Youth Cash Boost!!

Pemberton Old Wigan DW Band received a great boost to their successful Youth System this week. A grant from the Coalfield Regeneration scheme will provide a further 19 instruments in order to extend provision across a wider community.

The Senior Band was established in 1889 and is ranked 34th in the "all time best bands" by the British Bandsman and is presently 26th in the World Rankings – Pemberton are back at the top........and Youth has been the key.

The Youth band was formed way back in 1996. It currently has 29 members and 8 in the training band. A further 14 players have progressed through the Youth system into the 2^nd Section B Band and 6 into the Championship Section A band. Several have been members of the National Youth and Children’s bands.  It is no surprise that other Championship Section bands have now decided to follow Pemberton and form their own Youth band.

John Don-Duncan, the Youth band conductor, recruits new players from local Primary schools and hopes to take advantage of the Governments “Wider Opportunities Scheme” which provides children with a ‘one year taster.’ They are given free lessons and an instrument for one year. Children wishing to continue beyond this year will now be given the chance by the Pemberton Band.

“At Pemberton we teach children from the beginning but do welcome anyone who is interested and can already play The Youth band rehearses each Saturday morning (10.30-12.30) and learner groups meet Mondays & Fridays (4pm-5pm). We provide tuition and workshops supported by senior members of the A and B bands, some of whom are students at the RNCM and Salford University.”

English Nationals 2012

On Saturday 23rd June the Senior Band competed in the English Nationals Contest at the Guild Hall, Preston.  Each of the 8 Bands performed a set test piece “Masquerade” by Philip Wilby in the morning followed by an 'Own Choice' test piece in the Afternoon.

Having been at the bottom of the pile at this contest in the last couple of years and being the only Grand Shield band in the contest we knew it was going to be hard to turn over any of the British Open standard bands that were competing but nevertheless we put down 2 great performances. 

Our rendition of Masquerade in the morning was the best we had played the piece in the week leading up to the contest and after the final three notes, the listening public including composer Philip Wilby certainly gave us a good cheer for our efforts on such a difficult test piece.
 
The good form continued in the afternoon with our own choice selection “Harmony Music” by Philip Sparke.  Again it was a top draw performance that peaked on the stage and after we had played we received some great feedback from the band press and listeners alike.   Well done to soloist’s Nick Birch, Lynne Campbell and Joanne Johnson who did the band proud on both test pieces and thanks to Mark for all his hard working preparation.


Come results time we came 8^th on the set test and 6^th with Harmony Music in the own choice section.  Year on year we are getting closer to the rest of the pack at the contest and it was only because the set work takes precedence in the event of a tie that we ended up 8th overall on 14 points joint with Virtuosi G.U.S and Reg Vardy.

On a happy note the band would like to welcome Andrew Goodier to the organisation.  Andy joins on Bb bass from Marsden Band and enjoyed playing his first contest with band at the English Nationals.



Well done to Black Dyke and Leyland who will now represent England at the European Brass Band Championships in 2013.

Result = Set work / Own Choice
Set Work result takes precedence in event of tie

1. Black Dyke, (Draw:7/3) 1/1= 2
Dr Nicholas Childs
Own Choice Selection: Revelation (Philip Wilby)

2. Leyland (5/8) 3/2= 5
Michael Bach
Own Choice Selection: Audivi Media Nocte (Oliver Waespi)

3. Foden's, (4/1) 2/5= 7
Allan Withington
Own Choice Selection: Rococo Variations (Edward Gregson)

4. Fairey, (2/2) 4/3= 7
Ian Porthouse
Own Choice Selection: Audivi Media Nocte (Oliver Waespi)

5. Hepworth, (1/6) 5/4= 9
Russell Gray
Own Choice Selection: On the Shoulders of Giants (Peter Graham)

6. Reg Vardy, (6/4) 6/8= 14
Ray Farr
Own Choice Selection: Rococo Variations (Edward Gregson)

7. Virtuosi GUS (3/5) 7/7= 14
John Berryman
Own Choice Selection: Extreme Makeover (Johan de Meij)

8. Pemberton Old Wigan DW (8/7) 8/6= 14
Mark Bentham
Own Choice Selection: Harmony Music (Philip Sparke)