|
December 30th 2008
LGB Brass highlights of 2008
 In
January, LGB Brass launched a new group for children who want to learn to
play a brass instrument. The group, which now has six members, meets
on Mondays from 6.30-7.30pm. Children aged 8 and over receive a free
instrument and tuition. New members are always welcome. Contact band
secretary, Jane Stewart on 01403 750493
February
saw LGB host the Southern Counties Amateur Band Association
Solo, Quartet & Ensemble Contest at Ringmer Community College.
Band members organised the booking, entries, facilities, communication
with participants and stewarding. Katy Wakeford-Brown, from LGB Brass, (pictured
below right with
adjudicator, Linda Cole) came 3rd in the youth solo
competition. An ensemble from LGB Brass, led by Simon Emberley, came 2 nd in its section.
In
April, LGB Brass took two top prizes at SCABA's Spring Contest in Hove
Town Hall. Musical director, Ian Stewart, won the
prize for Best Conductor, while Katy Wakeford-Brown, Jonathan
Moles and Jane Waldron won the cup for Best Trombone Section. The whole band took 2nd place for its
performance of Dark Side of the Moon by Paul Lovatt-Cooper.
LGB Brass was praised for its exciting and
lyrical playing in May when it took first place in the annual SCABA
Entertainment Contest in Crawley. The band played a short concert including music
from the film Star Wars and Variations on
Heykin’s Serenade which ended with band members playing the Serenade on tuned wine and beer bottles.
In June musical director, Ian Stewart, married
the band's secretary, Jane Waldron. A quartet of musicians (Simon
Emberley, Nigel Stevens, Alex Stevens and Nigel Simmons) played at the
ceremony at Horsham Register Office. Afterwards, the couple celebrated with fellow musicians at a
reception in Rusper, West Sussex. A 10-piece group, conducted by Nigel
Simmons, entertained the party.
Also in June, LGB Brass proved it had pulling power. Between
entertaining visitors at Kingston Fere, LGB players rolled up their sleeves for the
tug-of-war contest. The men's team made it all the way to the final but was beaten by
the Pre-school and Church team. The LGB women's team (the only adult female
team in the contest) struggled valiantly but
was knocked out in the first round.
In July,
LGB Brass joined two other Lewes
organisations to put on a spectacular evening of music and fireworks. The popular Proms in the Paddock,
organised by Commercial Square Bonfire Society and LGB Brass, was
joined this year by singers from the Lewes-based East Sussex Community
Choir. The audience of 1,500 enjoyed four mini concerts before joining
choir and band for traditional proms favourites, including Land of
Hope and Glory and Sussex by the Sea.
During the summer, the band gave a series of popular summer
concerts at Eastbourne bandstand. But there was also time for fun. One
evening members tried their hand at boating at Barcombe Mills.
In September, band members playing for a professional production
of the opera, Carmen, at the Congress Theatre in Eastbourne, while
November saw LGB again take part in Lewes Bonfire and the Remembrance
Parades in Lewes and Ringmer.
In December, Alex Emberley was named Player of
the Year at the band's Christmas Dinner. For the rest of the month,
the band was busy playing for
community Christmas events. Small ensembles raised nearly £300 for
charity, while the band's sell-out concert for Lewes Lions collected
£740. Click here for Christmas pictures.
News Stories Listings Back
to top of page |
