NEWS FROM THE HARROGATE BAND - February 2006 - ISSUE 29

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Ripon Cathedral Gala Concert - Our forthcoming Gala Concert to be held in Ripon Cathedral on Sunday February 26th 2006, will be feature our guest percussionist, Simone Rebello, who is internationally acclaimed for her solo performances and also her work with percussion groups. She will be playing a newly commissioned piece for marimba by Damien Harron together with other items. This promises to be a great afternoon's entertainment

Swing! - The Band's latest CD, "Swing!"is now available. The Harrogate Band has chosen a broad selection of jazz and swing music, centred around the classics of Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Benny Goodman and Ted Heath but also exploring the more modern sounds of Brubeck, Kenton and Abdullah Ibrahim. Brass bands and big bands are from very different musical traditions: the heritage of the traditional British brass band draws largely upon European classical and military music whereas the big band whose swing music became popular in the 30's and 40's were descended from Afro-American jazz and blues. But there are similarities too: both were originally the music of working class peoples and both have survived and continued to evolve and develop in spite of changing fashions and the dominance of pop and rock music. The modern brass band is eclectic in its approach and takes its repertoire from a wide range of musical styles. A typical concert might include marches, solos and serious original band music alongside classical transcriptions, music from stage, screen or television and all kinds of popular styles. This recording is very different: here the Harrogate Band is attempting to cross a musical boundary and in doing so create something quite new, neither one thing nor another but hopefully incorporating the best of both. The Harrogate Band's previous four recordings have each met with great success and we are sure that this one will provide as much pleasure for the listener as we had producing it. The CD is now available from any band member, at concerts or via the website.

Whit Friday CD - The performances at the Delph Whit Friday Contest were recorded and a selection of the best issued on a new CD on the Doyen label including, of course, Harrogate's performance of William Rimmer's march Arabian. The recording also features marches from such famous bands as Black Dyke, Fodens, Besses o' th' Barn and YBS, and it captures the unique atmosphere of Whit Friday. Available from record shops or from worldofbrass.com or 4barsrest.com.

Contesting - The Band are now looking forward to the 2006 contesting season, which started with a return visit to the Yeovil Championships, and is followed by the North of England Championships and the Spring Festival in Blackpool.

The Big Meeting - The Band took part in the Durham Miners' Gala – the "Big Meeting" – where around 40 bands from the north-east parade through Durham City heading the various miners' organisations and their banners. After a very early start from Harrogate and refreshed on arrival at Trimdon Grange with bacon sandwiches, the band marched through the villages of Trimdon Grange and Kelloe before tackling the long march through Durham itself. En route the band entertained the dignitaries on the balcony of the County Hotel with a rousing performance of Sing, Sing, Sing before marching off to the Racecourse meeting field to enjoy a rest in the sunshine. Later in the afternoon the process was followed in reverse, leaving the band extremely tired, hot and bothered, but having thoroughly enjoyed a unique occasion. It was such a success that the band was quickly invited back to take part in the 2006 Gala by another miners' lodge.

Bar Lines - First in a series of (probably) one.
Following Band practice a number of us go for a drink, and after the usual moans and groans (work, partners, Inland Revenue etc.) the old Banding stories start coming out. It is my intention to record some of these - no names will be mentioned but all are true, and come from Bandsmen who do or have played with Harrogate Band.

• A band was so sick of practicing a piece (that they had no chance of ever playing well) that one member advertised the full set of music for free in a local newspaper.
• During a contest performance the Solo Cornet player got lost - The Conductor kept telling him where he should be, "we are at letter E!", "we are at letter G!!". As he brought the performance to an end, and the audience applauded, the Conductor turned to the Solo Cornet player and shouted "YOU STILL DON'T KNOW WHERE THE *$%@#! *@££ WE ARE!"
• A Soloist was persuaded to wander amongst the Audience as he played his solo. Slightly worried, he asked if the music could be put on a stand in case he forgot some of it. This was duly done, and halfway through his performance he wandered back to the music stand just to refresh his memory. It was hilarious to see him trying to read the music that had been placed on the stand upside down!
• The place - Wetherby Bandstand, The band - Harrogate, The Soloist begins his performance. The first few bars were his alone and as his sonorous tones entranced the audience he held them spellbound, waiting for the bass line to come in and move the music along. He waited and waited, and eventually the band joined in with Happy Birthday To You. It was his birthday, and he was stitched up good and proper. He thought they were his friends - he should have known better!
  Collected by Keith Graham - baritone extraordinaire.

Tom O'Connor Show - The Band had a busy weekend in the autumn, starting with an appearance in "The Tom O'Connor Variety Show". This Spectacular variety show took place in Harrogate's International Centre, and saw the band sharing billing with Shahid Malik, Andy Eastwood, and the SLP Showstoppers along with the star of the show, Tom O'Connor. The one-night only event was arranged in aid of the Royal Hall Restoration Trust which is working towards restoring Harrogate's magnificent Royal Hall which has faithfully served the people of Harrogate and the surrounding district in many different roles over 100 years, but is currently closed and in need of considerable restoration. The Royal Hall, known originally known as The Kursaal, dates from a time when Harrogate was a popular spa resort with its own professional orchestras and bands, so it seems natural that one of Harrogate's leading groups took part in this event. In fact the Band was one of the last performers in the Royal Hall prior to its closure, in a special concert to raise funds for the appeal.

Whit Friday - Each year on Whit Friday bands from all around the UK (and sometimes further afield) travel to the Saddleworth and Tameside districts around Oldham to take part in the much celebrated Whit Friday 'Quickstep' march contests. The bands travel by coach from one village to the next and upon arrival at each location march a short distance to the arena then play a contest march to the assembled crowd before rushing back to the coach and on to the next village…and so on. Brass Bands of all grades take part, from the very best championship bands (Black Dyke, Fodens and YBS were all taking part this year) to the youngest school band, but it is more like a festival than a seriously competitive event and the atmosphere is like nothing else on earth! The Harrogate Band attended for the first time this year, playing William Rimmer's strangely neglected march Arabian. We received many favourable comments for our six performances and were delighted to win third prize at Dobcross, (just behind winners Brighouse and Rastrick and second place Dobcross Silver) and to finish in the top ten at Scouthead and Uppermill contests - not a bad debut at all!

Welcome! - We are pleased to welcome Ian Bryant and Simon Crick to our front row cornet line up, and Andrew Hodge on euphonium.

Flocking to the Mart - The Band was pleased to be the first brass band to perform at the new Mart Theatre in Skipton, when we gave a Christmas Concert there. The Auction Mart which, during the week and daytime is a livestock auction market, is hosed down and converted with staging and ring stall seating into a very presentable theatre holding some 300 people. Both the Band and audience thoroughly enjoyed the experience and we look forward to a return visit this coming Christmas.

Christmas Lights - The Band provided a memorable evening for the audience which filled St John's Church, Bilton, recently. The concert had been organised by the ladies of Harrogate Soroptomists in order to raise money to pay for the town's Christmas lights. The Band began with the rousing O Fortuna from Carmina Burana and included in their programme a wide range of music, from Londonderry Air to a new arrangement of the march from Things to Come by Sir Arthur Bliss. The Band featured a number of soloists too, notably Adrian Lowes who dazzled the audience with his rendition of Rhapsody for Euphonium by James Curnow, and Jo Campbell whose brilliant playing of Queen of the Night's Aria from The Magic Flute anticipated the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth next year. The first half ended with a musical magic carpet ride which explored the exotic sounds of the middle east, including Duke Ellington's Caravan, The Sheik of Araby (featuring principal cornet player Robert Illsley), The Wedding by Abdullah Ibrahim (with Lynne Stockdale on flugel) and to end the first half: Bacchanale from Samson and Delilah by Saint-Saens. In the second half the band accompanied guest soloist Laura Jackson, whose lovely voice was hear in three contrasting songs: Over the Rainbow, Somewhere from West Side Story and Rusalka's Song to the Moon by Dvorak. The second half also included a selection of music from the band's recently recorded 'Swing' CD and concert ended with the lively Can-Can. The warm reaction from the appreciative audience drew an expected encore from the band: Sing, Sing, Sing which not only featured the band's percussion section but also some stylish (?) dancing from the cornets!

Cupboard to Contests - The band's youngest member, front row cornet player Dave Smith, owes his band career thanks to a chance finding in a cupboard. Just imagine if you were playing football for the youth team and suddenly a week later you found yourself strutting your stuff on a pitch with the premiership seniors. Such has been the progress of Dave Smith known, in a band full of Davids, as 'Baby Dave'. Dave started playing aged just 7 after finding a trumpet in his Dad's cupboard. He joined Harrogate Band from Tewit Youth Band in 2003 playing in his first contest just months later. Lobbing Dave a flippant question asking him if he'd found a clarinet in the cupboard how his life would be different, elicits an unusually serious answer, 'I'm sure I would have practised it, maybe I could have played the clarinet who knows?' On reflection Dave confesses that the reason he loves the brass band world, thankfully devoid of clarinets, is the not just the variety of music, his current penchant is for jazz, but for the sheer thrill of competing. He becomes animated when asked about next years Areas, “I'm really looking forward to them” he says eagerly, “ I can't wait, it's what brass bands are all about.” Such an upbeat response about the band's most important but nerve racking competition is rare compared to a more seasoned band member who may be more battle-scarred from years of grind on the competition circuit. Ask him for his favourite banding moment and the response is instant, “winning that time at Malton, absolutely fantastic, it was my first contest with the band and we won, you can't beat that feeling of getting it right on the contest stage, everything clicks together, brilliant”y. Getting it right on the contest stage is one of the best qualities Dave has to offer, perhaps because youth is on his side. There are many good older players out there who in rehearsal give the conductor no concern but under the bright lights of the contest stage suffer from nerves and anxiety. He has increasingly shown it is borne of natural talent and hard work (he practices most days). Dave features on the new band jazz CD with the cornet solo “I know why and so do you”, arranged by David Lancaster, the first time another cornet soloist has made it onto a band recording other than principal cornet player Robert Illsley. Putting yourself up on a CD against the best cornet player the band's ever had takes courage but, listening to the recording, he holds his own, demonstrating with ease his ability to switch from a muscular trumpet style to a sweeter cornet sound throughout the piece. So what's next for the 19 year old? “My ambition is always to learn, to be a better player – to improve”, something he can clearly do according to principle cornet player Robert Illsley, “He's got potential and with concentration and a structured approach to his playing he is a principle of the future” something Rob will be hoping, at least at Harrogate Band, won't be for while yet.

A Piece of History - The Band has recently been given an early photograph of one of the original Harrogate Bands. Thought to be that of Harrogate Temperance Prize Band from around the 1890s, not long after that band was formed. The picture shows the full band outside a large tent - possibly at one of the various shows or galas at the time. Anyone with any further information about this picture, or with any similar material from local bands of earlier days is invited to contact Gavin Holman.

Harrogate National Finals - The 2005 National Brass Band Championship Finals were held once again at the Harrogate International Conference Centre. The band provided two rehearsal facilities for visiting bands - which some 20 of the bands took advantage of.

Friends of the Band - If you'd like to play a more active part in supporting the band – there is a whole range of possibilities, you don't need to be able to play an instrument! –please let us know.

Email News - If you would like to receive occasional news from the Band via email, just let us have your name and email address.

Future Engagements - 26-Feb-06 - Gala Concert, Ripon Cathedral, with Simone Rebello
19-Mar-06 - Northern Championships
29-Apr-06 - Ripon Races
7-May-06 - Buxton Contest
13-May-06 - Spring Festival, Blackpool
20-May-06 - Holy Trinity Church, Ripon
3-Jun-06 - Lancaster Cathedral
9-Jun-06 - Whit Friday March Contests
17-Jun-06 - Askham Bryan College
24-Jun-06 - Easingwold March Contest
8-Jul-06 - Durham Miners' Gala
21-Jul-06 - Harrogate Theatre
23-Jul-06 - Wetherby Bandstand
30-Jul-06 - Valley Gardens, Harrogate
3-Sep-06 - Horsforth Hall Park
10-Sep-06 - Hardraw Scar Contest
13-Nov-06 - Stonefall Remembrance
23-Nov-06 - Christmas Lights, Harrogate
11-Dec-06 - St Michael's Hospice
16-Dec-06 - Skipton Auction Mart
For further details of any of these, please see the website or contact the Band via the numbers below.

Keeping in touch - For further information see the Band's world-famous website: www.harrogateband.org If you have any news or information you would like to see in future issues, please let the Editor know. For queries about our engagements or to book the band, please contact Liz Lancaster on 01423-522643, for any other information contact Gavin Holman

Editor - Gavin Holman - Email: gavin@ibew.co.uk