BANDROOM NEWS

CLASSICAL BRASS CONCERT

We are now busy preparing and looking forward to our next concert which is to be held at Ushaw College, Durham,

at 7.30pm on Saturday 11 May 2019

In this unique and exciting concert, Fishburn Band joins forces with professional pianist Alison Gill. Together we will perform Sunderland-born composer Edward Gregson's evocative Concertante for Piano and Brass Band.

Composed in 1966, whilst he was a student at the Royal Academy of Music in London, it was the first major work to be written for this combination.

The Concertante is unashamedly romantic in idiom and is cast in three movements: Prelude, Nocturne and Rondo.

The concert will also showcase music by eminent American composer George Gershwin, romantic pianist and composer Enrique Granados as well as a performance of the Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite No.1, which includes the famous 'Morning Mood' and 'In the Hall of the Mountain King'.

Part of this suite has been specifically transcribed for this concert by Brass at Ushaw's artistic director Steve Robson.

Bandroom News 29/04/19

MIKE LOVATT CONCERT

The Band had a brilliant time having the awe inspiring Mike Lovatt play a selection of Trumpet Solo’s from his recent CD

‘56 Degrees North’ (plus others) in rehearsal on Friday and in Concert Saturday 27 April in Old Elvet Church, Durham,

conducted by Lewis Wilkinson, who had also prepared the band for the Concert in exceptional fashion.

Mike is the Principal Trumpet of the John Wilson Orchestra, Lead Trumpet of the BBC Big Band,

is Professor of Trumpet at the Royal Academy of Music, played Lead Trumpet on ‘42nd Street’ musical in London,

and has played on the soundtracks of numerous films including the new ‘Avengers Endgame’

Both Band and Audience were treat to a fantastic array of very high standard Trumpet playing from one of the worlds most sought after players.

Bandroom News 29/04/19

NORTHERN AREA CONTEST

The Band gave an excellent performance of Seascapes (by Composer Ray Steadman-Allen)

under the Direction of Professional Conductor Paul Lovatt-Cooper.

The Band was well prepared by our resident MD Lewis Wilkinson, who put the Band through their paces for a number of weeks prior to Paul's attendance and thanks must go to Lewis for his excellent and thorough preparation.

A huge thank you to Iris Cochard, who came in and did a fantastic job at the last minute all the way from Switzerland

to deputise for John White who was unfortunately unavailable.

We gained a reasonable 5th place, which wasn't quite what we'd hoped for as it would have been nice to make another appearance

at the Royal Albert Hall in October.

Fishburn Band offer our congratulations to winners EYMS (Now renamed City of Hull Band) and Runners up Reg Vardy,

We hope you both do the North East proud at the Finals!

Read our Adjudicators remarks here: (Seascapes — Fishburn Band 2019)

Bandroom News 18/03/19

BAND DINNER AND AWARDS EVENING

We are all looking forward to the inaugural Band dinner and Awards evening taking place on 26 January at Redworth Hall.

Our Baritone player and Committee member Abigail Groocock is the inspiration and organiser of the event and has planned an evening of both 'serious' awards and fun awards - with prizes and lots of photographs!

She also has plenty of organised fun planned for the last part of the evening, oh dear....it could get messy!

Bandroom News 26.01.19

CONTESTING....

We are back into the contesting season and are now busy preparing for the forthcoming Northern Area Contest (Seascapes — Composer: Ray Steadman-Allen). Seascapes was previously used as a Championship section testpiece at the National Finals in 1988 where Fishburn were placed a creditable 15th amongst the top bands in the country.

This work was inspired by the poem "CARGOES" by John Mansfield. A suite in three movements :

01. Allegretto

02. In stilo di Sarabande

03. Allegro

'Cargoes' - the poem

Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,

Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,

With a cargo of ivory,

And apes and peacocks, Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.

Stately Spanish galleon coming from the Isthmus,

Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,

With a cargo of diamonds,

Emeralds, amethysts, Topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.

Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,

Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,

With a cargo of Tyne coal, Road-rails, pig-lead,

Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.

John Masefield

Our resident MD Lewis Wilkinson has been putting us through our paces in preparation for Paul Lovatt-Cooper, who will be taking us to the Area Contest. As one of the most sought after composing talents of his generation, Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s musical works have been performed to sell-out audiences all over the world. He is in high demand as a Composer, Soloist and Conductor and we look forward to working with Paul for the first time

Bandroom News 26.01.19

HAPPY NEW YEAR

We wish all our supporters a very Happy New Year and hope you all have a Healthy and Prosperous 2019

Hopefully, the Bands fortunes will improve this year and culminate in a successful year of 'Banding'

Bandroom News 01.01.19