News Letter 2011

The new year seems to have started in a similar fashion to how the old year finished. Having lost engagements due to the icy roads in December, rehearsals for the Area contests have been severely affected. Chris Spreadbury has kindly agreed to help get the band in shape for the up and coming contest and has taken on this mammoth task with good humored relish. The Test piece is Kingdom of Dragons, which is a marvelous piece of music, but will tax the band to its limits getting it up to something like contest standard.

Serious practice sessions are the order of the month, as the Band puts in some dedicated effort to try and hold their own at the Area Competition in March. The 14th of March is coming close very quickly and the time lost due to bad weather is sorely missed. Our MD is desperately trying to fix a Dragon with a serious limp.

Blood sweat and tears were not enough to bring podium victory to the Band at the area contest this year. Playing in last place in front of a critical audience was enough to tilt the odds against us and pull St. Pinnock down to the lower middle in the runners. On the positive side, we are not in the relegation box and unless we do something very bad next year are likely to stay in section 2 for a while. Chris Spreadbury has worked wonders with the Band in the run up to the competition and despite only starting rehearsals after the "big Freeze" brought us to the competition with a real chance of doing well. With lots of plans up his sleeve and a new found enthusiasm in the Band, this newsletter promises to be a busy place over the next few months.

St. Pinnock Band are pleased to announce that Chris Spreadbury has agreed to take up the position of full time M.D. With the Band.

''I am delighted to be working with such a friendly and forward thinking band. The commitment in preparation to the areas was the best I've ever seen and the direction is definitely up!''
- Chris Spreadbury

This years round of concerts and gigs started with a concert at St. James Church , Torpoint. As always, we received a very warm welcome at this venue, rounded off with an excellent supper. The evening was not without its drama, as the Nuns outfits remained on the washing line instead appearing on the trombones and Emma performed a horn solo with no music, reading off the conductors score. Our former solo Trombone Ann Wills filled the middle section with some excellent singing, showing just what a loss to the Band she was.
The Band had an excellent evening and were thrilled to be awarded a standing ovation. This had the unexpected effect of getting Chris Spreadbury to make the Band play the Flora Dance, despite what he has previously said, but to the obvious enthusiasm of the audience. Hopefully this event may become a regular addition to the Band's programme for the year.

May

May Day was marked by a new event in West Looe, a procession and dancing around the May Pole. A change in the times from afternoon to morning and strict instructions to not play the Flora dance lead to some drastic reorganization in the Band ranks and a much reduced turn out. Next year we will be prepared for all eventualities and look forward to what is intended to be an annual event.
The first Flora of the year was favoured with good weather and Lanlivery feast day got off to a flying start with the Flora passing through the Pub in fine tradition.
The Band started a new tradition, with Kathy celebrating her 21st Birthday by providing cake all round in return for not playing "happy birthday" to the massed audience. A big hit in certain sections of the Band.......as the following photographic evidence irrefutably confirms. (the percussion section wish to officially announce that the cake never reached them!)
Ryan, our young new Rep Player performed his first solo "cherry Blossom Pink" to much acclaim. Hopefully this will become a regular item over the summer.

June

June saw the Band at Dobwalls Flora, now possible due to the Bypass around the village and the Summer season of concerts started at the Ship Inn. These events were sadly eclipsed by the sudden death of one of the stalwarts of the Cornish Banding world, Alan Faraway. A life long Bandsman at the highest level, Alan was one of those players upon which every band depends. He was one of the mainstays of the St. Pinnock Cornet section for several years and did much for the band behind the scenes, quietly and without fuss. A true gentleman and a friend to all, he will be sorely missed.

The Band was thrilled to bits to be able to welcome back three talented former players, namely Liz on Tenor Horn, Jenny to the front row and Dan on Baritone, to the ranks in time to lend a hand with the hectic summer season. While our Musical Director Chris Spreadbury set off to the warmer climes of the southern hemisphere, fortunantly the Band can call on its Post Horn playing solo cornet Maestro Norman to stand in and lead the Band.

August Bank Holiday means the Polruan marathon, with concerts, floras carnivals and general merriment all day. This year the harbour hosted a passenger liner, with 800 passengers who had obviously booked especially to see us. After doing our usual grand old Duke of York routine and marching up and down Polruan hill, most of the Band were reduced to hitching a lift on the instrument truck for the final trip back and an end to the summer season '10.

As Autumn mists the valleys fill and gossamer threads ‘cross meadows spill, the tall maize waits the combines flail and the Banding season ends. And so the last day of our summer season found the Band contributing to National Bandstand Day whilst basking in the fading summer sunshine of a peaceful Sunday afternoon in Par. The night before had seen an excellent concert in the majestic setting of St. Germans Church, whose cathedral like spaces produce a wonderful atmosphere in which to play.

The Band has enjoyed a blissful summer, with not a single day lost to inclement weather. This has been a welcome respite for the coffers which have suffered from rain and snow cancellations for the last two years. However this has not met with universal acclaim as many players would like an excuse not to have to play the Flora Dance a few hundred more times around yet another village, and a drop of rain used to do just nicely.

The Band has been truly saddened by the news that one of its most stalwart players, Mr Ernie Willsher has lost his fight against cancer. Despite his years, Ernie never missed a march or indeed any engagement. A quiet gentleman, friend to all and, no matter what. you would never hear Ernie complain or say an ill word against anything or anybody. His Deer stalker hat and always handy cigarette were legendary throughout the brass playing world of East Cornwall , West Devon and indeed further a field, as Ernie had helped everyone who ever asked.
Ernie started playing at the age of 9 in the British Legion Band at Witsham on Cornet. Moving onto the Chelmsford city Band in the 1950's he gave the Baritone, Horn and Tuba a go. He was a founder member of Essex Police Band although not a member of Her majesties Constabulary and tried his hand at every instrument. This was to be good experience as on moving to the West country he became Band trainer for the youth of Tavistock Band and also taught Brass at Callington Primary School. Ernie went on to gain his certificate of Brass Band studies at the University of Sheffield, which required him to journey up there for one weekend every month for 2 years. Ernie was without doubt a true "bandsman" and that would be I am sure, how he would want to be remembered.
He was the sort of player that Bands the length of the country rely on to survive and he will be greatly missed by many, many people.
Our thoughts at this time are with his wife Hilary and their family.

October

The crowd said wow, the Band said Okay, the Adjudicator said..........and that is the joy of contesting, however the Band took many positive comments and helpful advice on board from interested observers and will go forward into the area competitions with a reasonable amount of confidence.

As always the day out was a great social event, with a coach trip to and from Torquay and the Band looking to take full advantage of all that Torquay can offer on a wet November Saturday, which is a surprising amount if you know where to look.

In the run up to the contest the Band was treated to an open rehearsal venue at Coads Green, courtesy of the village hall committee. A pleasant evening of tea and cakes with a bit of music thrown in. The acoustics in the hall turned out to be better than expected and the crowd were enthusiastic. It is hoped that we may repeat the event in March.

November

Having survived the ups and downs of contesting, the Band went back to business doing what its there for, and like nearly every band in Cornwall, was out in force for the Remembrance Day Service at Looe. One of the largest in Cornwall, hundreds of people attended to pay their respect to the fallen in conflicts past and recent. Last Post was performed by Jenny.
The rest of the month has seen the Band helping to prepare for the Heart of Cornwall Concert in memory of Alan Faraway.

Brrrrrrrrrrrr. Caroling here there and everywhere yet again, but this year the Eden gig was finally indoors and a little on the warm side. The tough, hardy, real men in the Band, plus one member of the fairer, gentler sex, braved the snow covered roads to play in the August heat of the Mediterranean dome. As it turned out, this was one of the last gigs of the year as Snow and Flu wiped out the rest of the years gigs.