Oughtibridge Brass Band celebrate contest success as they come 4th out of 10 at a local entertainment contest.

Oughtibridge Band took part in the 2nd Annual Kiveton Community Woodland Brass Band Festival last weekend (18 July 2010). The contest takes place at the former Kiveton Colliery Tip, which has recently been restored to forestry land and is now a community woodland area under the management of the Forestry Commission. The entertainment contest takes place in the "arena", an open air venue created for performances like this. The bands sit in one tent, the adjudicators in another and the audience in the open air.

The band were second on stage and performed to a small, but appreciative audience. The music played was:

Just a closer walk - A New Orleans style funeral march, which featured the "Oughtibridge Strollers" a few members of the band with appropriate headwear opening the concert.

Castell Coch - A traditional Brass Band march

Lledrod - A Welsh hymn arranged by the band's conductor, Alan Coe.

The Muppet Show Theme

Charter Fair - 4th mvt from The Haslemere Suite - A Russian influenced movement.

The band felt they performed really well and were clearly not alone as Stan Lippeat (the Adjudicator) felt the band played the second best march of the day. This helped the band secure fourth place and a prize for "Best 4th Section/ Unregistered Band not in first three places". This was a fantastic result given the quality of the opposition, most notedly Dronfield Band (current Butlin's Mineworkers Champions) and Thurcroft Band (2nd at last year's Yorkshire Areas).

Many thanks to the players who stepped in to fill the few vacant seats and also to Rachael and Aidan from our training band who did a fantastic job holding the soloist stands in the windy conditions!  

Archive News - 23/03/2010

Oughtibridge Band were featured this week on the Sheffield 2013 City of Culture bid website. A kind supporter (not sure who) recommended that the City of Culture team consider making Brass Bands a key part of the bid and of the events in 2013. For more details visit the City of Culture Website's 1000 ideas. As the post says, there are over 30 bands in the Sheffield postcode region.

Let's hope that Sheffield's bands and bandstands can have renaissance in 2013.  

Archive News - 25/04/2010

Oughtibridge Brass Band will be out and about during the summer. A new list of band engagements for the next few months is now available on our Engagements and Events page. Please come back regularly to check if more dates have been added.

If you are interested in booking the band for an engagement, please contact us. There are still a number of weekends free and the band will endeavour to accommodate as many requests as possible.

Archive News - 26/01/2010

On Monday 26 January 2010, Oughtibridge Brass Band said a final farewell to Dave Needham, Bflat Bass player with the Band, who died on Monday 11 January 2010 aged 74. The band, accompanied by former players and friends, performed hymns and marches in tribute to Dave at his funeral held in Bolsterstone.
Dave was a dedicated bandsman and played with the Band for just short of 60 years, missing rehearsals or events was not an option for him unless really unavoidable. In 2001 he was awarded a medal in recognition of 50 years Service to the Band by the Huddersfield Brass Band Association.
Dave was born in Nether Edge, Sheffield, and spent most of his life living in Stocksbridge where he worked in the steelworks for for “Sammy Fox’s”, later British Steel, until his retirement. He was a proud man, who served his National Service 1953 to 56 with the Coldstream Guards, and he spoke many times of his military service.

He was an inspiration to many young bandsmen and in many ways larger than life. His sense of humour came to the fore on the many coach trips made with the band. He has provided fond memories especially on our Band Contest Finals trips to the Royal Albert Hall and to Torquay. He often spoke about his beloved late wife Wendy, particularly on some of these trips.

He was a devoted bandsman who will be sorely missed both for his playing and for his dry sense of humour by both Oughtibridge members and Brass Band players across the region, many of whom knew him affectionately as ‘Big Dave’.
 

Archive News - 19/10/2009

Oughtibridge Brass Band, Sheffield, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Alan Coe to the role of conductor. Alan has worked with the band on a number of occasions over the past few years, helping out as a guest conductor. More recently Alan took on a temporary role conducting the band whilst they auditioned for new conductors – and during this time demonstrated to the band that he was the best person for the job.

Alan has over thirty years playing experience at a high standard and has played under the musical directorship of some of the finest band conductors in the country. Most recently Alan played with the Skelmanthorpe Band, Chapeltown Band and Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band. Alan has also been conducting for a few years with a number of bands around South Yorkshire.

Oughtibridge Band looks forward to working with Alan over the next few months and hope that together they can make their mark in the Fourth Section in Bradford next year, and swiftly return to the Third Section, with the extra goal of a trip to Harrogate in September.