Watford Band

Watford Band gave the performance of its life last Sunday at an entertainments contest organised by the Oxfordshire Brass Band Association. After its 20 minute programme the audience were calling for more and more.

In a varied programme beginning with a piece depicting Circus life - "The Big Top" - a lot of fun with claxonhorns, whistles, and all percussion toys being demonstrated to the full. The audience simply loved it except one of the adjudicators felt the airhorn was too loud!! Following this was an arrangement of "The Old Grumpie Cat from Andrew Lloyd Webbers "Cats", and then one of the band's star trombonists played his own arrangement of Johnny Mandel's Shadow of Your Smile.

The penultimate piece was "Teddy Bears Picnic" and the audience joined in singing the words.
Our finale was introduced as a bonanza for trombones, and what a finale it was. Mike Innes was joined by his partner in crime Robert Hunt and between them they gave a fabulous performance of Basin Street Blues which was followed by rapturous applause and cries for more from the audience.

There were 2 adjudicators, one judging the entertainment value, deportment and programme content of all the bands performances and the other simply judging the standard of playing of the bands.

In his summation the entertainment judge said there was one band who had the wow factor and he did not want the performance to end. The other adjudicator said he was looking for tunefullness of playing and musicality and performance of the music.

The results were then read out to the eager audience and Watford Band were announced as BEST ENTERTAINERS and BEST BAND.

This is the bands first contest were they have come out on top and follows success last November at Leicester and promotion from the Fourth to the Third tier of UK banding. Thanks go to the Musical Director, Richard Graves, who has only been with the band for 2 years, and also to the playing members who have generally worked hard during Richard's tenure as MD.

Next Contest is Leicester followed by a busy Christmas programme to raise funds for operating costs and local charities, and then Butlins Contest in January (Skegness) and the area contest in March at Stevenage.

On Saturday 3rd October the Band, under the direction of Richard Graves, gave another concert in Christ Church. This time they were joined by the Watford Girls' Grammar School Junior Choir, conductor Alison Carr.

Entitled 'Movie Night at the Proms' it gave the Band the chance to shine as they played theme tunes from films featured on the big screen as well as TV.

The girls were in fine form, singing selections from popular musicals ('My Fair Lady' and 'Les Miserables') and light entertainment (including Eric Clapton's 'Tears in Heaven').

The evening drew towards its end with the now traditional 'Last Night at the Proms' menu - Henry Wood's 'Fantasia on British Sea Songs', Parry's 'Jerusalem', Elgar's 'Pomp and Circumstance March Number One, with the audience joining in with great enthusiasm.

Finally, the Girls' Choir joined the Band and soloist Amy Cross in performing 'Time to Say Goodbye'.

Marko Podgorski who joined the band some 3 years ago has just heard he has passed Grade 5 on Tenor Horn.

Marko is a self taught trumpet player who was persuaded to move to the Tenor Horn two years ago so has done well in passing at this level.

The band now have 5 players with grade 5, one grade 6 and two members with grade 8.

The Tuba – some little known facts.
Useless fact #1
It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the ophicleide.
Useless fact #2
Tuba is Latin for trumpet or horn. The horn referred to would most likely resemble what is known as a Baroque trumpet.
Useless fact #3
Wilhelm Friedrich Wieprecht and Carl Moritz on September 12, 1835 for a "basstuba" which used five valves. The modern tuba has 4 valves.
Useless fact #4
An orchestra usually has a single tuba, though occasionally a second tuba is required. It is the principal bass instrument in symphonic and military bands which generally have more than one tuba.
Useless fact #5
Concertos have been written for the tuba by many notable composers, including Ralph Vaughan Williams, Edward Gregson, John Williams, Alexander Arutiunian, Eric Ewazen, James Barnes, Martin Ellerby, Philip Sparke, Kalevi Aho, Arild Plau, James Woodward, Victor Davies and Bruce Broughton
And of course - Useless fact #6
In British style brass bands, both E-flat and B-flat tubas are used and are normally referred to as basses.

Have you read ‘The Double Bass’ by Patrick Suskind? It’s a very interesting little story written from the point of view of a double bass. Quirky but worth a read.

Michael Willis

Corin Frankel, 3rd Cornet player, has gained her Grade 5 examination, with a distinction.

Congratulatons Corin!