Keswick’s newly-formed North Lakes Brass Band have proved an instant hit and have every reason to blow their own trumpet!
Having officially formed last September, the 28 members found their groove in April when they gained second prize in the North of England Championships, Durham, up against long-standing brass band heavyweights.
That success will now see them represent Cumbria in the National Brass Band Championships in Cheltenham in September.
And adding to that, they became the highest-placed Cumbrian band in Kirkby Lonsdale’s Brass Band Contest, where they reached third.
As spokesman and solo euphonium player, Andy Cannon said: “It’s not a bad start for the band. We aim to go from strength to strength over the next few years … be something the community can be rightly proud of.”
The annual competition in Kirkby Lonsdale required each band to play while marching through the town, then to play a 20-minute programme of music including a hymn, a march and a solo piece.
North Lakes Brass, which practices at the St Herbert’s Centre, opened with the lively Prismatic Light by Alan Fernie showing off the full sound of the band beautifully.
They then moved on to the march The Elephant by John Ord-Hume which began to show off the skills of its excellent soprano cornet Tony Gagg, formerly of Blackburn and Darwen Band, and also the huge sound from the bass section of the band that includes E-flat bass played by Threlkeld’s Graham Edmands.
The solo piece followed, performed beautifully by Keswick’s own Jon Sanderson, formerly of Grimethorpe and Carlton Main Colliery Bands.
Jon, who runs Greystoke House in Keswick with his wife, played First Light by Ben Hollins with a sweet tone that rightly impressed the adjudicator.
The band then played the hymn Aurelia arranged by Rory Newsome featuring various members throughout the band before finishing its programme of music with the challenging Partita by Philip Wilby.
The piece really showed off the technical ability of the band under the direction of conductor Gary Williams. While the adjudicator Steve Hartley got his comments together, all the bands gathered into a massed band to play three marches and three hymns in the sun to an eager audience; a fitting end to a wonderful day of music.
Steve Hartley was very complimentary in his comments about Keswick’s new band and awarded it third place overall and highest placed Cumbrian band. The winning band were Morecambe who will be competing at the national finals against North Lakes Brass in September.
North Lakes Brass were impressed with the organisation of the Kirkby Lonsdale event, which ran like clockwork, and they hope it returns next year.
Bandmaster and B-flat bass player John Miller said: “We are very proud to have formed a brass band in Keswick with some really experienced players to boot!
“There are local Keswick players such as Andy Cannon, solo euphonium, formerly of The Marple Band, and players travelling from all over Cumbria to join us.
“So far in our brief history we have enlisted the help of Cumbrian virtuoso Ian Porthouse, formerly of Black Dyke Band, to help sharpen up our performance before the area contest and we hope to be the leading band in Cumbria into the future.
“Our thanks also go to resident conductor Colin Hoodless. We are aiming to share our music with everyone in Keswick through local concerts in the near future.”
To find out more, contact John Miller on 07739 173798 or email [email protected]
