Busy times for Coalburn Brass Band Family
Coalburn Intermediate Band is having a well-earned week off this week after their fantastic performance at the Borders Entertainment Contest on Saturday! Their film and television themed programme found favour with adjudicators James Chamberlain and David Thornton with the band finishing in 8th place out of the 13 competing bands. Rory Hunter was their featured soloist performing Scott Maurice’s arrangement of ‘Theme from Local Hero’ on tenor horn. Well done to all our band members and their musical director David Fehilly who worked really hard in our band hall before making the trip to Selkirk.
Our Percussion Academy, Bronze and Silver Bands are all preparing for the Scottish Festival of Brass. Coalburn Silver Band are participating in the Scottish Challenge contest on Saturday 18 November. The following week (26 November) the Percussion Academy and Bronze Band are performing in Scottish Youth Championships. Both bands and our Percussion Academy are excited to make the trip to Perth to perform in the fantastic Perth Concert Hall.
Members from our Intermediate and Silver bands are also participating in the Illuminated Lanimer Procession on 24 November in Lanark. The parade starts at 6.30pm and we will be playing some carols after too. Then it’s straight back into rehearsals for our Christmas concerts.
The Silver Band are delighted to be joining Strathaven Choral Society for another Christmas concert this year. On Sunday 10 December, the band and the choir will return to Strathaven Scout and Guide Centre for our annual concert from 7pm. Tickets must be purchased from - https://www.wegottickets.com/event/598217
Early booking is recommended as the concert sold out last year. If you can’t make it to Strathaven, the Silver Band will be in concert at Livingstone Memorial Church in Blantyre on Tuesday 12th December. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start with tea, coffee and mince pies served after the concert. Entry is by donation.
Our final Christmas concert will be held in Hope Hub, Blackwood on Friday 15 December. This concert will feature Coalburn Bronze and Intermediate Bands, our brass beginners group and the Percussion Academy! Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Tickets available on the night - £20 family ticket, £8 adults and £5 for concessions.
As we look forward to a busy season leading up to Christmas, let’s take a look back and reflect on the last couple of months.
Thank you to everyone who supported our concert at Hamilton Baptist Church on Friday 6 October. All 3 bands performed for a wonderful audience where our bands featured solos from Silver Band members Calum Blair (Bb cornet), Blair Collins (flugel) and Gregor Koziel (soprano cornet) and our solo horn player from the Intermediate Band, Rory Hunter.
We would also like to thank everyone who supported us and sent well wishes for the Silver Band’s trip to represent Scotland at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain. Our performance was awarded 4th place from 20 bands from all over the UK by adjudicators David Hirst, Paul Holland and Glyn Williams. The band were absolutely delighted with this result especially with it being the first time we had competed in the 1st section at the national finals.
This result was a culmination of hard work in and out of our band hall. We are grateful to all our band members for their efforts and to our musical director, Gareth Bowman for his expertise and unwavering commitment. Thank you to Mike Fowles for his valuable input to our preparations and to Anne Crookston for providing us with feedback on our performance at our Nationals Preview Night concert at Bellshill Salvation Army with Shotts St Patrick’s Brass.
Everyone in our organisation would like to thank all who supported our fundraising efforts, to Doug+Smith for their sponsorship for our Cheltenham trip as well as the following businesses who sponsored our race night:
All your donations are greatly appreciated! Our brave Tough Mudders also raised a fantastic amount and finally a big thank you to those who attended our quiz night. A busy year of fundraising!
Lastly, we have been very fortunate to receive grant funding from Coalburn Community Council, Hagshaw Hill Wind Farm Community Trust, Loaningdale School Company and South Lanarkshire’s Renewable Energy Fund and Community Grant Scheme. These grants have helped towards the cost of purchasing new uniforms for our Bronze Band, transport to Cheltenham, new instruments for our organisation and also helped our young members attend the summer course of the National Youth Brass Bands of Scotland. Thank you to everyone involved in administering these funds.
Our organisation has plenty to look to in 2024. Our annual open day will be held on Sunday 4 February between 11am and 4pm at Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill Community Wing - more details will be available soon!
If you are interested in joining one of our bands or would like to book us for an event, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Our Percussion Academy, Bronze and Silver Bands are all preparing for the Scottish Festival of Brass. Coalburn Silver Band are participating in the Scottish Challenge contest on Saturday 18 November. The following week (26 November) the Percussion Academy and Bronze Band are performing in Scottish Youth Championships. Both bands and our Percussion Academy are excited to make the trip to Perth to perform in the fantastic Perth Concert Hall.
Members from our Intermediate and Silver bands are also participating in the Illuminated Lanimer Procession on 24 November in Lanark. The parade starts at 6.30pm and we will be playing some carols after too. Then it’s straight back into rehearsals for our Christmas concerts.
The Silver Band are delighted to be joining Strathaven Choral Society for another Christmas concert this year. On Sunday 10 December, the band and the choir will return to Strathaven Scout and Guide Centre for our annual concert from 7pm. Tickets must be purchased from - https://www.wegottickets.com/event/598217
Early booking is recommended as the concert sold out last year. If you can’t make it to Strathaven, the Silver Band will be in concert at Livingstone Memorial Church in Blantyre on Tuesday 12th December. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start with tea, coffee and mince pies served after the concert. Entry is by donation.
Our final Christmas concert will be held in Hope Hub, Blackwood on Friday 15 December. This concert will feature Coalburn Bronze and Intermediate Bands, our brass beginners group and the Percussion Academy! Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Tickets available on the night - £20 family ticket, £8 adults and £5 for concessions.
As we look forward to a busy season leading up to Christmas, let’s take a look back and reflect on the last couple of months.
Thank you to everyone who supported our concert at Hamilton Baptist Church on Friday 6 October. All 3 bands performed for a wonderful audience where our bands featured solos from Silver Band members Calum Blair (Bb cornet), Blair Collins (flugel) and Gregor Koziel (soprano cornet) and our solo horn player from the Intermediate Band, Rory Hunter.
We would also like to thank everyone who supported us and sent well wishes for the Silver Band’s trip to represent Scotland at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain. Our performance was awarded 4th place from 20 bands from all over the UK by adjudicators David Hirst, Paul Holland and Glyn Williams. The band were absolutely delighted with this result especially with it being the first time we had competed in the 1st section at the national finals.
This result was a culmination of hard work in and out of our band hall. We are grateful to all our band members for their efforts and to our musical director, Gareth Bowman for his expertise and unwavering commitment. Thank you to Mike Fowles for his valuable input to our preparations and to Anne Crookston for providing us with feedback on our performance at our Nationals Preview Night concert at Bellshill Salvation Army with Shotts St Patrick’s Brass.
Everyone in our organisation would like to thank all who supported our fundraising efforts, to Doug+Smith for their sponsorship for our Cheltenham trip as well as the following businesses who sponsored our race night:
- Alan Court School of Motoring
- Archer Music Press
- Band Supplies
- Jade Flowers Larkhall
- Kirkmuirhill & Coalburn Pharmacy
- Mackie Opticians, Lesmahagow
- Macro Tonic
- Ovenbird Coffee Roasters
- Settlers
All your donations are greatly appreciated! Our brave Tough Mudders also raised a fantastic amount and finally a big thank you to those who attended our quiz night. A busy year of fundraising!
Lastly, we have been very fortunate to receive grant funding from Coalburn Community Council, Hagshaw Hill Wind Farm Community Trust, Loaningdale School Company and South Lanarkshire’s Renewable Energy Fund and Community Grant Scheme. These grants have helped towards the cost of purchasing new uniforms for our Bronze Band, transport to Cheltenham, new instruments for our organisation and also helped our young members attend the summer course of the National Youth Brass Bands of Scotland. Thank you to everyone involved in administering these funds.
Our organisation has plenty to look to in 2024. Our annual open day will be held on Sunday 4 February between 11am and 4pm at Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill Community Wing - more details will be available soon!
If you are interested in joining one of our bands or would like to book us for an event, please don’t hesitate to contact us.