Welcome to Friary Diary issue 39 - a one page monthly round up of news about the Friary Guildford Brass Band.
STOP PRESS: FRIARY TROMBONE STAR WINS BBC YOUNG MUSICIAN BRASS CATEGORY FINAL!
CONCERT SEASON:
As the contest season approaches its close for the summer, the Band is looking forward to its concert and other engagements season. We have just the one bandstand concert this year, at Godalming, but will be returning to College Garden, Westminster Abbey, and also Ruislip for the Lions Club. You may remember that the planned concert at Stroud last September had to be cancelled, and we are delighted to have been invited to perform there this year. Please see our calendar for more details on forthcoming events
DAY AT THE SEASIDE!
Before we start our summer engagements, however, we have our annual trip to Blackpool for the Spring Festival. Having been promoted back to the Grand Shield contest last year, Friary is keen to make the most of the opportunity to qualify for the British Open itself: a tough ask in a field of 20 bands where only the top two move up to what is believed to be the oldest brass band contest in the world, having been established in 1853. The test piece is Peter Graham’s The Triumph of Time, the Band’s rehearsal focus at the moment. Results in next month’s issue!
AGM:
The Band’s AGM took place at Chobham Club on 18th April, with Chairman Nigel Stevens reflecting on what had been a very successful year. With careful financial management, and assisted by the GiftAid scheme, the Band is in a comfortable place financially at present. All existing management team members, who are also Trustees (the band being a registered charity) were re-elected.
RANKING NEWS:
The April World Rankings saw Friary rise two places to 26th place as a result of the Regional Championship result. We are closer to 25th than 27th in terms of points, and remain comfortably ahead of our nearest London & Southern Counties rivals, Redbridge, who although are only six places behind Friary at 32nd, are more than 26 points adrift.
CONGRATULATIONS...
to Izzi Daws, who won the BBC Young Musician Brass Category title as televised on BBC4 last Friday (with a brief clip of her rehearsing with the Band, too!) and who now moves forward to the semi-final when the five Category winners (Strings, Keyboard, Woodwind, Percussion) will play for the three places in the Grand Final on 13th May. We wish Izzi the very best of luck! You can view the Brass category Final here
.. and also to Sarah Daws, our Librarian and Nigel Stevens, our Chairman on their wedding on 5th April. We wish them every happiness together. They were also shown during the Young Musician programme – a wonderful reaction from Sarah when the winner was announced!
AND FINALLY (YET AGAIN!)...
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