Annual Verwood Concert Brass Christmas Concert

Saturday 21st December

The Hub in Verwood was an absolute sell out for the Christmas concert and what a concert it was.

The show opened with the Verwood Band Carollers singing, unaccompanied, 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel' to be followed by 'O Come, All Ye Faithful' with the audience singing too but this time with the massed bands of VCB. The sound just grew and grew with the Training Band playing the first verse, the Town Band joining them on the second verse and the Concert Brass joining on the last with added descants. An awesome sound from something like 80 players!

The show then continued with a great set from the Training Band playing 'alternative' Christmas tunes proving that brass bands can play boogie, reggae, calypso and rock!

Concert Brass then taking over with their set which included great solos from Rachel Bartlett and Graham Carter.

The second half opened with the Town Band with their set which included the Military Wives Choir Christmas hit 'Wherever You Are' and another Christmas hit 'Fairytale of New York.

Concert Brass then closed the show which included a surprise visit of a snowman during the the piece 'The Snowman' and as has become tradition a rendition of 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' with some assistance!

Merry Christmas one and all!

Verwood Concert Brass at Wimborne Minster

Verwood Concert Brass performed a wonderful Christmas concert at the Minster in Wimborne on Saturday 12th December.

A great venue for a fantastic variety of festive pieces along with brilliant solo performances.

Training Band at Meadow Court

Tuesday 8th December

On Tuesday evening the Verwood Training Band performed a concert for the residents of Meadow Court (an assisted living home in Verwood).

It's an annual event where, in previous years, the band has played carols but this year it performed a mix of Non-Christmas and Christmas music, including a run out of the exciting new 'alternative' Christmas pieces the band will be performing at the Verwood Concert Brass Christmas Concert at The Hub, Verwood on Saturday 19th December.

The audience loved it and were very impressed with the sound the band made.

As is common with Training Band gigs the players were treated to a delicious selection of cakes during the interval. One of the perks of the job.

Christmas events continue with the Verwood Town Band playing at All Saints Church, Southbourne on Friday evening and Verwood Concert Brass performing a full on 'Christmas at the Minster' concert on Saturday 12th at 7:30pm. Tickets £10 available on the door.

Merry Christmas all.

 

Wessex Contest Victory!

VERWOOD CONCERT BRASS
Wessex Champions!!!!
Best 1st Section Band
Best instrumentalist on the day - Well done Elaine Close (Solo Cornet)
Best Percussion Section - Well done Henry Boler, Ella Walker and Emma Graves

And congrats to MD Kevin Smith and the whole band.

VERWOOD TOWN BAND
Best 4th Section Band
* and came 15th overall beating three 3rd Section bands.

And congrats to MD Emma Button and the whole band.

Can brass banding get any better than this!?

With all the excitingment of Verwood Concert Brass and Verwood Town Band doing so fantastically well at the Wessex Contest let us not forget that it was a BIG day for the Verwood Youth Band too.

As well as winning prizes at contests it is just as important to VCB as an organisation to bring on the next generation of players. So we were delighted that the Verwood Youth Band had been invited to perform during the contest lunchtime break.

Just take a look at these wonderful photos of a fabulous group of young musicians ranging in age from 6 to 18 (plus a few adult helpers) who performed a most wonderful and entertaining concert.

And not forgetting that the audience was full of brass band aficionados who fully appreciated the talent on display giving the band the rapturous applause they fully deserved

The future of brass banding looks very bright indeed.

Well done the Verwood Youth Band and MD Kevin Smith.

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 8th November 2015

The Band played hymns at the Memorial in Verwood and the Last Post, played by Sophie Howes was greatly appreciated by all the participants.

SWBBA Torquay 7th November 2015

Verwood Concert Brass were delighted to gain second place overall in last weekend's South West Brass Band Association contest with Elaine Close taking the  'best Cornet player' award.
They were also placed at the top of the First Section bands.

Although Verwood will be promoted to the top flight in 2016 it was a result that showed their ambition as they in turn beat a number of Championship rivals led by third placed St Dennis performing 'Elgar Variations'.

Westmoors Charity Concert

Saturday 24th October

The Town Band were delighted to perform a full concert programme in aid of Alzheimer’s and St Mary's Church in West Moors.

The audience was wowed by the variety of music played by the band, selected by musical director, Emma Button, who was out to prove that brass bands can play swing with inclusion of “All That Jazz”, “Reet Petite”, “Puttin’ on the Ritz” and “Singin’ in the Rain” in the programme.

But of course the programme provided plenty of evidence that brass bands can play it all from loud and stirring stuff like “Men of Harlech” and the marches, “Slaidburn” and “Punchinello”, to calm and peaceful pieces like “The Irish Blessing”, “Hine e Hine” and “In Perfect Peace” as well as show tune medley’s “Mary Poppins” and “Breezin’ Down Broadway”.

Well done too to the soloist Ellie Mullins, flugel horn, playing “Adagio” from Concierto de Aranjuez and Sally Burrows, trombone, playing “Everytime We Say Goodbye”.

So not only a great evening’s entertainment but all in aid of good causes too.

Another wonderful concert from the bands of Verwood Concert Brass

Saturday 15th October

The show commenced in the now familiar format with a set by the Training Band. It keeps being said that the Training Band just continues to get bigger and better - but it does. Look out for the three rows of cornets in the photos! The band played a really challenging arrangement of “Scarborough Fair” and played it beautifully and closed with a powerful rendition of Toccata in D Minor.

The first half set from the main band saw Emma Button play the trombone solo arrangement of “Londonderry Air” (AKA Danny Boy) absolutely superbly. Incredible though it was, perhaps it was not as incredible as the band’s incredible performance of “The Incredibles”. It really was . . . incredible! It was obviously a hard blow leaving the players gasping for a drink as during the closing piece for the first half “La Passarella Di Addio” the players made an early exit for the bar leaving Rick Hewin on cornet all on his own – aaaahhh!

The Town Band opened the second half up with a stirring march – “Punchinello” followed by another trombone solo this time by Sally Burrows playing the Cole Porter number “Every Time We Say Goodbye”. Very well done Sally. Showing the great contrast in music brass bands can play this was followed by “Reet Petite” and “In Perfect Peace”, then closing the set with a crowd please of a medley from Mary Poppins.

Back on with the main band and into full on Proms mode. “Fantasia on British Sea Songs” saw great solos from euphonium player, Ian Harris and new soprano cornet signing Andy Watson. Wow what wonderful playing. Under the direction of MD, Kevin Smith, the audience entered into the spirit of the evening with lots of clapping, flag waving and singing along to “Jerusalem” and “Land of Hope and Glory”. In fact, they didn’t want it to end so after some feet stamping and shouts of “More” they were not disappointed by another quick rendition of “Barnum and Bailey’s Favourite”.

Lots of smiling faces from audience and players says it all – one fabulous evening.

VCB at the Verwood Rustic Fayre

Well done to the Verwod Concert Band for playing all through the afternoon at the somewhat damp and soggy bank holiday Rustic Fayre in Verwood.

It is great to support these local events and the superb music will undoubtedly have lifted the spirits of Verwoodians who did brave the weather to attend.

 

It proved a great opportunity to get some band photos especially of the ellusive horn, baritone and euph sections who are notoriously difficult to photograph as they hide behind their instruments or in some cases the conductor's arm waving!

VCB Summer Serenade Concert at the Minster

The principal band of Verwood Concert Brass performed a wonderful concert in the beautiful venue of Wimborne Minster.

 They played a great programme of music including four brilliant solo performances.

The band will be returning to the Minster for a Christmas Concert on December 12th - one not to be missed.

VCB Training Band at the Pamphill Fete

This was a new gig for the Training Band and a lovely one it was too. There were lots of people attending and taking time to listen to the band. A good turn out for the band too with a few experienced players making an appearance.

We are hoping this will now be a regular gig not least because of the delicious cream tea refreshments we were treated too.

Picnic in the park 3

Saturday 26 July

The weather looks like it is going to be kind again with a good forecast for our final Picnic in the Park Concert for this year.

This time it is the turn of the Training Band who are amazing and provide just as much entertainment as our other two bands. Thanks to David Johnson for stepping in as conductor in Mike Dunning's absence

As well as this concert providing the usual opportunity to have a relaxing afternoon enjoying listening to the music, it also provides an opportunity for anyone who might be interested in learning to play brass or percussion to come along and see what the band is all about.

We look forward to see you there.