Newsletter No. 3 - November 2023
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Next Concert – Sunday 26th November 2.30pm at Judd School With Tea and Cakes!
Having played Robert Russell Bennet's American suite (which was a much enjoyed highlight of our spring concert), our next concert will feature his Symphonic Songs which are equally rhythmic and fun. As always, there will be a variety of musical styles on display, from Holst’s ever popular First Suite, through high-energy pieces from Shostakovich, Philip Sparke and Frank Ticheli, quiet reflections from Eric Whitacre, Kletzmer from Adam Gorb, to a Rodgers & Hammerstein medley from Oklahoma! Tickets on Eventbrite here.
For our November concert we had been considering an abridged version of an American in Paris, but we decided instead to do a complete wind band arrangement at a later date. So look for this to appear in 2024. We also have up our sleeve the Britten Four Sea Interludes and Grainger's Power of Rome and the Christian Heart. We have a date for a March concert -17th March - also at Judd School. And possibly another workshop. Watch this space. Bryn will be away in Vancouver making his Canadian conducting debut during May and early June, so we will be working with some guest conductors during that time.
A Full Summer
We had a busy summer. After our usual Hadlow concert in April, we managed to find the hottest day of the year to play on the Big Bridge in Tonbridge for the Lions fete. The highlight of our summer was a new collaboration with Chapel Down Vineyard near Tenterden. They grow a grape and produce a wine called Bacchus, so it was a real pleasure to play an evening 'prom style' concert at the vineyard. As you might expect, we started with March and Procession of Bacchus and finished with Sea Songs and Land of Hope and Glory. Great fun; with a considerable consumption of Bacchus Sparkling Wine! And a week later we reassembled on Eastbourne Bandstand. But where Chapeldown was warm and summery, Eastbourne was a tad chilly. And windy! We will be hoping to repeat all of these events next summer - in fact we already have a date for Eastbourne…..
Update on the Orchestra
The band is now in good shape with solid numbers in all sections … although it would be good to find a couple of extra French horns. We welcome Charlie on flute (his older two brothers were regulars last year). And Frank has been playing horn this term and we hope will become a regular. Dom, on trumpet, has gone back to uni (but will be back one day!). Meanwhile, Vicki is going to join us on sax for this concert and again we hope will become a regular. Our in-house Percussion Section (Alun and Matt) have clearly been practising like crazy, and the section, historically crisis-prone with unrehearsed players coming in at the last minute, now performs like a well-oiled machine! With 9 clarinets, 5 Flutes and 5 trumpets, we are now back up to full sections apart from the french horns - are there any horn players out there wanting to join?
Dates for your diary
26 November - Judd School - concert with tea and cakes - 2.30pm
17th March - Judd School - Spring concert
19th June - Eastbourne Bandstand … fireworks and 1812.
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