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Social
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Recording of the band

The first CD of the Bath Spa Band, entitled 'Aquae Sulis' is NOW AVAILABLE for just £10. Further information can be found here. Please contact us to purchase your copy, or come along to one of our forthcoming concerts.

Summer 2008

This summer has had a typically busy schedule of events, with Sunday afternoon concerts in Chippenham, Bristol, and at the Parade Gardens in Bath. We have been blessed with some lovely weather (except for the scheduled concert in Shepton Mallet which was rained off at the last minute), and many people have been able to enjoy the sunshine whilst listening to the band in the various parks.

Black Dyke Bonanza!
By: Toby Reed, Percussion
On Sunday June 8th I went to Bournemouth for the bi-annual Black Dyke Mills Band Masterclass. It was an amazing experience working with the percussion group. To start with my Dad and I had to leave very early in the morning to get there for a 9.00 a.m. start.
I knew that we were going to play at least four pieces, they were:

• Castell Coch
• Lets face the music and dance
• Adventures in Brass
• The Lost Chord

May 2008

Weston-Super-Mare contest
This month saw the return of the Weston-Super-Mare own choice contest to the band's schedule of events. Our chosen piece was the Moor of Venice. In the weeks leading up to the contest, the piece really began to take shape, and on the day we gave a fine performance. However, it was a little disappointing to see that other bands in the section had not made the effort to learn a new piece, and instead had opted to play the area contest piece again.
Our final position on the day was 6th, but there were some much more comlimentary remarks given by the Mouthpiece at: www.themouthpiece.com/vb/showthread.php?t=33060.

March 2007

Regional Contest, Torquay.
We are delighted to announce our success at the regional contest in Torquay, where we came 2nd out of 14 bands in the third section, and qualify for the National Finals in Harrogate in September. We have been working with Dave Hayward since the autumn, and the band has flourished under his advice, experience and enthusiasm. In December our resident MD, Dave Walker, led us to a proud second place in the Wessex contest. However, in our preparations for the regional contest we were forced to shuffle players around, and were delighted that Dave Hayward was able to take the baton on the day itself.
Conducting without a score, Dave’s lively approach gave the whole band the confidence to perform in the same way as we have in the band room. And as we stood to take our applause, we could not help but be blown away by the reaction from the audience.
Our thanks go to Dave Hayward, for his time and commitment to the band; to Pam and Bob at the Maycliffe Hotel for putting up with our rehearsals and getting us breakfast early in the morning; and to all the wives, husbands, girlfriends and boyfriends for persevering the many additional rehearsals in the lead up to the contest.

February 2008

We are sorry to announce that after a number of years with the band, Dave Baker has decided to step down as deputy conductor. The band are incredibly grateful for all of his work and commitment, notably the rearranging of parts when we were lacking in players for the contests, conducting at the contests and concerts, and for airing some of the older music in our archives. We are sorry to part company, and wish him all the best for the future.
Following Dave Baker's departure, we are pleased to announce that George Jardine has agreed to to take on the role of deputy conductor. George has close links to the band, as one of our a former conductors, and we are grateful that he has returned in this new role.

Christmas 2007

Carols and Concerts
Every Christmas is a busy time for the band, and this year was no exception. Our concerts in Oldfield Park, Bradford on Avon (with the Con Brio choir) and Broughton Gifford had our audiences singing along to traditional carols and popular Christmas tunes. In addition to these concerts, we were also busy carolling at various supermarkets in the local area every weekend leading up to Christmas, and we always make an appearance at the MENCAP centre for one of our most enjoyable evenings of the year.
A video from our concert at Broughton Gifford can be found on Youtube here.

December 2007

Wessex Contest, Weymouth
Our annual trip to the south coast was rewarded this year when we achieved second place in the first section for our performance of Purcell Variations. We were absolutely delighted with the result, and would like to thank Dave Walker for his hard work and Dave Hayward for his training and advice in our contest preparations.

April 2007

Sheona White Concert
By: Rachel Potter
On 21st April ’07, we were lucky enough to perform at the Guildhall, Bath with world renowned tenor horn player, Sheona White. Although, we were disappointed with ticket sales for this event, the concert was enjoyed by the players and audience alike and many good comments have been received.
It was a great privilege for the band to play with such a talented professional and to play in a beautiful venue such as the Guildhall. We were fortunate to have the Mayor of Bath, Chairman of Bath and North East Somerset Council 2006, and the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Alkmaar, Holland (Bath’s twin city) among the audience.
The programme included traditional marches, classical pieces such as the Peer Gynt Suite and more upbeat numbers such as a rock version of Toccata and Fugue. Sheona’s solo pieces accompanied by the band were Cappriccio Brillante, Demelza, A Time for Peace, Concert Etude and Après une Reve. Each piece showed Sheona’s technical brilliance and musicality to the full. It was a challenge for the band just playing the accompaniment parts which were quite tricky in places! Sheona also joined the horn section for a performance of Hat Trick, a very tricky horn trio, played by not 3 but 5 horn players! The horn section seems to be growing lately and is also known as “Ken and the babes” as he is the only man in the section! We tried to persuade him to wear a wig and dress to fit in but he wouldn’t have it!

On the Sunday morning, a small group of us headed off to the University of Bath to take part in the workshop with Sheona White to get some useful tips. Everybody seemed to be listening intently but found out that the only way to achieve great things is to practise, practise, practise! Everyone seemed to find Sheona’s tips useful and inspiring. It was also a great way of meeting players from other bands and finding out about their playing experiences.

As the organiser of this concert, I would like to say a big thank you to Sheona for giving up her weekend to play with us and share her expertise at the workshop. It was a great experience for the band and one which we will remember for years to come.

Thanks also go to: the committee for their hard work and support – Rikki Peters, Nigel Green, Rachel Jennings, Irene Kitcher, Ken Ash, Phil Williams, Kelvin Eyles and Mike Smith; our MD Dave Walker; the extra players who came to fill in on the night; and all the family and friends of band members who helped with the raffle, refreshments and tickets sales.

September 2006

Broughton Gifford, Parade Gardens and Chippenham
Every year, a small group of players entertain the locals at The Bell, in Broughton Gifford. This year, we opted to play indoors, as the weather was so rotten, but the atmosphere was great. Highlights this year were John Harvey's solo on the carrot, and Larry playing the bell in 'Liberty Bell'.
Our final concert in the Parade Gardens was on one of the nicest afternoons of the year. The park was packed with people out to enjoy the last few rays of the summer, and they were treated to an excellent concert along the way. Some even took the opportunity to pick up a copy of our new cd, entitled 'Aquae Sulis', and at the very reasonable price of just £10. We even have a special offer at the moment: Two cds for the price of 2...
We never seem to have great weather when we play at John Coles Park in Chippenham, and at our last concert of the summer, we had a heavy downpour. Members of the band swore that it was a lovely day when we left Bath, and sure enough, when we arrived back, the sun was still shining. Nevermind. Those who stayed to listen to the band enjoyed themselves, even if they were a little wet. Those who didn't missed out, but they'll just have to take our word for it.

August 2006

Bistol Park and Parade Gardens
Our first event this month was in at Brandon Hill Park, high above the city of Bristol. Our conductor for the day was our very own solo cornet player, and resident comedian, Mr Larry Coles. We had a good sized crowd (and an enthusiastic dog) out to enjoy a sunny Sunday afternoon.
Our second concert at the Parade Gardens was taken by our deputy conductor (and birthday boy) David Baker. We played through a selection of numbers, to suit all tastes of the audience, including a memorable "interpretation" of the Flugel solo 'Crazy' by Larry Coles. It certainly brought a tear to the eye...

July 2006

Victoria Park and Memorial Gardens
This July has been very hot, and these concerts were no different! A last minute change of plan saw the concert in Victoria Park moved from the bandstand to the Botanical Gardens. We were a little concerned, as, although it was a lovely sunny day, there had been a rumour that there may be some rain. And sure enough, as we reached the end of the first half, the skies opened! It was very refreshing though! The short shower soon passed, allowing us to start the second half on time. However, just as had happened in Chippenham earlier in the year, we had a thunderstorm during our last piece - Cranberry Corners USA. Perhaps we should check the forecast before playing it next time!
The Co-op sponsored concert in the Memorial Gardens in Oldfield Park was also a very hot day, and both the band and the audience hunted down all possible areas of shade. There were a few key members of the band missing, so we were thankful to everyone who came along to help out.
We have recently said farewell to Bex Shorrock on 2nd horn, who starts a new job in London next month, and to Sarah Altman on solo cornet, who has just moved to Cheltenham. We wish you both the best of luck for the future.

Band Social
Following the success of February’s “post-Christmas” meal, we moved from French cuisine to Italian, and had a lovely meal in Caffe Uno. Next social possibly to include rounders match? Watch this space…

June 2006

Chippenham, Parade Gardens and Widcombe Rising
After a weekend of glorious sunshine, the clouds started gathering over Chippenham as we played in the bandstand, and sure enough we had a heavy downpour and thunder accompaniment to Cranberry Corners USA to round off our set. Thankfully we were under the shelter of the bandstand – well, most of us were (the basses may have got a little wet!)
Another weekend of beautiful weather, and our first appearance at the Parade Gardens this year. May the rest of the summer follow this example.
Only the training band (plus a few others) attended the Widcombe Rising last year, due to a prior engagement. But those who did go reported back of a great party atmosphere, and so when invited back, both the main band and the training band made an appearance this year.

May 2006

A mix up in the dates for the Weston-Super-Mare contest meant that several key members could not attend, and so we were not able to represent the city of Bath at this event. We will be back next year though!

April 2006

CD Recording Session
April kicked off with a recording session at the University of Bath. Charlie Flemming of Reality Recordings arrived on the Friday afternoon to set up, and by 7.30 we were just about ready to go. We managed to lay down a couple of tracks and still get to the pub shortly after 10.
There were one or two bleary eyes at 9.00 the next morning, but with the addition of percussion, the overall sound was great. There were a few even blearier eyes on the Sunday morning, but a strong coffee and slice of cake saw us through to the finish shortly before 1.00. This was the ideal opportunity to get a photo of the band, and so in the break between rain clouds we assembled on the ampitheatre by the lake. All that was left then was the small task of packing everything away... and finding a well-earned Sunday lunch!
We would like to thank Charlie Flemming for his hard work and enthusiasm for the whole weekend (and subsequent editing), Andy Symes for helping with security as well as playing bass, and everyone else who came to help out. We all had a great, if somewhat tiring, weekend, and look forward with anticipation to hearing the finished product!

March 2006

Memorial Concert and Area Contest
A concert in memory of Geoff Humphries, a former member of the band, was played to a full audience of Geoff's friends and family. The concert was well recieved, and in return, a very generous donation was made for the Peasedown Methodist Church and for the band. A tribute to Geoff Humphries.
The band worked very hard for the second section area contest in Torquay, and although it was a little disheartening at times with such a complex piece being difficult to get under the fingers, and with several players missing, a good performance was made on the day. Everyone seemed happy that we had tried our best, and we were awarded a respectable 9th place with 180 points. We would like to thank Dave Baker for all his hard work both in conducting the band, and in editing the music to suit the band.

See also Dave Walker's pre-contest interview on theMouthPiece.com

February 2006

Social event
With a very busy schedule before Christmas, there was little opportunity to organise a social event then. Although the decorations have long been stashed away, February saw the Bath Spa Band Post-Christmas meal. We had a lovely meal at the Cafe Rouge in Bath, washed down with a glass or two of wine. Definitely a success, just have to think what to do for the next social event! Pictures are available here.

January 2006

Contest rehearsals
Rehearsals are now in full swing for the West of England Regional Championships, to be held in the Riviera International Conference Centre, Torquay on 18th March. We will be playing Howard Snell's Images of the Millennium, and are pleased to announce that deputy conductor Dave Baker will be leading us, to enable MD Dave Walker to help out the bass section. The adjudicators on the day will be Alan Morrison and Steve Pritchard-Jones.

Christmas 2005

Carol playing
December held a very busy period for the band, with carol playing in and around the Bath area. We would like to thank everyone for their kind support for the band, and all the lovely comments. The band has changed a lot in the last 12 months, with many new faces arriving, and some good friends leaving. Although we haven't had much luck in the brass band contests, 2005 has been a good year in general, and we hope that 2006 will be even better!

December 2005

Contest, Weymouth
It took a little time for Darrol Barry's 'Diamond Heritage' to grow on the band, but after many rehearsals and some expert direction from Nigel Seaman (and we were pleased to have him for the contest too), we thought our performance on the day was good. Unfortunately the man in the box wasn't so generous with the points, although his comments weren't bad. Still, we thought we did ourselves proud, and had a fun day in Weymouth at the same time.

October 2005

Social event
We descended upon the New Westhall pub for another enjoyable evening of skittles. One or two of us could do with some more private practice before the next skittles event (sometime in early 2006 - watch this space), or maybe more beer is required to help throw the ball in a straight line…

September 2005

Chippenham, Parade Gardens and Burnham-on-Sea
Three concerts on consecutive weekends drew the summer season to a close, and the temperature was definitely more autumnal by the end of them. Our performance in John Coles Park in Chippenham still drew a crowd on a rather humid afternoon. Our final show in the Parade Gardens came the next weekend, on a slightly miserable day, although one might suspect that one or two ears were also listening to the cricket as the Ashes reached a dramatic climax.
The last date for the summer was another job for the British Legion, this time in Burnham-on-Sea. The band were to play in-between a number of different acts, such as the majorettes, gymnasts, parachutists, and even a hovercraft display. Although the event was successful, we were a little disappointed not to have much opportunity to play, as there was very little gap between each event. This wasn't helped by the cold breeze which left us rather chilled by the end. Never mind, it shows that we're a persevering bunch!

August 2005

VJ Day, Bishop's Lydeard
On a beautiful summer's day, we joined the British Legion in their celebrations of VJ day. Although it took a little while to get there, and I think we all succeeded in getting lost on the way (we were all looking out for the poppy signs that marked the route, but didn't see any. We later found out that they were indeed marking the route, but from the opposite direction! However, the locals in the village pub were just as helpful in their directions!), we had a great day out. The surroundings were lovely, and in-between sets we were able to have a wander round, had a meal from the field kitchen, and helped ourselves to cream teas - how very British!

Parade Gardens
Our third outing to the Parade Gardens this year was well received by all those in the gardens, and by those overlooking from the roadside. The likes of James Bond, Tom Jones and Amarillo even had a few people singing along and tapping their feet.

July 2005

Parade Gardens
Our second performance in the Parade Gardens went without a hitch.

Memorial Gardens
This years CO-OP sponsored performance at the Memorial Gardens was on one of the hottest days of the year, but the audience seemed to enjoy the musical performance.

June 2005

Widcombe Rising and Parade Gardens
Members of the main band joined forces with the training band for a performance at the opening of the VE celebrations in the Widcombe area of Bath. As the sun blazed down, the band played excellently despite the many potential distractions. It would have been nice to be able to stay longer to explore all the stalls and attractions, but after a quick bite to eat (and several bottles of water) the main band were reassembled an hour later for the first of several Sunday afternoon performances this year in the Parade Gardens. Thankful for a little shade under the bandstand, the band entertained tourists and locals alike in the beautiful and relaxing riverside setting.

Guiders concert
Although the venue was changed from the Guildhall to Ralph Allen School in the week before the concert, spirits were high amongst the large audience of ladies (and one or two gents) gathered for a theme night of The Sound of Music. The band provided a musical interlude between songs performed by local brownies and guiders, and then gave opportunity for audience participation in the singing of some golden oldies.

Social event
This month saw the return of the band social with a Pub Quiz evening. A very entertaining evening was enjoyed by all who attended, with some challenging questions and a rather memorable karaoke round to finish.