2001:
BTB Year in Review Part IV - The Second Section Strikes Back
January-April:
- There
were a few personnel changes in the band at the beginning of this year. Kirsty
Willard, our long-serving (long-suffering?) wardrobe mistress and band
hairdresser decided to take a break from playing.
Alex Hohenkerk moved down the row to cover on Bass Trombone, and we welcomed
local music teacher Phil "Baby" Baxter to the trombone section
just in case Alex doesn't play loud enough (Ha!). Also joining up was "Big
Bro" Andy Baxter on front-row cornet, resplendent with scary plastic
mouthpiece and boosting the number of Northerners in the band to a frankly
too-high three.
Veteran drum-star Dennis Thomas - a stalwart of the band for many many
years - unfortunately had to give up playing for health reasons. Also in the
kitchen department, William Martin went gallivanting off to Canada
for three months, therefore necessitating the promotion from our youth band
of "Monster of Rock" Nick "Cymbal" Ward.
Rachel Curcher rejoined on Tenor Horn (when not out partying that is),
and two more of our former Principal Horns, Darren Pelling and Jane
Thunder also lent a hand when possible.
On the back-row cornet front (?) we welcomed a promising young player in
Ben Ruffer. The fact that he also plays the violin means that there is
now a dangerously high proportion of the cornet section with experience of
playing a string instrument. We live in worrying times.
- Ricky
and Sandra at the Senlac once again laid on the food and drink for our
'Christmas' meal on New Year's Day. It all went very well again, although
the quantity and range of hand-held missiles (from food, to water pistols,
via balloons and blowpipes etc...) was well up on last year. At the present
rate of increase, flak jackets will be required next year.
- A hardened
group of us once again popped
over to Disneyland Paris at the end of January. This year we were unable to
march down the Main Street as we did last year, but I don't seem to remember
this causing too much anguish for anyone...another great weekend (this time
three nights rather than two), although a certain long-haired cornet player
may not remember as much of at least one of the evenings as the rest of us
("running amok" is, I believe, the technical term). We also learned
that roquefort and centrally-heated hotel rooms are a poor mix over the course
of a weekend...
- February's
annual East Sussex Brass concert was one of the best of recent times. Conducted
for the third time by Melvin White (who managed to maintain his splendid
record of being ill on the course by going down with a stomach bug), this
year's soloist was tenor-horn star Sheona White. Although she was unfortunately
not able to be with us for the first two days of the course, she nonetheless
played fantastically well. Shouldn't really say it, but it was nice to have
a soloist that was so easy on the eye for once as well...no offence to Steve
Sykes, Glynn Williams and co... ;)
- April
saw the SCABA Spring Contest, this year at Hove Town Hall. Competing in the
Second Section and playing Philip Sparke's Music for a Festival we
managed a creditable fifth place, with some good bands ahead of us and a large
points gap separating the top five from the rest of the field. We also somehow
contrived to gain 2nd place in the March section (a newly commissioned set
March called New Millennium which all the bands competing just loved...),
holding the lead until Belgium's 'Brass Band de Ghent' snatched the cup from
under our very noses with an admittedly storming performance, albeit using
OUR bass drum lent to them earlier in the day. Quelle ironie, as they might
have said had they cared (and come from the French-speaking part of Belgium).
- The
annual St. Georges Day Parade down Battle High Street went off very well.
After the monsoon-like Rememberance Parade last year, there were a surprising
number of characters with a rather dubious masochistic streak who hoped to
repeat the "wet march" experience. Thankfully the weather didn't
let them down, and although not as bad as last November, it took days for
our underwear to dry out. Oh, and on the music front I'd welcome stories from
any Sop players reading this who have ever marched to Army of the Nile...
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