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News Archive |
Recent News | |
2009 |
Here are some snippets of news about the band. Keep visiting the site to see what has happened recently and occasionally a look ahead to future events. Click on the "what's new" graphic in order to find out news about the website itself. |
2010 | |
| 2nd July | Last Friday, June 25th, we were delighted to raise nearly £6000 for the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust at our charity concert. Our soloist, Zoe Hancock, was a huge hit with the audience - her beautiful rendition of Share My Yoke was particularly appreciated. It was particularly good, and appropriate, that we were able to include our Young People's Band in this concert - their item at the start of the second half was so good that we just had to have an encore. There are some photos of the evening on our gallery page and you can also view the full programme. |
| 27th May | Once again, Christchurch Priory played host to the band for a summer concert. The programme included a number of pieces that are new to the band's repertoire including Ken Downie's Purcell Variations. One of the new pieces was receiving its WORLD PREMIERE. Paul Hindmarsh has arranged some music that Wilfred Heaton originally wrote as incidental music for a dramatisation of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress into a suite entitled simply Pilgrim Song. The music, which stylistically echoes that of Vaughan Williams, is ideally suited to the rich accoustic of the Priory Church and the recitation of passages from the original book enabled the listeners to put each movement into context. |
| 26th May | Last sunday, which was Pentecost Sunday, the band took part in a special service in the presence of The Worshipful The Mayor of Bournemouth, Councillor Mrs Beryl Baxter, to commemorate Bournemouth's 200th Birthday. The service, entitled "Catch the Vision!", was organised by Churches Together in Boscombe and took place at Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church. The band band played both before and after the service as well as accompanying the hymns. There are some photos on our gallery page. |
| 30th April | On June 25th there will be a very special charity concert in aid of the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust in memory of Ged Whittingham and Bill Nimmo. Joining the band as guest soloist will be Zoe Hancock. Zoe is a young flugel player who was recently a finalist in the Radio 2 Young Brass Soloist competition. One of her solos at the concert will be the Concertino for Flugel Horn by William Himes (who is himself, of course, the special guest later this year for the Corps 125th Anniversary) More details. |
| 26th April | One of the band's most visited locations is the town of Yeovil - we have forged a close
relationship with the Corps there over many years and it was great to be able to visit again. As usual, we had a
very nice buffet tea before the festival - perhaps that is why we keep going back!! The programme was well received by a very good audience - more chairs were being put into place right up until the start of the festival. It is always good to get favourable feedback and on this occasion the local Bandmaster - Nick Stokes - who was helping out the percussion section on the night - reports that so many people have already said what a fantastic time they had and how it is "always a great night when the Boscombe Band visit". That makes it all worthwhile, as does the fact that more than £1000 was raised on the evening to support Yeovil Band. |
| 29th March | The Easter week is always an important week for the Boscombe Corps and, this year being the Corps' 125th Anniversary, the local sections will have a busy week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. Full details of the programme for the whole convention are on the Corps website. The band are particularly pleased to welcome back Steven Mead as a guest soloist. Details of the band's contributions to the week as well as Steven's solos are listed in these programmes. |
| 27th March | The band undertook their first 'away' engagement of the year on Saturday visiting
Portland to celebrate 125 years of the Salvation Army in that place. In the afternoon the band marched
from the army citadel, which is sadly no longer in active use, to Easton Square where at Easter in 1885
the army opened fire on the Isle of Portland. The openair service was well attended by local people
who had been attracted by the sight and sound of the band marching down the road. The service included the song "The Eden Above" which was the first song to be sung at that location by the army pioneers 125 years previously. In the evening the band played to a very enthusiastic and appreciative audience in the Easton Methodist Church, which is where the small band of salvationists now have their 'home'. The programme was chaired by the Divisional Commander, Major Neil Webb. |
| 1st March | Another doctor - John Meredith has been awarded a PhD in composition for his thesis Discovering Concepts, Colour and Texture in Music Making. The research based doctorate also included the composition of two pieces for brass band, a jazz caprice for alto sax and symphonic wind band, a sonata for tuba and piano, a psalm setting for choir and orchestra and a brass quintet. Congratulations to John on this achievement. |
| 26th February | Once again our open night with the band reservist's and friends was a great success. Around 150 people joined with the band and were treated to the usual varied programme - ranging from requests for some 'old' pieces that the band have not played for many years to pieces that are new to the repertoire that the band have not played in public before. Some photos of the event are on our gallery page. |
| 19th February | We are saddened to announce that Ged Whittingham was Promoted to Glory at
lunchtime today after a long fight against cancer. Over the last few months Ged has been an absolute inspiration to all
he came in contact with and it was an honour for us all to know him and serve with him in the band. There will be a celebration of Ged's life on March 4th at 1.15pm in our own hall followed by a service at Bournemouth Crematorium Now God has called him home saying "Well done good and faithful servant". |
| 21st January | We start the new year on a rather sad note as we have to announce that our Flugel Horn player, Ged Whittingham, has had to step down from active service in the band due to his continuing fight against cancer. Since his diagnosis, Ged has been nothing short of an inspiration to the band in the way that he has continued to serve in his own inimitable style despite the considerable difficulties caused by his health. We shall miss his playing, his humour and his dedication. We shall also miss him as Band Librarian. As a result, Ray Jones will get 'promoted' to that post, with Garry Lawrence resuming duties as Deputy Bandmaster. We wish them both well in their new responsibilities. Our very special thoughts and prayers are with Ged and his family at this time. |
