Current Band Vacancies

We are are currently looking for tuned percussionists and Cornet players.

Players of other instruments are also welcome, even if a position is not listed, we can often shuffle around to accommodate

Other players are always welcome to attend rehearsals - our normal rehearsal nights are Tuesday and Thursday, 8.00 - 10.00

Anyone interested is asked to contact our band manager, Dave Tattersall, on 07764 744599

Find us on-line:

Twitter : @WhitworthBrass     Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Whitworth-Vale-Healey-Band/114831521895338

2012

APRIL

Buxton Contest Success

The band enjoyed a very successful day at the Buxton contest on Sunday 29 April.

In total we came home with three prizes!

Not only did adjudicator John Berryman place the band first, ahead of Boarshurst Band (2nd) and Hazel Grove Band (3rd), we also came away with the NWABBA award for the highest placed North West band, and added to that he awarded our Euphonium Section the prize for the best section.

Extracts from the adjudicator's remarks included "Excellent playing from all .....", Great detail is heard.......", "very good music making ......", "Well played and Directed".

St George celebrated!

The band were out in force over the weekend of St George's day.

On the Saturday evening we gave a concert at the Riverside suite featuring many traditional English tunes, completing the evening with a rousing rendition of "Jerusalem".

The following day, the band led the people of Whitworth to the Riverside for further St George's commemorations, which concluded with a short civic service led by the Mayor and his chaplain.

Good Friday

For the second time, the band joined the Heywood Churches together group to accompany their Good Friday service held outside St Luke's Church in Heywood.

Despite poor weather there was a good congregation with the band providing the accompaniment to the hymn singing.

Plans for the nationals are starting!! the first draft of our rehearsal schedule is available here

MARCH

Charity Concert for Alder Hey Children's Hospital

The band gave it's 3rd annual concert at the Curtain Theatre in Rochdale to raise funds for Alder Hey Children's Hospital.

The audience were entertained with a varied programme from the band which included solos from Dave Tattersall playing "Hello Dolly", Ian Dyson playing "Over the rainbow", Aaron Wolfe playing "Bass in the ballroom", and Bryan Warrington playing " 'neath the Dublin skies".

The concert also featured a rendition of the band's area test piece, Philip Harper's "Olympus".

Young players spotlighted at Hallfold Church

The band gave a concert to a full house at Hallfold URC Church in Whitworth.

We took the opportunity to showcase some of our younger players as the soloists for the evening.

Contributions included Johnny Willetts playing "Cry me a river" on Baritone, Hannah Binns playing "An Untold Story" on horn and a trio of cornets, Abigail Brierley, Georgia Davies and Jack Westerman playing "Trumpets Wild". James Kenny completed the solo performances with his rendition of "Bare Necessities" from "Jungle Book".

FEBRUARY

BAND QUALIFIES FOR NATIONAL FINALS AND PROMOTION TO SECOND SECTION

At the annual North West Area contest the band were placed 2nd out of a field of 18 bands in the 3rd section.

Drawn to play 7th, adjudicator Kevin Wadsworth summed up the bands performance by saying "Fine sounds and Pictures. Very well played and prepared. Experience from the middle stands out!"

This second place qualifies the band for a place at the national finals for the second year running. These will take place in Cheltenham over the weekend of 22 and 23 September. Whitworth will be competing on Sunday 23 September.

There will be plenty of preparation (and much fund raising!!) between now and September to ensure that the band goes to Cheltenham in with a chance of improving on last years 4th place.

The result also qualifies the band for promotion to the second section in the North West area.

JANUARY

The band are back rehearsing after a very brief Christmas break. The planned rehearsal schedule is here

BUTLINS SUCCESS

The band achieved 4th place at the Butlins Mineworkers contest in Skegness, from a field of 15 bands from across the UK. We are hoping that, like last year, this form carries us forward to the North West Area contest at the end of February.

2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

The players and committee would like to wish our friends and supporters a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We would like to express our sincere thanks for the support over the past year, and look forward to seeing friends old and new in 2012.

The year will start with preparations for the Butlins contest in January and the North West Area contest in February.

Attention will then turn to our concert programme and making preparations for our trip to Kandel in Germany in August.

DECEMBER

A busy December started with our annual concert for the Whitworth branch of Cancer Research. A full house at the Riverside suite helped to raise over £1,000.

The band were also very pleased to hand over a cheque for 730 pounds from the sponsored walk that we held earlier in the year.

OCTOBER

Preparations are already underway for our contests in January and February.

SEPTEMBER

NATIONAL FINALS

The band were awarded 4th place in the third section national finals in Cheltenham.

Playing the set piece, "Darkness Visible", the band were drawn to play last out of the 16 competing bands. The adjudicators commented on several areas of excellent playing throughout the band.

Everyone is delighted with the result and are looking forward to building on the successes of 2011 as we prepare for the 2012 contesting season.

Veterans return

The Whitworth veterans band starts rehearsals again on Sunday 11 September. The date of the annual concert is Friday 17 February 2012.

Happy Retirement

A group from the band helped to mark the retirement, after over 38 years of working for Rochdale MBC, of band secretary Michael Whitby.

Colleagues from the council arranged for the band to surprise Michael by playing as part of his farewell presentation.

We wish Michael a very happy retirement.

JULY

The band performed a concert organised by the Shamrocks Tug-o-War team at the Brickcroft social club in Rochdale, on Sunday 31st July. The concert included two items where the band accompanied local singer Sue Hassett.

The proceeds from the concert were donated to the bands fund raising efforts for the national finals for which all involved with the band would like to say a sincere THANK YOU to everyone involved in the day.

Quiz Success

As part of the fund raising work for the national finals an inter band quiz was held in the band club on 24 July. 9 teams represented bands from around the North West, and one of our own teams emerged the victor in a close run competition. Thanks to our friends from the other bands who joined us on the day and supported the event, and thanks to our M.D. John Binns for being quiz master for the day.

MAY

JAMES (JIMMY) GROGAN

The players and committee are shocked and saddened to report the sudden death of the bands president and long time supporter Jimmy Grogan on Tuesday 24 May.

Our thoughts and deepest sympathy goes to his family at this most difficult time.

An obituary to Jimmy from the Rossendale Free press can be found here: http://menmedia.co.uk/rossendalefreepress/news/s/1421900_former-whitworth-mayor-jimmy-grogan-dies-aged-76

NEW ARRIVAL NO 2

Tuesday 24th May was a day of mixed emotions.  Whilst mourning the bands president, we also welcome Harry Edward Needham into the world.  Harry is the second child for Soprano player Carl Needham and his partner Carol. The band sends their congratulations to the family.

APRIL

BUSY WEEK!

The band had a busy week in the run up to Easter.

On Sunday 17th they took part in the Whitworth St George's day procession, which finished with a short service at the Riverside Suite to celebrate St George.

On Good Friday, 22nd, a group from the band were in attendance at St Luke's Church in Heywood playing hymns for an outdoor service where churches from various Christian faiths marked the events of Good Friday.

And on Saturday 23rd the band were back at the Riverside suite to give a St George's day concert playing a programme containing pieces with links to England, and concluding with the traditional last night of the proms items "Fanfare on British Sea Songs", "Jerusalem", and "Pomp and Circumstance march No 1".

MARCH

NEW ARRIVAL

The band sends it's congratulations to Principle Cornet player Dave Tattersall and his wife Karen on the birth of their son Jack.

Due to Dave being otherwise engaged, the band called upon the services of former player, and now principle cornet with Uppermill band, Sarah Hudson to help at our concert at Hallfold United Reform Church. Thanks to Sarah for standing in at short notice.

ALDER HEY CHARITY CONCERT

On Saturday 12th March the band played a concert at the Curtain Theatre in Rochdale to a sell-out audience. All proceeds from the concert are going to support the work of the cardiac unit and the Ronald McDonald Family House at Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital.

FEBRUARY

AREA CONTEST SUCCESS

The band had a fantastic result at the North West regional contest, coming second out of a field of thirteen bands.

This result means that they have been invited to take place in the National Championships which this year is being held at The Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse in September.

Much hard work (and fundraising) will be needed in the coming months to help send the band to Cheltenham.

PATRICIA HILL

We are sorry to announce the passing of one of the band's best supporters.

Patricia Hill has been connected with Whitworth Band for many years not only as a loyal supporter but for over 20 years as the band librarian. Her efforts also included helping the band to raise hundreds of pounds to continue our work.

Our thoughts and condolences go out to Roy and the rest of the family at this time for their sad loss.

Veterans CD goes on-air

The Vets CD featured heavily on the Manx Radio "time for brass" programme on Monday 21 February. Six tracks from the CD were played alongside the likes of Black Dyke band, the BNFL band and Cory band.

Veterans CD available

JANUARY

DECEMBER

The players and committee would like to thank the residents of Whitworth for their kind donations whilst the band played in the streets throughout the festive period. Apologies to those in areas we didn't get to, the freezing conditions prevented us from getting out as much as we would have liked.

November

The band performed a concert at the Riverside Suite in Whitworth on Saturday 5 December for Cancer Research.

October

Visitors from Germany

We have had a very enjoyable few days whilst our friends from Kandel were in Whitworth.

The players from Kandel spent time visiting the museum at Manchester United, seeing the sights of Saddleworth visiting a number of the Whit Friday venues, as well as taking a trip on the East Lancashire Railway to spend time exploring the world famous Bury market.

The climax of the visit was a sell out concert at the Riverside Suite in Whitworth where the audience enjoyed performances by both the Whitworth Junior and Senior bands, and Kandel band.

New signings

 Veteran’s Triumph once more!

Another hugely successful Veteran’s concert took place at the Riverside in Whitworth on Friday 12 February. Another sell out audience saw both the Veterans and Youth bands perform to a very high standard.

The “Vets” were this year were privileged to be conducted by Dr Roy Newsome who worked the band very hard in rehearsals from September and this showed in what was acclaimed by many in the audience to be the best Vets concert ever. Compere for the evening was another great conductor Malcolm Brownbill and the programme included a solo from principal cornet Dave Pogson.

Just a week after the concert the Vets were together again to record a short CD to celebrate the fact that this year was the 10^th Anniversary concert. Again conducted by Dr Newsome the recording promises to be a record of the band at its best. To place an order for the CD please contact Gerald Varley at gerald@sgvarley.co.uk or by telephone on 01706 853072.

Whitworth Band on YouTube

There are several videos of the band performing on our recent tour of Germany and these can be found by clicking on the following link.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=whitworth+band&search_type=&aq=f  Several of these links were loaded by locals from Kandel and were up even before the band got back to the UK!