Dancing In The Aisles

What a good sound from the Wind Orchestra at St Nick's! The church took the music so well, helping bring out the varied tones and dynamics.

It was a pleasant programme with some contrasting pieces, including, for example, Gorb's dazzling Eine Kleine Walzermusik, and Grainger's smooth Faeroe Island Dance, both for full band, against Little Threepenny Music, Weill's arrangement for wind ensemble of his The Threepenny Opera.

Lesley McEwen introduced the music, proving a clear and informative compere, and we enjoyed sustained solo performances from trumpeter Simon Witcomb in Song and Dance (Sparke, arr. Brand), and from saxophonist Victoria Benjamin as Josh Ruddock danced in the aisles in Riverdance (Whelan arr. Barker).

A few more photos of the concert at St Nicolas Church (click for larger image).

Beenham Wind Orchestra's first concert at St Nicolas Church, Newbury and the first concert under its new name.

The Threepenny Opera ensemble

Riverdance soloists Victoria Benjamin on soprano sax and dancer Josh Ruddock

Not on the Rec

Not on the Rec. Not on the Rec.

See how it rains. See how it rains.

They all ran off to a nearby farm,

Which thanks to the Allams, worked like a charm,

Did you ever hear such musical alarums,

As Band in the Barn?

Band and villagers - Friday 16th July

 Band in full swing

Louise on bass clarinet

 A beautiful barn for a concert

Lynn on euphonium

Play time

Burger King

Drin King

With thanks to Mike Weston for his photos of the band

(click on photos to enlarge)

Jonathan's Wedding

Yesterday morning, Saturday 24th July, the band played at St Mary's Church Andover for the wedding of our tuba player, Jonathan Hodgetts and his bride Mei.

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.

Jonathan with tuba, Enborne 2009

During the service the band accompanied the hymns, and to end we played Jonathan and Mei out of the church to Mendelssohn's famous Wedding March.

Welcome Mei, and congratulations and best wishes to you both from everyone in the band!

Cold Ash Play Day 27 September 2009

A view from the trumpet section

Band on the Rec 2009

As I drove along the lane through Beenham on Friday evening, I passed quite a few people on foot, walking quickly in the same direction, and holding onto children, blankets, and other oddments.

Not refugees, it turned out, but pilgrims. Drawn by the lure of Beenham Band's annual extravaganza, Band on the Rec.

When I arrived at the Rec there was already a fair sized crowd, but it was to swell quite a bit more as time went on.

Luckily, this year we were not rained on. Indeed, it was perfect weather for a spot of banding, because the skies cleared and freshened, letting us play comfortably in good light, sustained by beer and Pimms, while our listeners lolled comfortably on their blankets and garden chairs, sustained by their picnics, until we closed at 9.30 pm.

I don't know for sure which music was most appreciated, but Pirates of the Caribbean, The Stripper, Dambusters, Hootenanny, the Muppets, Grease, and Copacabana seemed to score highly.

Look forward to seeing you at the Rec next year.

(Thanks to Clara Morsley for the photos - please click to enlarge)

10th Anniversary Concert 2009

Saturday's concert opened with Lloyd Coleman conducting the band, first in Vaughan Williams’ Flourish for Wind Band, and then in the world premiere performance of Lloyd’s own piece, Jubilation, which he wrote especially for Beenham Band.

View the audience

Both pieces were well received by our enthusiastic audience.

Jubilation gets its second performance in Manchester today, Wednesday - good luck, Lloyd!

Brass row

Robert Roscoe took up the baton for the rest of the concert, first conducting Ted Huggens’ immensely expressive New Baroque Suite.

This was followed by Guy Woolfenden’s Gallimaufry, which although in six sections is played as one continuous piece. Gallimaufry is based on music Woolfenden originally wrote for the RSC productions of the Henry IV plays in 1982, and sounds like traditional English music, though cast in modern forms.

Where now?

The first half ended with Torbjorn Hultmark enchanting us all with a mellifluous stream of cornet solos in his own arrangement of Arban’s Carnival of Venice.

After the interval the band gave exciting performances of Martin Ellerby’s demanding Paris Sketches and an arrangement of Bernstein’s West Side Story.

Lobby crush

For the finale there was John Krance’s amazing wind band version of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana, during which the band seemed almost to take the roof off Newbury’s Corn Exchange.

Silver

See you soon for "Band on the Rec", Friday 3rd July at 7.30 pm on Beenham Rec - feel free to bring a picnic!

(Click on pics to enlarge)

Afternoon rehearsal

A few photos from the rehearsal on Saturday (click to enlarge):

Robert Roscoe conducting

Dave Appleby on tenor horn

Torbjorn Hultmark running through Carnival of Venice

Lloyd Coleman rehearsing Jubilation

Golden action

Robert and Beenham Band

The Night Before ...

I suppose we could have squeezed a few more into the school hall last night, but it was fairly full for the final Friday rehearsal before the Corn Exchange concert.


Carmina Burana got a good going over, with Robert conducting in the first half, this time also with two pianos and some extra percussion.


And then, after that lip-busting session, we spent the second half jubiliating with Lloyd, as he took us for a work-out of his own.


Add Ted Huggens’ New Baroque Suite, the Carnival of Venice, Gallimaufry, Paris Sketches, West Side Story, and Vaughan Williams’ Flourish for Wind Band for the actual concert, and the audience will have a real treat; and we will all sleep well in our beds tonight.

Lloyd Coleman rehearses Jublilation

The band had great fun on Friday when Lloyd Coleman came down from Chetham’s for his first rehearsal of Jubilation, which he wrote especially for us.

Jubiliation is a dynamic work, with plenty of ebb and flow in its development, and drama in its conclusion: something for the band to get its teeth into, and much for the audience to enjoy.

Lloyd knew how he wanted us to perform, and through his good humour, and meticulous and energetic conducting, communicated that to the band.

Anyone who wants to hear Jubiliation’s premier performance - with Lloyd conducting - should book tickets for Beenham Band’s anniversary concert at the Newbury Corn Exchange on 20th June, when it will feature in our spectacular and wide-ranging programme.

Englefield flower show

Our last engagement before the summer break: the Englefield flower show, held in a field behind the primary school, Andrew McBirnie conducting.

A well arranged venue for the band - we were under an awning in the middle of the field with the various stalls arranged around us in a ring: a large captive audience!

We opened with the glorious Hootenanny, and closed, upbeat, with the Dambusters.

Charlie left soon after the interval, telling us he “only had time for one” - so we played One once with him.

Warm and sultry, it was a great afternoon for the band to play, and for people to sit and listen as they supped their tea and cake, reading their bookstall haul.

Not many hats on the band this time, but as you can see, Lynn sported a fine boater.

The flower show’s competitive entries were in a marquee off to the side, and it was pleasant indeed to wander round afterwards and see the enormous gladioli, colourful sweet peas, assorted cakes, perfect vegetables, varied garden designs, and fine photography.

Decidedly warm though.

(Click on pics to enlarge).

Photos

Hey - look at the link at the bottom of the left hand side, to access all the wonderful photos that the Thatcham Photography Club have taken over the last three weeks!

Band on the Rec 2008

There was a beer tent, photographers’ tent, barbeque and band for this year’s “Band on the Rec”.

As we started playing, people brought out their chairs and umbrellas and settled down to enjoy themselves.

Hootenanny made for a vibrant start, and we moved on to Oklahoma, the Dambusters march, Colonel Bogey, Les Miserables, Vaughan Williams’ Folk Song Suite, and more.

From time to time it rained and drizzled, but having started we carried on.

Ann Zebedee played her euphonium crouched under a large umbrella; Robert conducted under a broad rimmed floppy hat; and some wore coats; but others seemed oblivious to all but the music.

Perhaps we tempted fate by stopping for an interval, because soon afterwards the sky darkened, the rain set in in earnest, and the second half edged out to next year. Well, it was good while it lasted!

Meanwhile, under their brollies, our phlegmatic audience carried on eating their picnics, quaffing their beer and champagne, and playing on the swings. What’s a bit of weather?

Then it was off to the Six Bells - the favoured haunt of band members late on a Friday evening.

My music, which is hanging pegged out over the bath, seems to have dried now, although it is no longer smooth or flat. In years to come, as it undulates over someone’s music stand, each sheet will be a testament to the spirit of the Beenham Band, 2008.

Well done, Simon!

(Click on pics to enlarge)