone (answerphone) 0118 9712575
Or from Lily Boutique Ladies Fashion in the Kingsland Centre, Thatcham

On the door: £12, concessions £10, U18 £2

Read about our soloist, Anne Laney, below.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

AUTUMN CONCERT

Anne Laney is the Soloist for our Concert on 8th November, playing the Clarinet Concerto by Martin Ellerby.

Anne was lucky to be part of an “experiment in post grade eight teaching” scheme in Reading during the early 1980’s which operated on a Saturday morning at Mockbegger House. There, under the specialist tutition of Robert Roscoe, she developed  her playing and had the opportunity to explore ensemble performance to a high standard in a master class environment. Elements of aural and theory teaching were included and the whole experience, together with her time in Reading Youth Orchestra, remains the highlight of her musical education. After finishing her degree in general music at Kingston Polytechnic, Anne continued to perform with orchestras local to where she was living, while working within the social care environment and this is pretty much as things are now! Different employers, different musical groups but the same pattern. She currently plays regularly with Windsor and Maidenhead Orchestra and Beenham Wind Orchestra and is very excited by the opportunity to perform the Martin Ellerby Concerto with Beenham. Thanks everyone!

Monday, September 15, 2014

Theale Remembers

"I just wanted to say a huge Thank You to you and all the band members who came and played at Theale Remembers Fete yesterday (13th). It was an absolute joy to be able to sit and listen to them, and the Last Post played at the end was just fantastic, many people remarked how it gave them goosebumps."          Jan Richardson.  Theale Parish Councillor



Sunday, August 31, 2014

Theale Remembers: Centenary WW1 Village Fete & Exhibition

We are really excited to be part of this, it was a bit of a challenge to find music, but come along and hear us play Elgar, Holst, Strauss and Sullivan, and a great arrangement of Music Hall Songs from the period by our Bari Sax player , Kath Harding. 


On Saturday 13th September 2014 Theale Parish Council will be holding a 1914-18 Village Fete & Exhibition on the Recreation Ground in Englefield Road as part of its commemoration of the Centenary of World War I.

The Exhibition will show Theale as it was 100 years ago and visitors will be able to see how much the buildings and people’s way of life have changed since the Great War. There will be displays on the stories behind the names on Theale War Memorial, Thames Valley Police Museum will be exhibiting artifacts from the period and Theale Library staff will be on hand to give advice on tracing your ancestors.

The Fete will give visitors a taste of village social life during this period with attractions from 100 years ago such as Bowling for a Pig, Punch & Judy show, a traditional Beer Tent as well as a Temperance Tent, an Exhibition Cricket Match, Morris Dancing and much more. Refreshments will be available in the old fashioned Tea Room and Beenham Wind Orchestra will be playing music of the period whilst history  re-enactors in uniform mingle with the crowd.

Location : Recreation Ground, Englefield Road, Theale.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014


Hear us play this Saturday at Whitchurch-on-Thames Village Fete, Eastfield Lane, RG8 7EJ at 2.15pm


Thursday, May 1, 2014

Grainger day - The Sequel


Join Beenham for a day of exciting Wind Band music

 
A Sequel to our Grainger Day in 2013 but indoors, with percussion and piano for the full ’Grainger’ experience!          
  Including ‘Tuscan Serenade’ by Fauré arr. Grainger
 
True to our determination to promote good, original wind band music, we will also be playing 
Songs and Refrains’
by contempory English composer, Daniel Basford
and
'An American Elegy' by American composer, Frank Ticheli
 
Sunday 22nd June, Kennet School, Thatcham, RG19 4LL, 10am—5pm



The day costs £10 which includes tea and cakes but please bring your own lunch

Please contact Simon Witcomb if you would like to join us.
01635 869 869
 simon@witcombs.co.uk


 

 


 


Monday, April 21, 2014

Bracknell & Wokingham tour to Belgium April 2014


A few of us were fortunate to join BWCB on their tour to Brussels and Antwerp. It made me remember how much fun Band Tours are, let's get BWO across the Channel next year and return the favour!

Monday, March 3, 2014

St Mary's Thatcham, 1st March 2014


Kath Harding, our Bari Sax
Harriet, Fran, Daphne, Jean and Richard the clarinets
Sue and Neil, half of our fabulous percussion section

David, Teresa and Lynne the saxes


Thursday, February 6, 2014


Winds in Time
Great Music from Great Composers
The first in a series of concerts exploring the history of Wind Band music, the early years from 1824 - 1911

St Mary's Church, Thatcham

Saturday 1st March, 7.30pm

The first half of our programme includes pieces by Mendelssohn, Wagner, Holst, Grainger and Saint-Saens all written specifically for Wind Orchestra, so if you have enjoyed orchestral pieces by these great composers come and enjoy this exciting programme of music.
The second half features everything from Bach to The Liberty Bell with a tribute to jazz by Frank Ticheli, composer of the thrilling 'Vesuvius' for those of you who came to our previous concert and, of course 'Welsh Rhapsody' a medley of really well-known tunes from Wales as it is St David's Day!
 

Tickets in advance £10 (Concessions £8, U18s £2)
On the door £12 (or £10 and £2 respectively)
Or from Wegottickets.com, Orchestra members or contact Gay Spackman dandyeve@pipex.com or 0118 9712575