The Newsletter of the Foden’s Band Patrons Association January 2015 www.fodensband.co.uk Welcome Mark Wilkinson—Principal Cornet Dear Friends On behalf of all at Foden's I hope you had a great Christmas and send our best wishes for 2015. Welcome to the January 'Foden's Fanfare', as always we have tried to make the magazine as interesting as possible including news from 2014 as well as outlining some plans and forthcoming events in 2015. 2014 was a busy year for the band with 101 rehearsals, 37 concerts, 5 contests, 3 CD recordings and 7 coaching days (not including our work with Foden's Youth). We were very pleased to have launched our composers competition receiving a total of 46 entries. Following on from this, a leading UK rival Brass Band as well as University also ran a competition using exactly the same format as ours, nice to be copied!!!! We hosted an International Conductors School in Sandbach led by Allan Withington as well as appearing in concert with a pop group who are signed with a major UK record label. Our self promotional concert in Manchester Cathedral was a huge success and we became record breakers by winning every single contest on the Tameside Whit Friday March Contest (the first time in over 130 years). The film 'Brass in the Blood', tracing the history of the band, moved up a gear with both the Youth Band and ourselves filming some action shots and finally we were privileged to appear in concerts at the RNCM, Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow and the Barbican in London performing a new work 'A Child Like You' from the pen of Andy Scott featuring the band, narration from Foden’s Youth Band members along with a vocalist and harpist. All in all an enjoyable, interesting and varied year. 2015 is looking like it will be another exciting year for the band with a number of high profile concerts confirmed as well as some possible overseas trips and CD plans. All at Foden's are extremely proud of our Patrons Association and it is with this in mind that I come asking for your help. In order to increase membership and make the society more beneficial to our members I would like your feedback about what you find good and not so good about the society, ways we can improve, ideas to attract more membership and support for the residents of Sandbach and Cheshire, is it good value for money (we have not increased subscription costs this year). As an organisation we are always looking for feedback about ways in which we can improve and become more efficient but do not always receive responses from our Patrons. Please let us know about what you like (and don't like) about our concerts, venue feedback, disabled access , programme choices etc. We are your band and will listen to all feedback taking any action where appropriate. Also if any Patron would like to help the band in any way please let me know. Thank you again for your continued support and look forward to seeing you at the Patrons concert. www.fodensband.co.uk Presidents Chris Finnegan—Vice-President One of my resolutions for 2014 was to give the band some practical help. I have tried to help with the transport, delivering the van to and collecting it from the bandroom and sometimes taking all the equip- ment through to the concert venues. Sounds easy enough but it also makes you appreciate how much time and effort takes place behind the scenes. For example the band were engaged by one of our Partners, East Cheshire Council, to play at an open air service to commemorate World War I. The service was to take place in the grounds of the Old Hall, Tatton Park. The request was that 10 members of the band accompanied the service at 3.00 pm and then after a short interval at around 5pm the full band would perform a concert of WWI tunes plus items from the normal concert repertoire. The instructions were to be there with all equipment by 1.30 ahead of the invited dignitaries. We loaded in Sandbach at midday so easily made the target time for arrival. However, we were not permitted to take the van close to the stage as the ground was very soft so all the equipment, percussions, music stands and 26 stage jackets had to be man handled across 50 metres of manicured lawn and needless to say back again after the concert. In the end we got back to the bandroom at 7.30 pm for unloading and were on our way home by 8pm. A long day for a ‘local’ concert but the consolation was that it was a memorable service and great concert, all much appreciated by the audience. Now contrast that Civic concert, with one which took place in November. This time the venue was Ken- dal, so most of the band personnel and equipment travelled to Cumbria by Bullock’s coach. This concert was different, Foden’s had been invited to play with British Sea Power, an Indie rock band. BSP had devised a show entitled ‘Sea of Brass’ and were touring the UK with this and linking in to a se- lect number of brass bands area by area. The venue in Kendal was called the ‘Factory’ and in a previous life had been a carpet manufacturing mill. The site was being redeveloped to create individual craft/artist’s studios and a ‘new’ concert venue. The scene was reminiscent of a 1990’s illegal rave, all bare walls and concrete floor. This was to be the first concert held there. The white washed walls had only just been finished. What passed as a car park was a sea of mud. There was one way in and one way out for the coach. ‘Dry Ice’ was not needed to create an atmosphere, it was so cold everyone’s breathe turned to mist as they spoke. The two bands started to rehearse together at around 3.45p.m and then all (or most) of the short com- ings were forgiven. To use that overrated word the sound was awesome. In the evening the concert played to a standing crowd of approximately 1000 and judging by all the comments on social media- a good time was had by all. It was 4.15 am on Sunday morning before the band was back in Sandbach, with a contest rehearsal scheduled for 1pm!—phew we need to join a Union. We would love to see you at any of our concerts and thank you to all the Patrons for your support. Kind regards to you all. www.fodensband.co.uk Musical Director Michael Fowles—Musical Director Well yet again the band has had a hectic year with rehearsals, concerts, contests and recordings. It never ceases to amaze me as to the level of dedication shown by everyone connected with Foden's Band all with the aim of upholding and enhancing the fine history and heritage of our band. The standard of performance in our concerts has been incredibly consistent whilst the diversity of repertoire tackled has been staggering. On the contest platform the standard of performance has been very high and at the National Finals in October, exceptional. A particularly consistent night at the Whit Friday Marches delivered an unprecedented “clean sweep” of 11 wins at all of the 11 contests. Once again the band has been busy in the recording studio. We welcomed back Howard Snell to conduct a CD of his arrangements and compositions on “We Meet Again” and John Barber gave a clear demonstration of his outstanding musicianship as trombonist, pianist and composer on “Barber”. I spoke earlier about the band’s history and heritage and it was this that sparked the idea for the format of the latest volume in the Patrons Choice series – different snapshots in time at Foden's Band to hear music written by it’s conductors or creative partners, coupled with a “Solo Showcase 2015” of the band’s current principals. “The Early Years” features a march by William Rimmer (Foden's first MD) and an arrangement of Weber’s stunning overture “Der Freischutz” by William Halliwell, while “The Howard Snell Years” are represented by Les Soirees Musicales – four short character pieces by Rossini recorded by brass band for the first time. The band has always been forward thinking and the recent competition for composers reflects this perfectly – “Into the Future” presents the winning composition by Andrew Baker. His “Atrium Phase” is an intriguing piece that places the listener in the centre of four chamber groups in the corners of an atrium and the sound effects this might create. Finally “The Present Age” features an arrangement by yours truly of a quirky march, a Turkish dance by Composer-in-Residence Andy Scott and an extended work by Musical Associate Peter Meechan. His cinematic piece “Fragile Oasis” is a series of musical pictures inspired by different views of the Earth from video footage taken from the International Space Station. Due for release at the February Patrons Concert I hope you will enjoy it as much as the previous volumes in the series – happy listening! www.fodensband.co.uk Player Focus Michael Warriner—2nd Baritone Tell us a little about your background as a Musician. Well I've always played Baritone. I went down to the Besses Boys organisation when I was about 7 as both my older brothers had been part of that organisation and fortunately at my school Canon Slade in Bolton they had a decent brass band so it was easy to keep enthusiastic about playing.