We are delighted to announce we will holding a memorial concert for the late, great Jimmy Kelly at Fulwell Methodist Church on 29th April, alongside special guest Jim Hayes. Tickets available through the band (via the number above or please send us a DM) or on the door. There will be refreshments and a raffle, and all are welcome to join us in remembering Jimmy. ALL proceeds from the evening will be going to @diabetesuk. If you are unable to join us but would like to donate to Diabetes UK, there is a fundraiser link in our Instagram bio
Jimmy Kelly was an outstanding flugel player and had been prominent in brass bands in the region for most of his adult life. He’s played with Hylton Lodge Colliery Band, Durham County Police Band, Silksworth Band, Murton Colliery Band and Dunston Silver Band. He was a simply amazing player but very humble with it. He was always very generous with his time and talents and would help younger players with tips and techniques to help improve their playing. Jim Hayes, our soloist at our concert, modelled his sound on Jimmy’s.
Jimmy joined DSB and played at the Areas with us in March 2007, as well as taking part in many contests with the band, winning many soloist prizes. The memorable Ripon Contest, where he played The Folks that Lived on the Hill in 2009 gave rise to the strapline coined by the band – There’s only one Jimmy Kelly – a small fact his son, also James (jimmy) disputes!
Jimmy retired from playing with the band around the end of 2013, but continued to attend as many of our concerts as he was able to following his retirement, continuing to be a big supporter of the band and was occasionally known to help the front row with Christmas Carols during our Castletown concerts.
Following illness Jimmy sadly passed away in June 2021 and we miss him dearly.
Once again we’ll be opening this annual community event. It’s always great to play in Dunston and this year this event will return to Dunston Park with all the usual fun and games.
Our first proper concert in Dunston for a few years. We’ll be joined by a great choir from Sunderland called Voices Together and there will also be a special; appearance from Dunston Silver Youth Band who’ll be kicking things off at 7.15 pm. Doors open at 7.00pm.
Tickets are £6 ( under 18s FREE ) available from St Nicholas with Christ Church Shop, Willow Avenue, Dunston NE11 9UN and from members of Dunston Silver Band and Voices Together Choir
Newcastle Cathedral presents The Last Night of the Proms
Rousing choral and brass favourites will be performed, with British music by Parry, Stanford and Elgar. Dunston Silver Band will perform a range of music which will be sure to get everyone’s toes tapping. There will be the opportunity to hear Newcastle Cathedral Choir perform some of the glories of the church music repertoire, but this concert will also be a rare opportunity to hear them perform some lighter music. The evening will conclude with the popular and traditional music of the ‘Last Night’ (Land of Hope and Glory, Rule Britannia, Jerusalem, The National Anthem etc.).
There will be an interval during which drinks can be purchased.
Tickets for this exciting and memorable evening of music can be purchased beforehand via Eventbrite: https://last-night-of-the-proms.eventbrite.co.uk/ or on the door that evening. This concert is suitable for the whole family.
Ticket Prices
Adult Admission (18’s and over) unreserved seating – £10 per person
Under 18’s Admission unreserved seating – £5 per person
The Last Night of the Proms event is held in aid of Newcastle Cathedral’s ‘Sponsor a Chorister’ Fund.
Newcastle Cathedral offers a unique musical and educational experience to children from Newcastle, Gateshead and the surrounding areas. The boy and girl Choristers of the Cathedral Choir attend a range of schools across the region, and the ‘Sponsor a Chorister’ Fund helps to ensure that any musical child has the opportunity to become a Chorister whatever their family’s financial background.
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.
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.
