Loanhead Brass Roots Loanhead BrassRootlets
Loanhead Brass Rootlets for beginners and Loanhead Brass Roots for junior and some not so junior players.
They both rehease on Wednesday Evenings under the baton of Alan Fernie.
For more information on Brass Roots and Rootlets contact Robin Henderson on 0131 440 1191.
Picture Joe Gilhooley
Picture Joe Gilhooley
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Picture Joe Gilhooley
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12th August 2009
Dear Brass Roots Players, Parents and Guardians
Congratulations to Anna, Lisa, Lloyd and Samuel on their contributions to the National Youth Brass Bands of Scotland last week.
Thank you to everyone who played at the Youth Music Festival at Vogrie on Sunday.
If you’ve not already done so please hand in your waistcoat to have the Brass Roots logo embroidered on it.
• Saturday 29th August – Street Fair at Fountain Green, Loanhead organised by the new Loanhead Community Development Association. We’ve agreed to play two 30- minute spots from 10:30 to 11:00 and from 12:00 to 12:30 so could players please arrive by 10:15 sharp. We are also hoping to run a tombola to help boost our funds. If we get the go-ahead then there will be a request for donations of prizes next week.
• Saturday 5th September – Brass in the Park – Roots and Rootlets entered. Timings are not available yet but could players please make every effort to be available. If you are not available please let Alan or me know.
• Sunday 6th September – Brass in the Park – Brass Roots have been invited to play short programme around lunch-time and to join in the massed band finale in the afternoon. Detailed timings are not yet available but could players please make every effort to be available. If you are not available please let Alan or me know.
• Sunday 29th November 2009 – Scottish Youth Championships - Roots and Rootlets entered.
Donald McLaren has been working hard over the summer on a new website for the bands – please visit www.loanheadbrass.org.uk . He’ll be pleased to receive any feedback.
If any player from Brass Roots feels like coming along to a Thursday senior Band rehearsal first check with Alan and then speak to me.
Robin Henderson
Secretary
Land-line 0131 440 1191 Mobile 07904470735 e-mail HendersonsAR@TalkTalk.net
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19th August 2009
Dear Brass Roots Players, Parents and Guardians
If you’ve not already done so please hand in your waistcoat to have the Brass Roots logo embroidered on it. All being well we’ll have them back next week – I’ve seen a sample of the embroidered logo and it looks great.
· Saturday 29th August – Street Fair at Fountain Green, Loanhead organised by the new Loanhead Community Development Association. We’ve agreed to play two 30- minute spots from 10:30 to 11:00 and from 12:00 to 12:30 so could players please arrive by 10:15 sharp. I’ve also offerd a short spot from Rootlets between 11:00 and 12:00. We can run a tombola to help boost our funds. Please could parents or guardians donate a prize NEXT WEDNESDAY at rehearsal.
· Saturday 5th September – Brass in the Park – Roots and Rootlets entered. Rootlets play at 3pm in the Dalhousie marquee so will need to be there at 2:30pm. Roots play at 4:40pm in the main marquee so will need to be there by 4:00pm. If you are not available please let Alan or me know.
· Sunday 6th September – Brass in the Park – Brass Roots have been invited to play short programme around lunch-time and to join in the massed band finale in the afternoon. Detailed timings are not yet available but could players please make every effort to be available. If you are not available please let Alan or me know.
· Sunday 29th November 2009 – Scottish Youth Championships - Roots and Rootlets entered.
I hope you’ve had a look at www.loanheadbrass.org.uk if possible. Donald will put these letters up for us so that anyone nmissing a rehearsal can keep up to date with announcements.
If any player from Brass Roots feels like coming along to a Thursday senior Band rehearsal first check with Alan and then speak to me.
There are still numbers available for the Bonus Ball scheme – a donation of £1 week to funds with a 1 in 49 chance of winning £20!
Land-line 0131 440 1191 Mobile 07904470735 e-mail HendersonsAR@TalkTalk.net
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9th September 2009
Dear Brass Roots Players, Parents and Guardians
Congratulations to both Roots and Rootlets for their Silver Awards on Saturday! Many thanks to Alan for his hard work in rehearsals.
If your waistcoat has not been embroidered with the Brass Roots logo then please hand it in to me, Heather Gillan or Dale Denton.
• Sunday 27th September - Bandstand Marathon 14:00 – 16:00 Fountain Green, Loanhead
The Bandstand Marathon first took place on the weekend of 27/28 September 2008 as part of the launch Open Weekend of the Cultural Olympiad and was organised by Music Development Agency, SUPERACT! The event saw 50 concerts take place on 50 bandstands and performance areas, simultaneously, in towns throughout the whole of the South West England, covering Cheltenham to Guernsey and Bournemouth to Penzance; over 1500 musicians played to upwards of 25,000 people. Such has been the success that at 2pm on 27th September 2009 the event will take place across the UK. By 2011/2012 it is hoped to have 400 concerts running simultaneously across the UK on bandstands and performance areas. Loanhead Children’s Sports and Gala Day Association are very pleased to support us in taking part and Councillor Owen Thomson of Midlothian Council has pledged his support. To be discussed by committee tonight.
• Wednesday 30th September - Loanhead Community Organisations Fair. 7.30 pm.
at Loanhead Miners Club/Croft organised by Loanhead Community Development Association. I’ve asked the Asssociation if it would be OK to hold an open rehearsal at this.
• Saturday 7th November – Besson 2010 Solo and Ensemble Qualifying Contest
Venue to be arranged by MSLBBA. Please speak to Alan if you are interested in entering either as a soloist or as part of an ensemble.
• Wednesday 11th November – Concert for Bonnyrigg Pensioners’ Association, Bonnyrigg Ex-Sevicemen’s Club
• Friday 13th November – Annual Concert, Loanhead Parish Church
• Sunday 29th November 2009 – Scottish Youth Championships - Roots and Rootlets entered.
I hope you’ve had a look at www.loanheadbrass.org.uk if possible. Donald will put these letters up for us so that anyone missing a rehearsal can keep up to date with announcements.
If any player from Brass Roots feels like coming along to a Thursday senior Band rehearsal first check with Alan and then speak to me.
There are still numbers available for the Bonus Ball scheme – a donation of £1 week to funds with a 1 in 49 chance of winning £20!
Land-line 0131 440 1191 Mobile 07904470735 e-mail HendersonsAR@TalkTalk.net
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Scottish Youth Championships Perth Concert Hall
The Junior Bands were represented at the above Championships with Loanhead Brass Rootlets playing in the Novice Section. They played very well and came away with 2nd Place and a Gold Award.
Loanhead Brass Roots were playing in the Development Section and also played well too. They came away with a Silver Award
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Various members of Brass Roots and Rootlets are members of The Boys' Brigade. There are at least three companies in the Edinburgh Leith & District Battalion. The Battalion Company Section Young Musicians of the Year Competition was held at North Esk Church Halls on the 1st December and 4 Boys were in the competition. The results were
Lloyd Griffin 51st Edinburgh Cornet Gold Award 1st Place
Sam Denton 51st Edinburgh Trombone Silver Award
Leighton Griffin 51st Edinburgh Baritone Silver Award
Gary Begg 1st Loanhead Tenor Horn Bronze Award
The 2008/2009 Session marked the B.B.'s 125th Anniversary. To close the years celebrations a reception was held in Edinburgh Castle hosted by the First Minister and the Scottish Government. Brigade Headquarters, Carronvale got in touch with Donald McLaren to request a fanfare and mini beating retreat along with the pipe band.
Our boys have been used to playing at Brigade events over the last two years in Edinburgh and Tulliallan, and were asked to do this because of there performances in the past. Lloyd, Leighton, Sam and Graham Watson joined boys from the 55th Edinburgh Company and Chris Griffin and Donald and performed an excellent, Charpentier's "Te Deum" as the Fanfare for the opening and Ingleside to cover the Beating Retreat section from the Minstrel's Gallery in the Great Hall at the Castle.
Alex Salmond was impressed and said were we available for future events when meeting the team during proceedings.
Pictures "Scottish Government"
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12th January 2010
Dear Brass Roots Players, Parents and Guardians
Happy New Year and Welcome Back! Thanks to everyone for their efforts in the mad period that is the run up to Christmas straight after the Youth Championships. Very well done to Alan and all the players at Perth. There have been many compliments on your playing both at Perth and in the Christmas events!
• Souvenir Photos from Youth Championships are available for £2
• CDs of Rootlets & Roots at Perth are available for £4
Wednesday 20th January Committee Meeting at 7:15pm please
Wednesday 10th February - Rotary Club of Penicuik Youth Charity Concert
Only Brass Roots will be taking part in this Concert which is in aid of School Partnerships in Africa. Players should arrive at Penicuik High School promptly at 7:00pm. Tickets are available from me priced £5/£3.
Wednesday 17th February – Mid-term break
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Listen To Your Brass Bands Tuesday 2nd February Dalkeith Community Centre
"Listen to Your Future Brass Bands"
Tuesday February 2nd saw a large and enthusiastic audience drawn to Dalkeith Community Centre to listen to a concert given by three junior brass bands from the county of Midlothian. This is an area with a rich heritage of Brass Banding, and the idea of the concert was to help promote the local bands, and to bring to attention the excellent work that is being done by both the bands and the local authority instrumental staff in keeping this fine example of community music making alive!
The concert was promoted by St.David's Brass, and it was their junior section St. David's Budding Brass who opened the event, conducted as ever by the inspirational John Dickson, with music by Phil Lawrence, Mark Vause and Gary Young. It was followed by Newtongrange Junior Band, which played music by its conductor, Alan Fernie, as well as items by Borders musician, Cameron Mabon. The final band to play was Loanhead Brass Roots, the junior section of MacTaggart-Scott Loanhead band. Again conducted by Alan Fernie, they played music by Paul Lovatt -Cooper as well as a rousing version of Offenbach's "Can-Can".
The event also gave a chance for 5 soloists from Brass Roots and Newtongrange to perform their solos before the Scottish Youth Solo Championships contest in Livingston on Saturday 6th February. East of Scotland Intermediate (16 and under) champion and rising cornet star Lloyd Griffin, from Loanhead, performed an effortless "Zelda", and not to be outdone, his wee brother Leighton Griffin, who is the area Junior (12 and under) runner-up, gave us a spirited "Carnival of Venice" on his euphonium. We also heard three other Junior finalists perform - 8 year old baritone player John Brown from Loanhead Brass Rootlets, and 2 young "Nitten" players - trombonist Stewart Duncan and Eleanor Scott on cornet. The warm applause afforded these young soloists was a real encouragement towards their weekend endeavours!
The concert closed with all three bands combining in massed band items "The Floral Dance", Brahms' "Hungarian Dance No.5" (which was repeated as an enthusiastic encore) and "Highland Cathedral". The ovation for the 70 or so young players was long and loud!! The success of this concert has already led to the idea of making it a yearly event, with plans for MacTaggart's to host it in Loanhead in 2011. In the long run, it is hoped that nights like this will benefit all the bands in Midlothian, and inspire the young musicians that make up our bands in the future to keep on making music!
Amidst the joy of the music making there were two sad notes. The first is that the Dalkeith Community Centre will not be available as a venue for this event in the future as it is due to be demolished. The second is that, as the young musicians queued to go on stage for their performances, Midlothian Council employees were working hard to repair a window that had been vandalised by a group of young people earlier in the evening. Sadly we tend to hear more about the latter sort of activity than we do about the splendid work done by brass teachers such as John Dickson and Alan Fernie in introducing young people to brass band music – a hobby for life that brings people together to participate in an activity within their community that involves self-discipline, commitment and cooperation with others and which gives immense pleasure to a wide range of audiences.
Brass in the Park
Both Brass Roots and the Rootlets took part at this years event in Newtongrange. Rootlets came away with a bronze award and Brass Roots a gold award.
See Brass Roots playing Baggy Trowsers at www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkyreiBY2SE