Stourport on Severn Brass Band Summer

What a summer it’s been for us at Stourport on Severn Brass Band. Since our last update, we have a new home in the shape of Stourport Sports Club. It was very emotional leaving the Old School at Areley Kings, as it has been a lovely home for the band over the years. But luckily we managed to find a very fit replacement! The Sports Club have been extremely accommodating to us since we moved in May and we look forward to many happy years here. There is even talk of hosting a few concerts in the rehearsal room so watch this space!

The gigs we have taken part in this summer have been a lot of fun, and for the most part we have actually enjoyed very good weather! Our appearance at Pershore Midsummer Brass has to stand out as a highlight for the band. After our popular performance at last year’s event, we were rewarded with the ’headline slot’ at the Baptist Church. It is a lovely venue to play in, and although we were all quite nervous, we ended up giving a great show to the audience. We even made it into the Bandsman, with event organiser, Val Trim stating “Stourport on Severn gave a fantastic performance in the Baptist Church, particularly the horn solo The Depths of His Love, played so beautifully by young Jo Foskett”. It was a very proud moment for everyone and as Val said, a special moment for our Solo Horn player Jo. She really is a joy to listen to and it was great to see her talent celebrated in such a prestigious publication in the Brass Band world.

The event that has been occupying most of our time this summer is preparations for Saturday’s National Brass Band Championships in Cheltenham. For many of us, this will be our first appearance at the Nationals with the band (our last appearance was back in 2004). Like with the Regionals, all bands will play the same piece, and in this case, it is Geoffrey Burgon’s Narnia Suite. It is a wonderful piece to play, taking you on an exciting musical journey that depicts C.S. Lewis’ beloved Chronicles of Narnia. Always exciting, at times dark and other times exhilarating, it has been a challenging, yet very rewarding experience rehearsing this piece.

In between our summer engagements, we have been rehearsing non-stop for Nationals. This may sound like quite a tedious affair but I can honestly say the band has enjoyed (mostly!) every minute of the Narnia journey. This is largely down to our brilliant M.D, Mr Oli Wilson. His meticulous preparation for every rehearsal and attention to detail has been incredible. I really don’t know how he fits it all in, with his other musical, family and work commitments. He is Stourport’s answer to Superman!

During the build-up to Nationals, we have enjoyed the company of a number of guest conductors. Their input has allowed us to gain a fresh perspective on the music and help fine tune any rough edges we may have had. On Sunday 7th September, we had a workshop with David Hirst. David is a legend of the brass band world, playing for and conducting some of the top bands in the country during his prestigious career. We were extremely honoured to have him with us and the 3 hours spent rehearsing under his baton went much too quickly. We’d like to thank all the people that helped us during rehearsals this summer: David, Craig Stevens, Saphran Ali and even our own flugel player, Kim – we are so grateful for all your hard work and time.

Regardless of the result on Saturday, we can hold our heads up high and be enormously proud of our achievements. Looking back at where we were just 2 years ago, to be ranked in the top 24 bands in the country for our section is incredible. I don’t think there are many bands that will be present on Saturday that have had as much fun as we have had these past few months. And we’re going to carry that fun-loving attitude through with us when we take to the stage and (attempt to) enjoy every minute of Narnia Suite.

We will be sure to let you know how we get on and stay tuned for some more exciting news from us at Stourport Brass Band.

Stop Press! We were thrilled to be placed 10th out of 19 bands at the National Brass Band Championships Finals in Cheltenham.

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