Author: Chris Alexander

Big and Brassy 2

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A few of us from the band were at Big and Brassy this weekend just gone.

This is a community band event, featuring players from 8 local non-contesting bands including Camberley. On Saturday we had a whole-day rehearsal, with another short rehearsal on Sunday morning and a concert in the early afternoon.

The guest soloist was Alan Fernie, the excellent trombone player and composer/arranger – we enjoyed several of his compositions and arrangements, as well as his solos! The conductor was Paul Speed, well know trumpeter, composer, arranger and conductor.

It was a hugely enjoyable weekend and was a great concert in the end. I also learnt quite a bit about conducting just by watching Paul, and I’m hoping to find out a bit more about composing as well. Apparently there will be another one next year so keep the last weekend in March free!

Camberley and District Silver Band Christmas Carolling raises over £820 for charity

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Notes to editors below

Camberley and District Silver Band have once again been busy with a December filled with Christmas carolling around the Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire region. We are extremely proud to announce that the result of the band’s collections in Aldershot, Fleet and Camberley has raised £820.54 for the band’s charitable work and this year’s nominated charity, Frimley Park Hospital’s Charitable Fund.

The band was collecting while out carolling at The Meadows shopping centre in Camberley; the Hart shopping centre in Fleet; and the Wellington shopping centre in Aldershot. We were performing our usual range of carols, from the well known to the slightly more unusual. We also had great fun being accompanied by local youngsters on the jingle bells while we were playing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and of course Jingle Bells.

In addition to our usual collecting, the band also played at a number of other events across the season: this included the opening of Kingsclear nursing home in Camberley; at the Camberley Manor care home in Deepcut; and at Longacres garden center in Bagshot to open their Christmas season. There is one more opportunity to see the band this Christmas, performing in Aldershot town centre from 2.45pm to 4.45pm (more details).

Are you looking for some extra Christmas spirit next year, or for some entertainment throughtout the year? The band has a range of music to suit any occasion and budget. From our popular Christmas Quartet to celebrations, fetes, parties and private engagements throughout the year, we are able to provide that extra sparkle that only live music can do. For details of our range of affordable and flexible performances, get in touch by e-mailing hello@camberleyband.org.uk.

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Notes to editors

Camberley and District Silver Band was started in Camberley in 1960 (full history). Since then we have become a registered charity providing musical opportunities to young people through brass music, who might not otherwise have such opportunities. Each year we perform a concert with a local school choir, providing them an opportunity to sing in front of a large audience with a band accompaniment. We also run weekly training bands to get young people started with brass music, before giving them the chance to join our main band and perform with us across the region and throughout the year.

Interviews

Interviews are available with the Musical Director. Please e-mail hello@camberleyband.org.uk to arrange.

Quotes

Wenni Alexander, Treasurer of Camberley and District Silver Band, said:

“The band has donated to other charities from our Christmas collections for many years now, and we are delighted to again be able to make a significant contribution to the Frimley Park hospital thanks to the kindness of local residents.”

Chris Alexander, Musical Directory of Camberley and District Silver Band, said:

“I am very pleased that the band has been so active in our community this festive season, and we are very grateful for the public’s generous contributions which have enabled us to make this donation to a local cause that is close to many of our hearts. It’s wonderful for the band to be able to bring our Christmas music to such a wide audience across our local area, and we had a great time entertaining visitors to Aldershot, Fleet and Camberley. We’re now looking forward to our busy concert and bandstand season in the Spring and Summer.”

Media – Photos and videos

All images and videos embedded below are Copyright Camberley and District Silver Band 2017 and licensed for media use across all platforms in relation to this article.

Click on images for full resolution.

Camberley and District Silver Band performing at the Wellington shopping centre in Aldershot; 16th December 2017.

 

Camberley and District Silver Band’s Christmas Quartet performing at Camberley Manor care home, Deepcut; 9th December 2017

 

Camberley and District Silver Band performing at Hart shopping centre, Fleet; 9th December 2017

 

Festive stand decorations, Hart shopping centre, Fleet; 9th December 2017

 

Festive stand decorations, Hart shopping centre, Fleet; 9th December 2017

 

Camberley and District Silver Band performing at The Meadows shopping centre, Camberley; 8th December 2017

 

Camberley and District Silver Band performing at Longacres garden centre; 16th November 2017

 

The bass section being the bass section, Longacres garden centre; 16th November 2017

 

‘Tis the season (again)

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It’s that time of year again! Barely a week has gone by since Remembrance Sunday and the band has already completed its first Christmas gig.

Unlike when I used to play with Martlesham Brass when I was growing up, and our first Christmas carolling was on the chilly chilly streets of Aldeburgh on the Suffolk coast in the first weekend in November(!!!), it’s now becoming an annual occurence for Camberley’s season to start in the warm!

We always enjoy a relaxed and very friendly evening with Longacres Garden Centre, Bagshot, as they open their Christmas store on a Thursday night. My wife and I snuck in a tasty dinner from their Cafe before we played an hour of enjoyable carols, rarely straying from the good old Red Carol Books, as they are universally known!

However, the risks of playing directly next to the “free samples” stall are numerous. I have never played Good King Wenceslas crying before, but virtually the whole band were watering after the adjacent wok was heated up and a stir-fry including quite some soy sauce was cooked while we played! And of course, one should never trust the bass section with free bubbly…

We look forward to the rest of our Christmas gigs this year, some of which will also be in the warm but some chilly ones outside too!

Camberley and District Silver Band commemorates Armistice and Remembrance Sunday with the local community

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Once again this year, Camberley and District Silver Band have commemorated Armistice Day (Saturday 11th November) and Remembrance Sunday (Sunday 12th November) at a number of events in the local area in partnership with our wonderful community. This year we were fortunate to be invited to perform at three services across the weekend, and some of the highlights are included below.

Armistice Day – Camberley Manor care home

In the afternoon of Armistice Day, November 11th, a quintet from the band played a memorial service at Camberley Manor care home in Deepcut. This home is just 5 minutes from our band room and we were given a very warm welcome and a strong attendance from the local residents. The home was kind enough to post a video of excerpts from the service:

Armistice Day Service with Camberley &District Silver Band.Time to remember and not forget those who fought for our country.

Posted by Camberley Manor on Saturday, 11 November 2017

Remembrance Sunday – Service at St. Peter’s Church

The band also regularly plays at St. Peter’s Church’s Remembrance Sunday service. The band rehearses weekly in the hall of the church, so we know a lot of the organisers there, and we like to play for them whenever possible. Playing a full traditional Remembrance service including the full Act of Remembrance, it’s a poignant opportunity for all to come together for a couple of hours of reflection.

Remembrance Sunday – Memorial service at the War Memorial in Camberley

The Camberley Band has had a long tradition of playing at the afternoon Remembrance service on the main road through Camberley. In fact, I couldn’t get some of the band members to admit how many years they had done there!

This year the band was represented by a strong number, all wrapped up extremely warmly against the chilly wind. It was again a well-attended service, with a local MP in attendance. This photo from Alan Meeks:

Alan Meeks was kind enough to record and edit these excerpts from the service:

Camberley Remembers 2017

A video captured by Alan Meeks of the Camberley Remembrance commemorations. Surrey Heath

Posted by Surrey Residents Network on Wednesday, 15 November 2017

Surrey Heath Borough Council also posted a copy of the live video they ran from the event:

Remembrance Parade 2017

Posted by Surrey Heath on Sunday, 12 November 2017