Dunston Silver Band are a first section band based in Gateshead. We are a highly committed team of musicians that works hard and has fun, including a varied concert diary and a balanced contest schedule. We now welcome applications for soprano cornet and percussion (ideally tuned and/or timpani) to join our band family in 2017.
The Band rehearses in Dunston Community Centre every Monday and Wednesday evening from 7.30pm-9.30pm. Please check out our website for more information about the band: Dunston Silver Band.
Please contact the Band’s Chairman Dave Jakeman in strict confidence on davejakeman@blueyonder.co.uk or 07808 720568. All interested parties will be given a warm welcome and help can be provided with transport if needed.
To a lot of people the first sound of a brass band playing Christmas Carols means that Christmas is here, well if thats the case it arrived early this year with Dunston Silver Band playing at Beamish Museums Christmas Launch on November 19th. We followed that with another carol playing event at Belsay Hall on December 3rd. Tonight we’re playing carols again for our partners Vertu Motors at their Christmas party. We still have a few events to go where you can come along and see the band
December 11th – Beamish – 11.30 till 2.30
December 16th – Castletown Community Centre – 7.30 till 9.30
December 18th – Dunston Community Centre Carol Service -2.00 till 3.00
December 20th – Ovington Village and Social Club – 7.00 till 9.30
You may also spot some of the band at a supermarket near you. If you do see us please come and say Hi.
Dunston Silver Band are once again proud to be leading the Silksworth Remembrance Day Parade today. After the parade and service the band will be performing at the New Silksworth Royal British Legion Club.
Tonight Dunston Silver Band become the first North East Brass Band to perform a full concert programme in this wonderful building in the heart of Newcastle. The band are proud to be playing in this church fundraiser which could hopefully lead to the church becoming a regular concert venue. It promises to be a great night with a great programme and we’re all getting a little excited so come along and support Dunston Band and St Thomas the Martyr Church tonight at 7.30. TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR.
On Sunday 6th November Dunston Silver Band (DSB) will be attending the Yorkshire and Humberside Brass Band Association Open Contest for the first time. The contest is held in the Civic Hall in Holmfirth and we are entered into ‘Group A’ meaning we will be competing against not only other second section bands but those in first and championship section too.
To prepare for this challenge the band have put in a lot of hard work on our chosen test piece, Connotations by Edward Gregson. Gregson was commissioned to write Connotations for the 1977 National Brass Band Championship finals, held in the Royal Albert Hall, London. Black Dyke was the winning band on that occasion so DSB have some very big shoes to fill! Gregson himself said of the piece “Connotations suggests more than one way of looking at something, an idea, and this is exactly what the piece is about”. If there is one thing that DSB have been noted for in recent contests it is our ability to portray the story and feel of a piece. Connotations is written as a theme and variations as follows: Introduction – fanfares, a call to attention, Variation 1; Theme – a six-note motif, given a lyrical and restrained first statement; Variation 2 – a delicate toccata; Variation 3 – typically robust in melody and rhythm; Variation 4 – lyrical solos; Variation 5 – a scherzo; Variation 6 – cadenzas; Variations 7-9 –an introduction, fugato and resounding restatement of the theme.
We are also required to play a hymn at the contest and we have chosen to play Whitburn by Sir Henry Williams Baker. Henry Baker is famed for commissioning the first edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern which was to become the standard for the Church of England. The lyrics to the hymn are:
Be with me, Lord, where’er I go;
teach me what thou wouldst have me do;
suggest whate’er I think or say;
direct me in the narrow way.
In the run up to this contest DSB have once again worked with our wonderful friends from The Reg Vardy band. Early in the rehearsal process we were fortunate to have the expertise of Graeme Tindall at a number of rehearsals. His attention to detail and vast experience really set us off in good stead for the work to follow. More recently we have had the privilege of having The Reg Vardy band’s resident conductor, Brendan Wheeler, take us for some rehearsals. Brendan is a highly regarded Euphonium player and has held positions in a number of top flight bands. Again, we were put through our paces and gained a lot from having Brendan take our rehearsals, he informed us that Connotations was the first test piece he played and won with! So he certainly knows his stuff. Brendan also worked with the band on our hymn playing, a skill which is often overlooked but we have been focussing on in this contest run up. The Reg Vardy band have also very kindly allowed us to use their band room a number of times to rehearse in. This has been vital, especially for our percussion team as the use of a bigger rehearsal space and more percussion instruments really allow us to prepare well for the contest stage.
Thanks must go to DSB’s Musical Director Aidan Hodgson for putting us through our paces with this technically difficult test piece, for putting in a lot of time running sectionals and extra rehearsals and for continuing to organise the excellent opportunities with The Reg Vardy band.
So as we come to the last couple of rehearsals before our 240 mile round trip to Holmfirth, wish us luck! We will play some time around 2:15pm on Sunday if all goes to schedule. Keep your eyes peeled for the results which will be announced at around 6pm.
Hello, I’m Matthew. This is my first post as a Dunston Sliver Band blogger, and the very first Dunston Silver Band blog post. Probably means I should introduce myself.
I’m Matthew, an adult that gets far too excited by the notation ‘ff’ on a piece of music. If you know anything about brass instruments, then you will likely have guessed I play Trombone, if you know nothing about brass bands, then I play trombone. Yes, that is the slidey one, and yes I can play more than just glissandos. I play bass trombone, which is like a normal trombone but it’s a bit bigger, and most of the time sounds like it has an angry tiger living in it. It is one of the few instruments whose sound could potentially be weaponised. I may be slightly biased, but it is probably the most fun instrument to play, even if you have to work harder than most (who wants a valved instrument really? Oh right, most people).
I have been playing with the band for just under a year now, and I have to say that it has been a great year for me personally. I hadn’t played for 4 years before joining the band, but I am very grateful that they have been so welcoming, I now look forward to rehearsals every week! They even put up with my rustiness and learning to play bass trombone in the first few months! Now, almost a year in, I now feel like I am part of something that is truly special, rather than messing up something truly special. I have played in many bands over the years, mainly in my youth (I feel old saying that… and I’m only 26), but I have never played with such high quality players. Honestly, come to a concert, we’re class. It’s worth it, you don’t get to be a first section* band unless you have a great group of talented musicians. You might even hear an angry tiger style note here and there. Please check out our Calendar page for where we are, and when we will be there.
*as of January. Also, first section is actually a high standard.
