June has already been a busy month for the City of Chester Band.Fresh from taking part in the 22nd French Open Brass Band Championships on Saturday 4 June, where the Band was awarded Second Prize in the Third Section, the Band is currently preparing to perform a Last Night of the Proms style concert on Saturday evening 11 June in the Community Centre, Demage Lane, Upton, Chester. The concert has been organised by the Church of the Holy Ascension, Demage Lane, Chester.

Departing Chester on the morning of Wednesday 1 June the Band had travelled by coach, crossing the English Channel on the Portsmouth - Caen overnight ferry before arriving in Amboise, in the Loire Valley with the river in spate after much heavy rain, before noon the next day. Rehearsals under Musical Director Ewan Easton MBE followed on Thursday afternoon and Friday interspersed with a visit to a local winery and to the spectacular Chateau de Chenonceau.The competition took place on Saturday 4th and comprised 3 parts: a formal concert which included the set test-piece for the 3rd Section: “Main Street†by Eric Ball, a march competition and an open-air concert, the latter 2 events being performed in Rue Victor Hugo beneath the imposing ramparts of the Chateau royal d'Amboise.

This was Chester's second appearance in the French Open Brass Band Championships, previously having entered in 2014 when there had been hot, sunny days befitting central France in summer.This time low pressure across France resulted in cool, damp weather largely with grey skies.Fortunately, rain held off while bands (12 had entered across 4 sections from England [6], Netherlands [2] and France [4]) were performing out of doors.Uncertainty over the effects of industrial action across France led to the withdrawal of two competitors, from England and the Netherlands. City of Chester Band left for home on Sunday 5 June with a fine trophy to retain and a cash prize of to augment band funds.

Pictures show Bandmaster Matthew Birkett holding the trophy presented at the closing concert given by the Flowers Band, from Gloucester, and the City of Chester Band performing beneath the ramparts of the Chateau royal d'Amboise.

The City of Chester Band recently held its annual general meeting at which reports from officials reflected upon a year of change and progress.Under the direction of Musical Director Ewan Easton MBE there is greater emphasis upon working with children and young people: joint rehearsals involving training and main bands are now held on a regular basis and there are meetings planned with the deliverers of music in Cheshire and Wirral schools to support the continuation of playing among young people as they move from primary to high school.

Also, at the agm two annual awards were made.The Didier Chupeau Players’ Player of the Year award went to Philip Mottershead, who has been connected with the City of Chester Band for 50 years, as a player and musical director.Currently Phil occupies the Principal Cornet position as the Band prepares to perform in the French Open Brass Band Championships to be held in Amboise, in the Loire Valley, on Saturday 4 June. This is an “Indian Summer†time for Phil who held the Principal’s position in the Band in the 1970s/80s.

The Musical Director’s award went to Bass Trombonist, Donna Jackson.In selecting Donna for the award, Ewan Easton recognised the progress she had made as a player since he took over in January. Donna took to learning the trombone only when she introduced her two then young children to the Training Band.Donna is a tireless worker for both training and main bands.

Photos show (1) Donna receiving her award from Ewan and (2) Phil (left) with Band Chairman Paul Donoghue.

The City of Chester Training Band, supported by main band members, will be holding a recruitment event on Sunday 22 May outside Chester’s Town Hall between 11:00 and 3:00 pm.For further information about the City of Chester main and training bands see: https://chesterbrass.uk/ .

Last Thursday found Tony Sam John R Zac & John P sitting in a studio at FlipSide Radio. We were asked to go along and promote both the Main Band & the Training Band everything went well until we were asked to play a couple of pieces of music we were not expecting that but we managed to string together a couple of bits. We had a great time at Flipside even though we were not very good on the music quiz. The radio presenter Dog to his friends was so excited that we went along he wants to come to rehearsal one Monday and record the whole evening. Hopefully we may find that we have a few new members in the coming weeks. Well done to those who came along you did the band proud.

And yet more Exam success for two more members of the Training Band. This time it's father and Son David and Daniel they both received a pass with Daniel getting a Merit with a score of 122 and David getting a pass with a score of 107. Very well done to both and keep up the hard work

The last couple of weeks has seen two members of the Training Band gaining Exam success Eve achieved Grade 2 Cornet and Molly achieved Grade 2 Tenor Horn. This has come after lots of hard work and determination by the girls and their tutor Kirsty. Very Well Done to all three of them and may this be the first of many passes you obtain.

Tony

City of Chester Band
Cornet players (playing positions negotiable) are welcomed with immediate effect. We are currently a Second Section band (but the Third beckons from January 2017). Led by our Musical Director, Ewan Easton MBE, we have a great summer ahead rehearsing a test-piece and concert items in preparation for our return to Amboise in June to take part in the French Open Brass Band Championships (winners Troisième Classe 2014). Amboise is a beautiful, historic town on the banks of the River Loire.

We look forward to hearing from you. Please contact Band Secretary Kate Harland ([email protected]) in the first instance.

If you would like to learn to play brass or can play and prefer to just keep your lip in you may like to consider joining the City of Chester Training Band which meets on Monday evenings during term times. Contact Tony Blain, Co-ordinator, on 07913109951.
PS
Even if you're wedded/welded to a particular band, why not come to Amboise with us? Just for a change. We travel on Wednesday 1 June and return on Sunday 5 June.

The City of Chester Band recently attended the NW Regional Brass Band Championships, held in the Winter Gardens, Blackpool on 28 February but, sadly, didn’t feature in the awards.Undaunted, the Band, under the direction of Ewan Easton MBE, are now busy rehearsing concert items to be performed during the summer and also working on the set test-piece to be performed in the French Open Brass Band Championships to be held in Amboise on Saturday, 4 June.This will be a return to the Loire Valley for the Band which first entered the competition in 2014.

At the conclusion of the contest three band members received awards for long service to the brass band movement.

Malcolm Kerry, 78 (living in Bromborough but originally from Liverpool) has been playing for over 60 years, having played tuba in the highest section when a member of the former Liverpool Edge Hill (BR) Band before moving on to Skelmersdale Prize Band and Chester.

Sylvia MacDonald, originally from West Yorkshire but long settled in Warrington, married Ian, a trombone player.They had two sons who started to play in the Prescot Band along with Ian and, rather than sit knitting during rehearsals, Sylvia decided to learn to play, too.Sylvia joined Chester as an Eb Tenor Horn player when the Prescot Band ceased to exist.Her award was for over 25 years’ service.

One of the MacDonald sons, Robert, joined Chester as a Flugel Horn player ahead of Sylvia.He has also qualified for recognition for over 25 years of service.Incidentally, Robert’s brother, Andrew, plays for the Bolton-based Wingates Band which, incidentally, qualified on Sunday at Blackpool to play in the Championship Section National Finals to be held in the Royal Albert Hall in London on 8 October.Both brothers married brass players!

Malcolm also qualified for a long-service medal.Malcolm is seen in the Opera House receiving his award from the Chairman of the NW Brass Band Association, John Woodward.Unfortunately, Sylvia and Robert were unable to remain for the presentations.

British brass bands have spread around the world and City of Chester currently have a New Zealander, Sophie Wilson, playing band. Sophie has been touring the UK visiting friends, cheering on New Zealand in last year’s Rugby Union World Championships.Sophie comes from a brass band family: her grandfather played tuba in a band which performed for NZ troops returning from World War II and her mother plays the Tenor Horn.

Whilst being born in Dunedin, in the South Island, Sophie grew up in the town of Te Awamutu on North Island which, Pop Rock aficionados may recall, gets a mention in the 1986 song: Mean to Me by the group “Crowded Houseâ€.Several scenes from the “Lord of the Rings†films were shot close to Te Awamutu.Back home Sophie, who started playing at the age of 8, plays in the First Section Dalewool Brass Band, one of New Zealand’s leading brass bands.Several members of the Band are UK expatriates including the Musical Director, Nigel Weeks.

During her stay in Chester Sophie is working for the NHS.Speaking of her time in the UK, Sophie chose to have a prolonged stay in Chester after taking a liking to it on previous visits.Newcastle-upon-Tyne remains a favourite where, as in Chester, Sophie found folks to be friendlier than in London.

Before her visa expires in July Sophie hopes to pay a visit to Cornwall.Sadly, visa restrictions will prevent her from accompanying City of Chester Band’s return to Amboise to take part in the French Open Brass Band Championships in June.

Cornet players (playing positions negotiable) are welcomed with immediate effect. We are currently a Second Section band (but the Third beckons from January 2017). Led by our Musical Director, Ewan Easton MBE, we have a great summer ahead rehearsing a test-piece and concert items in preparation for our return to Amboise in June to take part in the French Open Brass Band Championships (winners Troisième Classe 2014). Amboise is a beautiful, historic town on the banks of the River Loire.

We look forward to hearing from you. Please contact Band Secretary Kate
Harland ([email protected]) in the first instance.

If you would like to learn to play brass or can play and prefer to just keep your lip in you may like to consider joining the City of Chester Training Band which meets on Monday evenings during term times. Contact Tony Blain, Co-ordinator, on 07913109951.

Required from 1 March onwards, 2 front row cornet players. We are a Second Section band, competing in Blackpool on Sunday 28 February and have an exciting summer to look forward to, working with our Musical Director, Ewan Easton MBE, including a return to Amboise in June to take part in the French Open Brass Band Championships (winners Troisième Classe 2014).

We look forward to hearing from you. Please contact Band Secretary Kate
Harland ([email protected]) in the first instance.

The City of Chester Band is delighted to announce that Ewan Easton, Principal Tuba with the Hallé Orchestra, has agreed to work with the Band as Musical Director.Ewan Easton studied at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) before spending 19 years with the Ulster Orchestra.Ewan currently teaches at the RNCM where he is Tutor in Tuba.He also works as a conductor, arranger and adjudicator.Having taught at all levels of education, Ewan has organised performance workshops and masterclasses throughout Britain and Ireland.

Since 2004 Ewan has led a project, Hallé4Brass, in which musicians from the Orchestra offer young people in the last two years of their sentence at Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institute the opportunity to learn to read and play music.This pioneering project has led to a number of awards and honours being bestowed upon Ewan for his skills in education, notably his inclusion in the 2010 New Year’s Honours list as a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

In his younger days Ewan played at the highest level in British brass bands, as a member of the Brighouse and Rastrick Band but it’s working with community-based bands, where the emphasis is on commitment as much as technical prowess, that Ewan gets most satisfaction.Whilst working in N. Ireland Ewan joined a band comprising just 18 players.Within 4 years membership had increased to 75 playing in different ensembles serving age and ability.Ewan looks forward to working with the City of Chester Training Band in encouraging people of all ages to play a brass instrument.

Ewan Easton is currently preparing the City of Chester main band to play in the second section of the NW Regional Qualifying Championships to be held in The Winter Gardens, Blackpool on Sunday 28 February.Work commitments in the week leading up to the contest may preclude Ewan from wielding the baton in Blackpool but, regardless of who takes the Band on the day, band members are determined to play with Ewan’s directions and advice fully in their thoughts.All will want to build upon the prize-winning performance given last November in Rochdale under the baton of their former musical director, Josh Hughes.On Saturday 20 February the City of Chester Band has been invited to play in Crewe at the Manchester Metropolitan University in a concert in which all the test-pieces to be played in the five sections (Championship, First, Second, Third and Fourth) at Blackpool will be heard with open adjudication.The event starts at 7 pm and is open to all.

Anyone who fancies learning to play a brass instrument should contact Tony Blain on 07913109951.More experienced players should contact Kate Harland: [email protected].