On July 19th the band were delighted to return to Socially distanced rehearsals. With lots of preparation involved we were able to step back into the band room. Please check our Events page for more information about when you can see us in action!
Please also see our vacancies page if you’re interested in joining us.
Due to the ongoing pandemic and the bands inability to rehearse together the following events have been cancelled:
Our next scheduled event is Remembrance Sunday, 8th November
Fear not, the band are working on another video to share with you and we meet virtually every week and are all well!
Thanks,
Mike Jackson, Band Manager
Unfortunately due to Covid-19 band rehearsals have been cancelled for the immediate and foreseeable future to try and keep all of our members safe. This also has a knock on effect and following the advice of BBE (Brass Band England) and Public Health England, our Events have also been cancelled until at least the end of May. This includes the following:
Saturday 28th March: CD Recording
Saturday 25th April: All Ages Sing, Anglican Cathedral
Saturday 9th May: Movie Connections, Capstone Theatre
Friday 5th June: Whit Friday Marches, Tameside and Saddleworth
Sunday 7th June: Botanic Gardens, Southport
Our next scheduled event is at Farnworth Primary School Summer Fair, Saturday 27th June, however we will update you if there is any change.
The band would like to wish all our members, family, friends, and supporters the very best health in these uncertain times.
Mike Jackson,
Band Manager
Now that the dust has settled and we are now well into 2020 and our preparations for the NW Regional Championships, it’s nice to take a moment just to reflect on what 2019 contributed to the development of our Band.
Competitively we had another good year. We didn’t set the world alight in Blackpool in February, and we know where we went wrong that day. But the result was good enough to secure our position in Second Section to allow us the opportunity to continue to grow as individual players and improve as a team. Our trip to Rochdale in October gave us some more contest exposure – all part of our development plan towards this year’s Regional Championships.
Our trip to Saddleworth for the Whit Friday Marches thoughwas more successful. Although we nearly lost one of our BBbBasses (accidentally left at the roadside in Delph), we managed to secure 3 wins from the villages visited! A great result and thoroughly enjoyable evening.
Our main Spring Performance Galaxies at the Capstone Theatre was a great success. The enthusiastic and appreciative audience being thoroughly entertained not just by some excellent playing and inventive programming, but also by a wonderful Audio/Visual presentation which brought the whole show to life.
As ever, our concert performances are extremely varied. Over the years we have played on the red carpet for Simon Cowell and David Walliams (X Factor 10) and blown the Friday Horn for Radio X, to list but two slightly out of the ordinary jobs. This year was no exception. In July we performed at a 70thBirthday Party which took the form of a Vienna State Ball c. 1860 with all the guests in full period costume and the host accompanied by none other than Queen Victoria. Our own MD, Adam, resplendent in white tie and tails, was honoured with due pomp and ceremony with a medal presented to mark the occasion by The Queen herself……. You really had to be there!!
In November we had our first ever annual awards evening – Oscar themed as you might expect. Various individuals were rewarded for their efforts and contributions over the year. Our Unsung Hero Award going to Teresa Jackson for the immense amount of support and work done behind the scenes that enables the Band to function as it does and be as successful as it is. Our Bandsman of the Year was Tony Jackson and Most Improved Player was Ruth Farrelly. The MD’s Award and Player of the Year Award deservedly went to Mike Jackson and Doug Elkin respectively.
We were pleased to be able to continue our Community and Charity work throughout the year supporting the Merseyside Thursday Club, Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, Claire House and others including Our Ladies Bishop Eton Church which is the Bands’ home and to whom we are extremely grateful for all their help and support.
Allerton Brass is though a real family and so the highlights of 2019 have to be the arrival of our very first Band Babies – Daisy Dunlop and Aria Anna (huge congratulations to the proud parents Nicola & James and Lynsey & Mike) – and the Wedding of Hannah & Doug – strategically scheduled to avoid any contest/concert clashes!
As ever, here’s hoping 2020 takes us to even greater heights.
Band Chairman
Tony Jackson
Last Saturday we had and Oscar-themed Autumn Band Social incorporating our inaugural annual awards ceremony.
Band Members, Friends and guests entered into the spirit of things and many “dressed to impress” but all had a great evening enjoying a few drinks, some wonderful food (courtesy of the wonderful Fund Raising Committee), a Quiz and of course our Prize Presentation.
Although there were many nominations for the various Awards, the main winners on the night were recognised for their amazing commitment and contribution to the Band in terms of performance, attitude, example and all the unseen effort that goes on behind the scenes. So the 2019 Role of Honour is:
There were also some slightly less serious awards presented. Again there were too many nominees to mention, but the awards went to: Best Singer (Hannah Elkin), Chris Dewhurst who scooped an amazing 3 awards – Most Likely to play his part an octave lower than written (and think the MD hasn’t noticed!), Most Inappropriate Comment and the funniest moment went to Lynsey.
Band Chairman, Tony Jackson