Great start to the year

If you have not been following the bands on twitter then you will be pleased to know it has been a great start to the year since our last update.

First of all the B Band went to Butlins late January and put up a sterling defence of their title.  MD Peter Ashley drew out a performance full of character, helped by positive contributions from all his main soloists and gained 3rd place out of 15 strong line up.

The band left Skegness with £700 for their efforts which has got the organisation off to a great start this year.

Full results from Butlins at the bottom of this page.

Now to the Senior Band, who took part in the Brass at the Guild contest in Preston on 5th February.

“There is nothing like starting the new contest season with a win, it sets the scene for the whole year”. (MB) 

And that is exactly what we did!!

We were already the bookies favourites to win this contest, but that did not stop MD Mark Bentham from working the band hard in preparing Hermann Paullhuber’s very challenging work Titans Progress.

Over the last decade the band has had some fantastic results at this contest and even when we were the underdogs from the 1st section we were beating established Championship section bands to 1st place (full breakdown below). This time however, Mark wanted us to put a real stamp of authority on this contest and be clear winners, and as the results show we did just that winning the contest with a 2 point margin from Yorkshire rivals Hammonds Salataire.

We also added a further £1000 to the prize fund which should keep our bands treasurer Aunty Anne happy............for a couple of weeks.

Pemberton Bands decade at Brass at the Guild.

Both bands are fighting fit ready for the North West Area and are already working hard to qualify for the finals in the 3rd section and Championship in 3 weeks time.

Full results for Butlins and Preston below.

Adjudicator(s): Kevin Holdgate and Graham O'Connor Test piece: Three Miniature, Philip Sparke

<><><><><><><><> Pos Band Conductor Dr 1 Boarshurst Silver David Ashworth 5 2 Stamford Brass Robert Prew 1 3 Pemberton Old JJB (B) Peter Ashley 4 4 Whitworth Vale & Healey John Binns 8 5 Emley Brass Garry Hallas 3 6 Dronfield CMW John Davis 6 7 Hucknall & Linby Brass Paul Whyley 7 8 Hemel Hempstead David Klein 2 9 Rolls-Royce (Derby) Graham Cardwell 13 10 Eccles Borough Marieka Gray 12 11 Dinnington Colliery Jonathon Beatty 11 12 Backworth Colliery Callum Harrison 9 13 Ibstock Brick Brass Huw Thomas 10 14 Hitchin Craig Patterson 15 15 Croft Silver Ian Needham 14

Championship Section:
Adjudicator: Paul Andrews

Test Piece: Own choice

1. Pemberton Old Wigan DW (Mark Bentham) – 191
2. Hammonds Saltaire (Morgan Griffiths) – 189
3. Felling (Steve Malcolm) – 187
4. Longridge (Mark Peacock) - 186
5. Harrogate (Craig Ratcliffe)- 184
6. Oldham (Lees) (John Collins)- 183
7. Newstead Welfare (Duncan Beckley) - 181
8. Poulton Le Flyde (John Wood) - 178
9. Hade Edge (Simon Wood) - 177

Remembrance, Last Night of the Proms and Scotland

There was no let up for the band after the hard work we put into London with only a few weeks to learn a new test piece ‘Music for Battle Creek’ in time for the Scottish Open and to get a concert program ready.

On the 12^th of November the band entertained our local supporters at St Matthews Church round the corner from the band room.  As per usual there was an underlying remembrance theme to this concert with some special contributions from the soloists including remembrance items ‘Loss’ By Don Ellis performed by John Atkinson on Soprano Cornet and ‘Nightfall in Camp’, which includes the Last Post performed by Joanne Johnson.  There was also a first performance of Eva Cassidy’s arrangement of ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ superbly performed by Ashley Jeffers on Baritone.  As well as the remembrance items and solos the audience were treated a large variety of music ranging from classical overtures to hymns and film music finished off by a rousing ‘Last Night of the Proms’ finale.  The band received very good feedback and will hopefully be performing again for our local supporters next year.

Following this concert the band participated in the Remembrance Sunday parade in Hindley.  This is always an important date in the bands calendar and our thanks go to Steve Hyde for performing the Last Post and Reveille.  Despite the cold weather, an early start and marching around the streets of Hindley, the band are honoured and privileged to support those who are fighting and those who have fought for our country.

On Wednesday 16^th November our Secretary Dave received an unusual phone call from the BBC, saying that they were doing a piece on the newly refurbished Mesnes Park in Wigan.  Some money had been left to introduce bands once more to the parks bandstand and they were doing a feature for North West Tonight about the park and could the band send some people to provide music.  After some quick organising a mix of the Senior Band and ‘B’ Band, consisting mainly of students and retirees, performed some marches for the camera.  There was also some stardom for the bands trombone player and conductor of the Junior Band John Don-Duncan as he was interviewed for the programme.  This was great publicity for the band and our thanks go to all those who gave up their time at short notice to either organise or play in the makeshift ensemble.

A week before the Scottish Open the Band played at St Ann’s Church in Rainhill for the 19^th year in a row.  This is always an enjoyable concert with a large appreciative audience.  The band once again entertained with a variety of music including the overture ‘The Force of Destiny’, the relatively unknown Rimmer March ‘Arabian’ and included some of the bands singing skills with an arrangement of Michael Jacksons ‘Beat it’.  There were some fine solo contributions from Solo Horn Lynne Campbell performing ‘Rainforest’ from Windows of the World and Ashley Jeffers performing a reprise of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’.  There was also some fine band playing in the popular ‘Sweet Shepherdess’ and some good solo contributions in the testing ‘Fives and Threes’ as is usual in this concert we once again finished with the customary last night of the proms set.  This was a very well received concert with a standing ovation from the entire audience ending an enjoyable concert.

The band was now in full swing preparing for the Scottish Open on a very difficult piece ‘Music for Battle Creek’ and with a full week of rehearsals done the band turned up in good spirits at 10am on Friday morning for the 5 hour coach trip to Perth, Scotland.  After a happily uneventful journey the band arrived at our hotel in the centre of Perth and went to our rehearsal.  After a good workout the band were in confident mood.   After half a shandy it was early to bed ready for the contest.

For once the band didn’t have to be up at the crack of dawn for a contest and after a leisurely breakfast we had a warm up rehearsal in the hotel.  After double checking a few corners of the piece we had a rousing team talk from Mark we had a short walk over to the Hall.

The Band was pre-drawn 3^rd so knew if we wanted to figure in the prizes we needed a very good performance that would stick in the memory of the three judges.  The band performed admirably however there were just a few small errors which crept in meaning the band didn’t perform to its full potential.  Credit however must go to the bands Principal Cornet (Joanne Johnson) and Euphonium (Nicholas Birch) who both performed exceptionally with their fiendish and lengthy solos.  Overall the band thought they had played well, but may have left the door open with regards to the prizes.  This was reflected with two of the three judges giving us 5^th and 8^th however we were shocked to be placed 12^th by the 3^rd judge.  We were disappointed with the results especially as the band has performed so well here over the last few years.  However, the band still enjoyed its trip to Scotland and had a great weekend no matter the result.

Next we start our Christmas Concerts with another busy few weeks on the horizon, including the bands annual Christmas Concert with the ‘B’ and Junior Bands at the Rose Club in Hindley (Formally the Monaco Ballroom) on Sunday the 4^th of December at 2pm.  All welcome to what is always an amazing event!  For more details of the Band’s Christmas Concerts (including the ‘B’ and Youth Bands) please visit the band’s website www.pembertonoldwiganband.co.uk


Thanks to David Chapman for writing this Blog update.

St Helens, Neston, Middlesborough and Kensington

It has been a long time since our last blog update and the band has been extremely busy!

On 20th August, less than a week since we returned to rehearsal after our summer break, the band were in action at St Helens Town Hall performing in a joint concert with Parr (St Helens) Band as part of their 75th Anniversary Celebrations.  The concert was a fanastic way for Pemberton to kick of their 2011-2012 concert season and Mr Richard Evans was an excellent compere throughout the evening!


Just two weeks later and the band were in concert action again, this time playing a concert as part of Neston Music Festival, on Sunday 4th September.  This was the first time we had been to Neston, and are looking forward to going again next year.  The church in Neston was a fantastic church and the audience were extremely receptive.  This was also the night when we got to launch our long awaited "Rimmer Marches" CD and several were sold on the night.


A week later, on Sunday 11th September, we were in contest action in Middlesborough at the Dr Martins Trust Wainstones Cup.  Last year the band were runners up and were hoping to go one better with our choice of "Knights Templar" by George Allan as the march, "Amidst a Celtic Dream" by Ben Tubb as the solo, performed by our solo euphonium Nick Birch and our test piece, the fiendishly difficult "On the Shoulders of Giants" by Peter Graham, which was the British Open Test Piece in 2010.


As a band, we know we could have played better, but were still stunned to have been placed 8th overall, out of 10, being beaten by several first section bands.  Obviously, until you read the remarks you cannot comment and after a long day we had to wait until the next rehearsal (four days later) to see Kevin Wadsworths remarks.  As we read them, we struggled to work out where he had taken his marks off us from, there was very little criticism.  But, that's contesting.  An underpar performance led to an underpar result.


A few light weeks of preparation for our next contest were given some relief by a concert at St Michaels Church in Swinley on Saturday 8th October where the band enjoyed performing to this typically receptive audience.  This concert is one of the highlights of the year - the audience love hearing us and we love playing to them.  Our soloists were on their usual top form and the 'Last Night of the Proms' set went down a storm - as usual!

The band in rehearsal the night before RAH (picture by Colm Gallagher)

Just a week later and the band were en route to their biggest gig of the year - The Royal albert Hall, London.  We left Wigan at 10.30am and drove down to Kensington, arriving around 4pm, after a few stops and some heavy traffic on the M1.  Around 7.30pm and the band were now rehearsing at a church just around the corner.  Final rehearsal done, an early night and an early start for the big day!


6.30am and most of the band are at breakfast, and we are rehearsing again at 8am, same church.  During the rehearsal we get news of the draw - 15, after Rothwell and before last year's winners Brighouse - not bad company!


It wasn't until nearly 4pm did the band eventually take to the Royal Albert Hall stage to play their account of the newly commissioned "Breath of Souls" by Paul Lovatt-Cooper.  The piece is full of rhythmic and technical difficulties as well as cadenzas for Euphonium, Flugel, Soprano, Trombone, E-flat Bass and Tenor Horn, and numerous solos for all soloists, with more extended solos for Cornet, Euphonium and Tenor Horn.

The Band in Action at the RAH (Photo by Ian Clowes)

The band played well, but knew that they could have played so much better.  Good solo playing, but as a band, many of the technical passages were loose and untidy, which is accentuated in an enormous acoustic like the Royal Albert Hall.  Results weren't out until after 7pm and the band were disappointed with being placed 16th out of 20.


In typical Pemberton spirit, we were out as a band and enjoying a curry at a local Indian Restaurant together that evening, which was fantastically organised by Carina Halliwell (thanks Carina!).  The journey home was a quiet one the next day, mainly because of suffering from the night before.

Pemberton Band outside the RAH just after playing (with our mascot, Charlie Atkinson)



We are now looking forward to some more concerts and the Scottish Open at the end of November, where we will be playing the set test piece "Music for Battle Creek" by Philip Sparke, another demanding work with typically fantastic writing by the composer.


If you would like to buy a copy of our CD "Rimmer Marches" come along to a concert, or you can buy one through the band's website, using PayPal.  For more details of the CD and our concerts at the back end of this year, please visit our website:


http://www.pembertonoldwiganband.co.uk/