A few more new players join the band

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Band Manager

The band welcomed Garry Brailsford to the Cornet section in September after attending our Last Night of the Proms concert in Exmouth. Garry is an ex Army Musician where he played Euphonium but has decided to try Cornet due to our current vacancies. Garry also plays the bagpipes and the band already have ideas to use this talent!

Just before the Last Night of the Proms concert we welcomed Chris Hoban on Tuned Percussion. Chris is head of music at St Peters School in Lympstone and although he is not an experienced percussionist he is a great musician and will be a great asset to the band.

The SWBBA contest saw both Chris and Garry compete for the first time with Lympstone Band. It was also a first for new BBb Bass player, Ian Brown

We have also recently welcomed Gareth Davies on Percussion to the band. Another great asset for the band who fills a long time vacant position. Gareth recently completed a Music degree at Dartington and now works as a chef in Exeter.

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Disappointment at SWBBA contest

Posted on November 7, 2010 by Band Manager

The band competed in the highest section of the SWBBA contest on Saturday 6th November performing John O’Gaunt by Gilbert Vinter. Whilst the band performed well on stage it didn’t appear to be to the audjudicators, (Dennis Wilby and Derek Greenwood), taste and came 7th out 8 bands. It was a stiff competition and shows that we will need to work hard to do well in the area contest in March next year.

Thanks go to Michelle Hudson for stepping in on Flugel, Gary Halsey on Bass Trombone and Chris Spreadbury adding support on 2nd Trombone.

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Fundraising concert for Lympstone Village Hall

Posted on October 23, 2010 by Band Manager

The band helped raise £145 for the Village Hall Fund by holding their first concert in the band centre. Thanks to the Village Hall Fund Committee for helping organise the event and supplying refreshments.

The band hope to be able to put on 3 or 4 concerts every year utilising the fantastic facility we have. Although the centre can only hold an audience of up to about 120 we will still need your support to fill it!

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Last Night of the Proms success

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Band Manager

From local press – Tues 28th Sept 2010

CLASSICAL music lovers turned out in force at East Devon’s own version of The Last Night of the Proms.

The event was fundraiser for local and international good causes at Exmouth Pavilion organised by the Rotary Club.

Lympstone South West Telecoms Band was once again led by Charlie Fleming after a hiatus following a road accident last year.

Weeks of rehearsal paid off and the show began with a flourish with ‘A concert prelude ‘by Phillip Spark, and the ever popular ‘Stars and Stripes’ march by Sousa.

Several soloists were featured, Colin McEwen, and husband and wife team Brent Heyworth and Sandie Heyworth on the solo horn and a guest soloist Gary Halsey on Trombone, playing Rhapsody for Trombone by Gordon Langford.

Soprano Val Howels made a welcome return singing Hine e Hine before the audience joined in the ever popular musical tribute to the war

The second half showed off the band’s virtuosity with exciting numbers which included ‘Putting in the Ritz’ by Irving Berlin and ‘How Do You Like Your Eggs in the Morning’ an American breakfast number by Cahn/Brodsky.

The Rotary Club’s Mike Weathrall-King said: “The crowed roared when Val Howels returned to perform Britannia wearing a chiefs feather headdress at which point Charlie put on his own feathers for the occasion and led us all to the pomp and circumstance finale.

“Another splendid event in aid of International Rotary Charities and Exmouth Rotary Club thank all who supported their fundraising on this occasion.”

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The Band look forward to Last Night of the Proms

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Band Manager

The Band have been rehearsing for some weeks in preparation for this concert and are really looking forward to it. We are featuring 3 of our soloists, Colin McEwen – Solo Euphonium, Brent Heyworth – Solo Baritone and Sandie Heyworth – Solo Horn along with a guest soloist and friend of the band Gary Halsey on Trombone. He will play Rhapsody for Trombone by Gordon Langford.

The concert on Thursday 23rd September which is at Exmouth Pavilion is nearly sold out but it’s not too late to get your tickets. You can get them from the Pavilion box office and are just £8.

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Lympstone welcomes new players

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Band Manager

In the last few months we have been lucky to have gained some new players to the band.

Wendy Perry joined the band back in March after being inspired by ‘A Band for Britain’ on BBC 2. Wendy is originally from Oldham, Lancashire where at school she used to play the Cornet. Wendy is now a Molecular Biologist for DEFRA and lives with her husband and daughter Eva. Wendy takes up the vacant 3rd Cornet position.

Jane Sword is our next arrival who joined the band in April 2010 after moving to the village with her husband and two children, Heather and Ian. Jane is a Consultant in Stroke, Geriatrics in Exeter. Jane will be playing 2nd Baritone along side Richard Bound.

Our next new player arrived in July and has filled a spot that has been vacant for sometime now. Ian Brown learned to play in the Salvation Army Band at the age of 8 and after 16 years on Euph/Baritone he moved to Eb Bass for another 14 years. He returns after a lengthy break and has taken up our BBb Bass vacancy.

We’d like to welcome all of our new players! We still have a few vacancies left in the band on Solo Cornet, Bass Trombone (or Tenor) and Percussion. So if you would like to get involved please contact us.

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Lympstone band become French Open Champions!!

Posted on June 8, 2010 by Band Manager

During the June half-term the Lympstone South West Telecoms Band went and competed at the 16th French Open Brass Band Championships held in Amboise on the banks of the Loire.

There were 16 entries altogether from Belgium, Holland, France and the UK, including some of Europe’s best bands. There were three different competitions held on the Saturday which consisted of a march contest, a test-piece contest and an outdoor concert. Lympstone came second in the test-piece contest playing ‘A Moorside Suite’ by Gustav Holst – we were beaten by the local favourites the Brass Band Val de Loire! We were not placed in the march contest but are proud to say that we were recognised as one of the smartest bands in the competition. However, we were crowned French Open ‘Prix du Public’ Champions as we were judged to be the most entertaining band in the outdoor concert. It was a very hot, but very successful weekend with the band winning over £1000 in prize money. We hope to go back and defend our title next year!!

However, don’t worry, you won’t have to travel to Amboise to see us over the next few weeks (Shame I hear you say…..!!) as we can be seen performing in Lympstone at the Sea Sunday service and of course at the Furry Dance.

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French Open Contest

Posted on June 1, 2010 by Band Manager

We will be off to the French Open Contest held in Amboise, Loire Valley this weekend to compete in the 1st section competition again two local French band and one from Belgium. It will be a busy day on Saturday with a march contest, main contest and an outdoor concert in the town centre. We will be playing Moorside Suite, Holst which is the set test piece along with 2 other pieces which is judged by no less than 4 adjudicators!

Wish us luck!

www.openamboise.com

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Lympstone Band support the Exeter Chiefs

Posted on May 10, 2010 by Band Manager

On Saturday 8th May we headed down to the Exeter Chiefs Semi Final at Sandy Park where we played for an hour on the piazza to the arriving supporters. We then moved into the stadium and just about managed to avoid the rugby balls coming towards us whilst performing for another half an hour. The Chiefs managed to beat Bedford Blues and booked their place in the Final again Bristol!

Tonight (Wednesday 19th May) the band will be playing again at Sandy Park for the 1st leg of the Final. We will be accompanying Donna Marie with Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, Nessum Dorma and Jerusalem. If you have not already joined the 10,000 who have tickets then switch on Sky TV and you might well be able to see and hear us as they will be broadcasting LIVE.

Good luck Chiefs!!

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Players required – Don’t let your local band end up like Dinnington Colliery on ‘A Band for Britain’!!

Posted on March 22, 2010 by Band Manager

We have the following vacancies available Cornets (Solo Cornet, 2nd Cornet and 3rd Cornet), Tenor or Bass Trombone, Percussionists (tuned or untuned) and Eb or Bb Bass. We have an exciting year ahead with a trip away at the French Open contest in Amboise, a CD recording and many great concerts.

New players are always welcome to our friendly band, and we are also on the look out for beginners to relaunch our Training Band. Please get in touch if you would like any more information or if you would like to come along to a rehearsal which are Monday and Thursday nights in our band room in Lympstone, Devon. Don’t let your local band end up like Dinnington Colliery on A Band for Britain!!

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2010 AGM and committee changes

Posted on February 10, 2010 by Band Manager

At the beginning of February we had our AGM and a few changes have been made to the committee. Robbie Steel is now the Band’s Chairman as well as carrying on with his Secretarial duties. A new post, Band Manager will also be involved with a lot of the organisation of the band and Bryony Snell has been elected in that role.

Jonathan Tribble, who has been Treasurer for the past 10 years has resigned from his post. We would like to take this chance to say another big thank you for all he has done for the band. He continued to do a great job despite a period of illness which forced him to stop playing the Horn. The new incumbent is Jan Wallis who plays 2nd Horn. Good luck Jan, and thank you for taking up this important job!

We would also like to say thank you to Paul and Sheila Vodden who have resigned from their posts. Thank you for your help the past few years, but I know they will continue to help us with many jobs!

Chairperson Robbie Steel
General Secretary Robbie Steel
Treasurer Jan Wallis
Band Manager Bryony Snell
Publicity Officer TBC – see Bryony at present
Librarian Claire Luford
Training Band Conductor To be elected when band reformed
Property Manager Tim Gittins
Webmaster Bryony Snell
General Committee Members Richard Bound

Gill Hawkins
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Busy but successful December

Posted on December 29, 2009 by Band Manager

December was another busy month with concerts and cold carolling events! We performed a concert at the White Ensign, as we do every year, but we also had a new concert at Woodbury Park. Some of us struggled to get there because of some icy roads but the band played well and hope to be invited back next year!

The Band joined La La Lympstone for a successful Christmas Concert in the Parish Church. Thanks to Dave Coles, Roger Newton, and Paul Slator from Phoenix Brass for filling a few gaps we had due to work commitments.

The Woodbury Park concert on 20th December wasn’t our last Christmas outing, as yet again we were invited to play at the Exeter Chiefs game on 27th December. We got out our carol books once more and visited the busy bars around the stadium before the game began and we could relax and watch too!

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Rather busy November 2009

Posted on November 20, 2009 by Band Manager

The band had a rather busy November 2009 with the SWBBA contest, two parades on Remembrance Sunday and the magnificent Classics Galore! concert in the Great Hall. The band came a disappointing 6th at the contest after being pleased with their rendition of Philip Sparke’s ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’. The morning after the band headed to Taunton for the first of their Remembrance parades. Many thanks to some of our friends from Phoenix Brass who helped us again.

Saturday 14th November the band made their way to the Great Hall in Exeter to take part in Classics Galore! 2009 in aid of Force Cancer Charity. The first half of our programme included ‘Stars and Stripes Forever’ by Sousa, Brahm’s ‘Academic Festival Overture’, Rossini’s ‘La Danza’. The second half brought Paul Luford’s (Soprano) fabulous solo playing of ‘On with the Motley’ by Leoncavallo. We then went on to play Fucik’s ‘Florentiner March’ and John Williams’ ‘Hymn to the Fallen’. We finished off the concert joining with The Exeter Symphony Orchestra, The Exmouth Choral Society, The Ottery St Mary Choral Society and Soloist Penny Daw for Jerusale, Rule Britannia and Pomp and Circumstance.

The Band played really well and helped raise a massive £14,000 for FORCE Cancer Charity. We’d like to say a big thanks to Dick and Rosie Passmore for the impeccable organisation of such a great event. I have heard that they will be doing it again in 2012!

Below: Staff from FORCE, Dick Passmore, Rosemary Passmore, Paul Painter (Exeter Symphony Orchestra), Bryony (Lympstone Band), Penny Daw (Soloist)

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Death of former Chairman

Posted on October 7, 2009 by Band Manager

We are saddened to hear of the sudden and untimely death of our former Chairman Tony Adams. Tony was Chairman and Solo Cornet of the band for several years through the 1990′s during what was a transitional period in the band’s long history. An orchestral trumpeter at heart, Tony lead from the front and was at the helm in the years leading up to Lympstone’s triumph at the 1999 4th Section National Championships in Harrogate. Tony also played in symphonic ensembles in Exeter including the Exeter Symphony Orchestra, and was more recently playing cornet with the City of Exeter Railway Band but had to leave due to the pressure of work commitments with his Exeter based packaging company.

His passing at the age of 60 is very sad news indeed, and the members of the band and the committee send their heartfelt condolences to his wife Maureen.

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Bi-annual ‘Classics Galore!’ Concert will be taking place on November 14th

Posted on October 4, 2009 by Band Manager

We hope to have Charlie back in the near future but in his absence we have begun rehearsing for the SWBBA Contest on the 7th November where we will play in the highest section. Since the Last Night of the Proms concert we have been fortunate to have our Soprano player Paul Luford and Daryl Powell of the Royal Marines Band, Plymouth taking rehearsals. The band would like to thank them both for their time.

The bi-annual ‘Classics Galore!‘ Concert will be taking place on November 14th at the Great Hall which is organised by the FORCE Cancer charity. If you would like to support us at the charity concert tickets are available for £15 and £12 from Dick Passmore on 01392 832405.

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Last night of the Proms

Posted on September 18, 2009 by Band Manager

Yesterday saw the band perform a Proms Concert organised by the Rotary Club of Exmouth at the Exmouth Pavilion. The band, in the unfortunate absence of usual MD, Charlie Fleming, were led on the night by guest conductor, Brian Minear.

The band treated the capacity audience to a wide range of repertoire in the first half from the traditional march, Ravenswood to get proceedings underway to the transcription of Brahm’s Academic Festival Overture. There were band solos from Paul Luford (On with the Motley), Sandie Heyworth (Over the Rainbow) and Tom Harris (Share my Yolk) split among popular pieces such as Klezmer’s Karnival and La Danza. We were joined on stage by local soprano, Val Howels, who performed I’ll Walk with God and Panis Angelicus.

The second half began with the mighty ‘Heroic March’ from An Epic Symphony – a piece that has bought the band some success already this year. Before the traditional last night of the Proms music there was time for Light Walk, featuring the flugel playing talents of Tim Fairweather. The band then performed, with gusto, Fantasia on British Sea Songs, Jerusalem and Pomp and Circumstance. The enthusiastic audience participation, added to the band’s performance and the return of Val Howels as Britannia provided a wonderful climax to another great evening of music making. The Rotary Club were so pleased that we have already been asked back next year.

The band would like to expres their thanks to the work put in by Brian Minear to make sure the concert was a success and to Dave Coles, Joy Richards, Carol McEwen and Tom Chester for helping out due to certain band members being on holiday.

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MD has Accident

Posted on August 14, 2009 by Band Manager

The band’s MD has had a nasty accident whilst riding home from a band rehearsal on his moped. Charlie Fleming, who regularly turns up to band on his 50cc moped was nearly home when a bus failed to see him and knocked him clean off. He has escaped relatively lightly with just a broken collarbone, cuts and bruises. We hope you get better soon, Charlie.

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Charlie becomes a grandfather

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Band Manager

The band would like to congratulate it’s MD, Charlie Fleming, on the arrival of his first Grandchild, Isabella Jo, who arrived on 4th August.

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New players

Posted on August 3, 2009 by Band Manager

The Band have been fortunate to see the return of Julie Chivers to the band after a number of years at Soundhouse Brass in Plymouth. Julie takes on a new challenge on Flugel Horn. We also have a new Solo Horn, Sandie Heyworth, who decided to join the band after helping us out at the Ebbw Vale contest. Her husband, Brent, also joins us on Solo Baritone from Torbay Band where he played Solo Euphonium. We also welcome the young and talented Josh Westrip to the band on Solo Cornet. He has recently gained his grade 8 Cornet at the humble age of 15. These new players have prompted some movements within the band with Fran Bowman moving to Principal Cornet from Flugel. Bryony Snell has moved back to Solo Cornet from Solo Baritone and Shelia Vodden has moved down to 1st Horn.

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The band say good bye to Bev

Posted on August 1, 2009 by Band Manager

The Band would like to wish Bev and her family well as they moved to America a few weeks ago where her husband will be taking up a new post. Bev used to play the Trombone as a child and after a break of about 20 years she was persuaded to take up the Trombone again! Bev was a great asset to the band putting in the 2nd or Bass Trombone parts when needed and we will all miss her and thank you for the new clock for the bandroom!

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