Fri 07 Feb 2014
100 Club - January Winners

Winners in the 100 club draw for January:

1st : Jimmy Tew
2nd: Jane Simpson
3rd: Tony Wyatt
4th: Mrs J Davies

 

Tue 28 Jan 2014
100 Club

Thank you to all those who participated in the inaugural 100 club for the year 2014.

The total prize fund is £252. There will be 12 monthly draws with a prize fund per month of £21.00

There will be 4 prizes per month:
1st prize:- £8.40
2nd prize: £6.30
3rd prize: £4.20
4th prize: £2.10

The first draw will take place week ending Friday 31st January 2014

 

Mon 20 Jan 2014
Great Start To New Contesting Season

The band played brilliantly this weekend at the Butlin's Mineworkers Brass Band Championships.

Playing off a number 4 draw, the band had played by 11am, and had put in an excellent performance of Paul Lovatt-Cooper's Vitae Aeternum in the 1st Section competition. The audience listening certainly felt the band played well as they erupted at the end of the piece with even the banding press commenting on how well received it was by the audience. 4BarsRest reported the band as delivering a 'Heart on Sleeve' account of the set piece, with effective playing on display and lots of controlled dynamics.

The performance must have stuck in the minds of the two adjudicators, Frank Renton & Derek Southcott, as after all twenty two bands had played in the 1st section (over 5 hours after Poynton band had played), they still awarded the band with the 2nd Prize worth £1000.

Many thanks to Neil Samuel for his hard work preparing and rehearsing the band for this contest. Many of the band came off stage with the opinion that it was the best performance the band had given in many years, and in the wise words of Alan Lawton after we played "I wouldn't want to be in the band following that performance!"

Now to start looking towards the North-West Regional Championships where another good result could see us back into the Championship section for 2015, and hopefully at the National Finals later on this year.

 

Thu 02 Jan 2014
Wow what a year!

2013 was an eventful year for the band. Here a just a few of the highlights

In March we said our goodbyes to MD Colin Short after a great couple of years, as he moved on due to work commitments and we asked Neil Samuel to lead us at the area which led to a solid 5th place, and shortly after both parties agreed to continue to work together! 


April: A 2nd place at Buxton Contest on Dances & Arias after just one week of intense rehearsals with Neil.


June: Competing at every Whit Friday venue in Tameside (in a record time of just over 5 hours) the band picked up a number of 1st Section Prizes, as well as winning the Tame Valley contest beating some of the countries top bands in the process! We also did concerts with the Beatles and Take That (or at least their tribute bands) in two outdoor concerts with thousands of revellers listening to us perform.

August: The band was pleased to welcome top brass band composer Darrol Barry as their Composer-in-Residence.


September: The band performed with a top West End Star Zoe Rainey in aid of the Together Trust. We also came away with a 3rd place at Fleetwood Contest playing Philip Wilby's notoriously difficult Red Priest.


November: We took to the stage at the Northern Open contest, again with Red Priest and this time came away with a 2nd Place result.

December: "It's Christmas"... The band, as usual, performed numerous Christmas Concerts through out the month, ranging from traditional carol concerts alongside the St George's Singers to Christmas Bier Keller's at Davenport Golf Club!

Through the year we've said some goodbye's and said some hello's to both new and old faces and a lot has been achieved in a short space of time, and we're already planning on how to improve next year!

To all of our supporters through 2013, thank you and we would like to wish you all a Happy New Year!

 

Tue 26 Nov 2013
Welcome return to a new recruit

VBS Poynton Band would like to welcome cornet player Peter Weaver back to the band. Peter left the band a few years ago to take up a job in America. Peter will be returning to his familiar 'third man down' chair.

As Peter joins we say goodbye to back row cornet player Rachel Hall who has left the band to pursue other hobbies and ventures.
Speaking on behalf of the band Dave Johnson told A4B, "I would like to welcome Pete back to the band, he's a fantastic asset and we are thrilled that he has chosen to come back to our band family! Saying goodbye is always difficult especially when the players have been committed as much as Rachel. She has been a brilliant asset to our band and I wish her all the best.

Speaking about the band, Dave told us "This year has been a fantastic year for the band given that out of four contests with MD Neil Samuel, we have finished in the prizes at all bar one. We've also performed at some real high profile concerts, including one for local charity 'The Together Trust' that saw the band perform with ex Wicked star Zoe Rainey. Watch this space, I believe this year is the start of more good things to come"

 

Mon 18 Nov 2013
2nd Place at Northern Open

Yesterday the band took to the stage at St Helen's Theatre Royal for the Northern Open Brass Band Championships.

The band, all with one finger nail painted in the 'Vernon Green' colour, was the last group to play on the day.

We left our best performance of Philip Wilby's Red Priest in the rehearsal room and all came off stage knowing that we hadn't played anywhere near our best... but it shows how far the band has come over recent months when we still managed to claim the 2nd place prize on what we felt to be a poor performance!

The band now looks forward to getting the Christmas Music pads out for a fun filled festive season, whilst also getting to grips with the Butlins test piece Vitae Aeternum by Paul Lovatt-Cooper.

Results:

1. Wingates
2. Vernon Building Society (Poynton) Brass Band
3. City of Bradford Brass
4. Oldham (Lees)
5. Longridge
6. GT Group Peterlee 

 

Wed 13 Nov 2013
Remembrance Weekend

The band remembered and celebrated the lives of those who have fought for our country this weekend.

On Saturday the band performed a Remembrance Concert at the United Reform Church, Great Moor. Featuring music such as the march 'On the Quarter Deck' and 'Hymn to the Fallen' from Saving Private Ryan, the band also lead the singing of hymns whilst Principal Cornet Tony Wyatt played the Last Post during the Act of Remembrance. A rousing 'Last Night of the Proms' set at the end of the concert left the audience wanting more.

On Sunday morning, the band was proud to lead the Remembrance procession through Poynton to St George's Church for the Remembrance Service. Once again the band lead the hymn singing and Tony played the Last Post at the memorial.

A moving day, as always.

We will remember them.

 

Wed 16 Oct 2013
3rd Prize at Fleetwood

At the end of September the band took part in the Fleetwood Open Brass Band Championships.

Playing Red Priest by Philip Wilby - a work recently used at the European Championships to test the best bands from across the continent - the band gained an admirable 3rd prize.

The band has come on in leaps and bounds under new MD Neil Samuel and this performance, with the band taking on and feeling confident in playing such a difficult work, shows how the band is enjoying working with Neil.

We look forward to coming higher up the prizes still at our next contests: The Northern Open Brass Band Championships, Butlins Mineworkers Contest and the North West Regional Championships.

 

Sat 07 Sep 2013
Thanks and Welcome

Vernon Building Society (Poynton) Band has announced the departures of solo cornet player Nick Harrington and second trombone Ryan Higgin.

Nick is moving away due to a family relocation whilst Ryan will be concentrating on his studies after travelling to rehearsals and jobs from Liverpool each week.

Chairman Pete Cookson said: "I'd like to wish both Nick and Ryan all the best for the future. Both have contributed so much to the band during their time here and they will be missed a great deal."

On a happier note, the band welcomes Julie Bedder on cornet, with MD Neil Samuel saying: "Julie brings a wealth of experience having previously played at Besses and Marsden which can only be good for us at Poynton.

We all welcome Julie as we start our preparation for the forthcoming Fleetwood contest."

 

Wed 07 Aug 2013
Band gains new Musical Associates & a trombone

Vernon Building Society Band are pleased to announce the appointment of leading brass band composer Darrol Barry as composer in residence with the band. Darrol who currently resides and works in Oman with his wife Rachael is employed by the Royal Guard of Oman as Resident Composer and Arranger.

Further to Darrol's appointment the band have also appointed assistant principal cornet player Adrian Horn as the bands arranger in residence. Adrian is an ex recipient of the James Watson Brass Prize from the London College Of Music, and is currently a music technology teacher at the world famous 'Chethams School Of Music'.

Commenting on the appointments, MD Neil Samuel said: "I am so pleased to be able to welcome Darrol and Adrian to the band in their respective roles. They are both fantastic musicians and I am very grateful that they have both chosen to work with the band on future compositions!".

Also joining the band in time for the Fleetwood contest is trombonist Lauren Marie White who joins from the Wingates Band. Lauren is an ex student of Birmingham Conservatoire.

 

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