Sunday 20 January 2013

A big good bye and thank you!


Upon our return to rehearsals after Christmas, our conductor of four and half years announced his departure to his new Resident position with the Grimethorpe Colliery Band.  When Mark arrived in Summer 2008, he took over a band that was a struggling Championship Section band.  We were on the brink of relegation, depending on result at the Area (we needed to come third to stay up) and were ready for a shake-up.  His first contest, Wychavon, the band came second and his second contest, the Scottish Open, the band came 10th.  Compared to the other bands there and the standard of Pemberton at the time, this was a fair result.

It was at the beginning of 2009 when Mark’s appointment began to show form.  We won Preston Brass at the Guild playing “Music of the Spheres” and then came third at the North West Area playing “Salute to Youth”, not only fighting relegation, but also qualifying for the National Championships of Great Britain at the Royal Albert Hall.  This was the band’s first appearance since 1907 and the first time since 2004 a band other than Fairey, Leyland and, of course, Fodens, had qualified.  It was from then that the band realised just how special this partnership had already become.

We had numerous other successes, including two top three finishes at the Scottish Open (2009 and 2010), further Preston Brass at the Guild success (2011 and 2012) as well as qualifying for London again in 2011 and almost qualifying for the British Open twice (2010 and 2011).  Our concerts became unique and vastly entertaining and the band’s work ethic has become that of a serious contesting force in the Championship Section, including competing at the English Nationals (2011 and 2012) and the All England International Masters in Cambridge (2009, 2010 and 2011).

We wish Mark every success in his new venture and thank him for turning this struggling Championship band into an established Championship Section band.

Currently the band is welcoming conductors down to try and find a replacement for Mark, and the name of the conductor who is taking us to the Area will be announced shortly.

If you wish to audition for the Musical Director position, please contact the band’s Acting Secretary John Atkinson on 07837934213 or email pembertonoldwiganband@hotmail.co.uk

Tuesday 9 October 2012

New players for the Senior Band!!

The Senior Band are pleased to announce the signing of two new players this week.  Kirsten Broadhurst joins on Flugel and Jordan Logan on Euphonium.

Kirsten started her playing at Astley Youth Band when she was 7 years old and continued to grow as a player by joining Bolton Youth Band when she was 9.  She was soon approached to join the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and around the same time was appointed as principal cornet of the Besses Boys Band.

More recently she has played for Timperly in the North West championship section and for the last 3 years she has played Flugel for the famous Wingates Band in West Houghton.

Jordan's background as a player started in the Salvation Army and at an early age he played for Stowmarkets Corps Young Peoples Band and the Anglia Youth Band.  He has also taken part in the Territorial Youth Band course for the last 5 years were he has really learned his trade on the Euphonium.

More recently and before his move up North he played for Ipswich & Norwich Co-op band and is now studying a BMus in performance at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Jordan joins Nick Birch on Euphonium and we are sure they are going to make a great partnership for the future.

We would like to welcome them both to the band and look forward to working together. 

On a sad note the band said Goodbye to Solo Horn, Lynne Campbell at the week end.  Lynne has been a very committed member of the band for the last 2 and a half years and we are sorry to see her leave the band.  We would like to wish her all the best for the future and thank her for all her hard work.

Monday 1 October 2012

Youth Band Workshop a Success!

Sunday 23rd September saw the Pemberton Old Wigan DW Band hold its second workshop for members of the Youth Band this year.  Following the success of the April workshop, conductor John Don-Duncan asked for a few volunteers from the Senior Band to support and assist in preparing the youngsters for the upcoming Fleetwood Contest, were the Youth Band will perform Malcolm Arnold’s “Little Suite for Brass” as their own choice test piece.

At 10.30am the players from the Senior Band and the Youth Band arrived at Worsley Mesnes Primary School, where B Band Euphonium star Helen Don-Duncan teaches, and the band began with a ‘run-through’ of the chosen test piece.  Senior Band players sat in and played alongside the youngsters, despite having only finished a concert with Highfield Male Voice Choir at the Brindley Theatre in Runcorn twelve hours earlier.
After a short rehearsal, led by conductor John Don-Duncan, the band broke up into sections and soloists.  John Atkinson, soprano cornet from the senior band, worked with the Youth Band’s soprano cornet player Emma Barkley.  Joanne Johnson, the band’s principal cornet and recent recipient of her Master’s with Distinction degree from Salford University, worked with the band’s front row and their flugel player.  The Youth Band back row was coached by Steve Hyde, the senior band’s assistant principal cornet.  The whole cornet section was put through their paces for an hour of intense coaching from the three senior band experts.
The horns were coached by John Don-Duncan, the second trombone player of the senior band as well as the Youth Band’s inspiring conductor, while the Euphoniums and Baritones were coached by Helen Don-Duncan,Dave Chapman (solo trombone in the senior band)and Ashley Jeffers (Solo Baritone,Senior Band).  That only left one section, and in fact one player.  Andrew Potter is the bands only bass player and was coached by former senior band member and Fodens B-flat Bass player, Dave McGlynn.
After an hour of work with their tutors, the Youth Band were given a small break and returned as a band to put together the work they had done with the senior band players.  The band was much more confident in their performance and a difference was noticeable, even though stamina was taking its toll.  John finished the day with a bit of work on a new piece he has arranged ready for the Christmas period.
Conductor, John Don-Duncan, was pleased with the progress of the band and commented that “the kids really enjoyed themselves and the band sound great.  Fleetwood should be good!”  The tutors were also pleased with the day, John Atkinson commented that “the band have improved so much since April, they’re so keen and a pleasure to work with”.
The organisation would like to take this opportunity to thank John Don-Duncan for his continued hard work as well the parents of the Youth Band for bringing their children to the bandroom weekly for rehearsals and the time they have given over recent weeks to help renovate the exterior of the aged building.
The Senior Band wish the Youth Band and B Band well at the forthcoming Fleetwood contest, Sunday 7th October, and hope that the workshop has made a difference.