New Player Vacancies

Chalford Band

Due to departures to university in September, the Senior Band is looking for new players to join its very experienced ranks; in particular: solo cornet and principal euphonium. If you’re an experienced brass player and interested in joining the band please email vacancies@chalfordband.co.uk

Christmas Concert 2019 Tickets

Chalford Band

Update – tickets have sold out but there is a waiting list in place

Tickets are now generally available for this year’s Christmas Concert.

Sunday 15th December 2019 at 7:30 pm in the Subscription Rooms, Stroud.

Contact Andy Godwin on 01453 752774 / 07722 931929 or email tickets@chalfordband.co.uk

SWBBA Annual Contest 2019 Results and Report

Chalford Band

After missing out in November 2018, the senior band were back in a breezy Torquay for the 73rd Annual SWBBA contest.  Build up to the contest had been unusually disjointed, but despite that the band had pulled together a solid performance of Etienne Crausaz’s Sinfonietta Number 3.  Most importantly it had provided an opportunity for some former academy & new players to perform in a contest on the difficult Riviera Centre stage.  To their and the whole band’s credit everyone performed really well on the day, and were rewarded with a third placed finish.

1st Cambourne Town Band
2nd Roche Brass
3rd Chalford
4th Helston Town
5th SW Comms
6th Soundhouse Brass

Comments

[Top]-[26] Too aggressive and intonation in troms isn’t great.  Good cornets. Detail 18 & 19?
[26]-[45] Good effort Solo Horn.  Perhaps more space into [45]
[45]-[60] We miss some of the runs in Euphs & Baris.  Bell effects work
[60]-[112] Builds well. Balance in horns is good, just a bit frantic
[112]-[132] Good effort
[132]-[151] Missing detail in the middle of the band. Cornets good.
[151]-[172] Ok
[172]-[220] Lower dynamics need more care
[220]-[257] Good effort troms!! Drives well in kit!
[257]-[280] Bravo Baris!!
[280]-[Cadenza] Balance is good
[Euph Cadenza] Confident Euph! Well done. Accomp works well
[298]- Check intonation.  More 1st & 2nd horn needed
[Cornet Cadenza] Well done!
[310]-[321] Could be smoother & more time space. Just seems hurried.
[321]-[330] Builds well
[331]-[340] Good effort cornets (more back row needed).  Good attempt at the detail too.
[344]-[368] This grooves well – rhythms are good! Careful not too much perc.
[368]-[380] Troms good at [372]
[380]-[392] Time changes work well!
[392]-[404] More horns needed. A touch messy in cornets & euph
[404]-[End] Intonation suffers a tad as we get nearer the end

Good effort on a great piece! There is so much detail in this piece it is difficult to get it all in.  The slow movement could have done with more space.  Try not to overblow the FFs.
Thank you
CHRIS BINNS

 

Untidy to open and gets a little hard.
Nice horn at [26]
Good playing before [60]
[60] I don’t hear everything.
Well handled at [112] It just lacks clarity in semiquavers and 6/8 quavers.
Confident Euph Solo super sound.
Not balanced [298]
Good cornet cadenza. 
Could be smoother around [310]
Sounding tired around [331]
Good allegro at [344]
[392] not balanced.
Now very tired towards end.

Some impressive playing, but some very loose sections.  Solos were excellent.
DEREK GREENWOOD

 

Summer Concert 2019 Review

Chalford Band

“Wooooooosh…..Woooooooosh…”

And to the sound of players blowing air through their instruments the Chalford Bands’ summer concert was off to an upbeat start, with “A Ticket to Ride” performed by the combined bands.  MD Steve Tubb then took the microphone and explained the theme for the evening – a whistle stop tour around the globe and beyond, with 15 stops en route, all to be measured on a huge map.  The tickets on the table said that the next destination was “Real Slime”, an anagram of where one might hear “Chanson d’Amour”. Then off to the Satsuma province in Japan, with imposing “The Last Samurai”.   The first set closed by bringing everyone back to Switzerland, as the “Berne Patrol” entered and then left the hall.

The sombrero construction started as the band rearranged the stage, and then the combined band whisked us off to Russia – “Glasnost” by Dizzy Stratford.  The next destination was Madagascar, the clever clue being “Out of Africa”.  The next stop was New Zealand (“Lady Stewart’s Air”) before the band took us out of this world with “Fly Me To The Moon”.

More sombrero building as the stage was moved again for the senior band.  Derrick Witts on Solo Eb bass was once again being disruptive (he’s got previous!): eating cheese and biscuits instead of being on stage.  After a quick putting down by MD Steve, Derrick playing a haunting solo sitting in the audience to start “Scarborough Fair”, an intricate and elegant arrangement by Eric Crease.  Another soloist followed: Stephen Parker took centre stage for “A Night in Havanna” by Goff Richards.  Then “a bit of culture for a sophisticated audience” as described by Steve: a rip roaring Philip Harper arrangement of “The Four Seasons”.  Staying in Europe the band then played Steve’s favourite piece of the evening (despite the band’s singing!) – “Balkan Dance” by Etienne Crausaz.  And finally we went “Somewhere” from “West Side Story”, another Philip Harper arrangement.

On the home straight now: the sombreros were nearly done as the combined band took the stage for the final set.  Off to the Americas for “Manhattan Skyline” from Saturday Night Fever.


(Click Image for video)

Steve then introduced a mariachi band he’d hired, complete with a “ringer from USA Chicken”. The sombreros were judged: the winning table sent their representative to the front and he was handed some pink maracas.  Cue “La Danza del Sombrero Mexicano” complete with Mexican encouragement (Cerveza, per favor!) from the sombrero champion.

After all the silliness, the final destination was Australia, with excerpts from “The Greatest Showman”.

The competition for the total distance measured was very close – the winning table were within 0.7cm of the correct answer – amazing!!!!.

“Back to Blighty” for the encore – “Land of Hope and Glory” from Elgar’s march.

A great concert, and once again the band thank the audience for their support.