8th March 2008
A near miss at the Regional Qualifiers in Torquay should be enough to get the Band promoted to the First Section for the first time in its history. The Band achieved 4th Place but comments on 4 Bars Rest indicated that we missed an opportunity of a place in the finals in Harrogate due to a few slips.
Click here to read the whole story.
26th January 2008
Congratulations to band members David Bowles and Joanne Dobson who announced their engagement on Saturday 26th January. That makes two engaged couples in the Band so music really must be the food of love! With best wishes from all members and supporters of Michelmersh Silver Band.
18th October 2007
Michelmersh Training Band's new website goes live.
18th March 2007
Michelmersh Training Band gains Double Success at Southampton
Music Festival
23rd February 2007
Congratulations to band members Adam Smith and Katie Topp who
announced their engagement on Friday 23rd February. (Wedding plans to be announced!) With Love
and best wishes from all members and supporters of Michelmersh Silver Band.
4th November 2006
The decision to enter the South West Brass Band Association's 60th Annual Championships paid off for
Michelmersh Silver Band last weekend as they earned a very creditable second place in the Second
Section. The band had made the decision to forego entering the local Wessex Championships in favour
of making the journey to Torquay to face the tougher opposition of the south-western bands in
preparation for the regional qualifying contest for the2007 National Championships. Band Contest
Secretary Martin Prince explained, "We decided to pit ourselves against the very high standard of
competition in Torquay as most of the bands we competed against will be our opposition at the
Qualifiers, and also to familiarise ourselves with performing at the Riviera Centre where the
contest is to be held in March of next year. We are absolutely delighted with the result." Under
the expert baton of new resident Musical Director Lawrence Butchart, the band gave a masterly
performance of the highly technical and melodic Philip Sparke test piece 'Diversions'. Based on
variations on a Swedish folk song, the piece required the band to display its dynamic range and the
skill of its soloists to the full. Euphonium player Darren Walton was also awarded the Best
Instrumentalist Trophy by the adjudicator who placed Michelmersh just one point behind the winning
Phoenix Crewkerne Band.
9th July 2006
On Sunday afternoon, the band played a short concert, following a service of thanksgiving at
St Mary's Church, to celebrate the 120th anniversary of its founding. The current Rector of St Mary's
welcomed a near capacity congregation and lead the service which celebrated the band 'family' and
the continuing ties within it. Band and guests alike then took a stroll down the lane to the
Barns for a Birthday tea, with traditional clotted cream teas and a very special Birthday Cake by band supporters.
The Michelmersh Training Band played a short programme as guests arrived
6th January 2006
The band say a sad farewell to David Topp, who died after a short illness,
on the 23rd December 2005.
3rd December 2005
MSB take 2nd place in their section at the WBBA winter contest held at Weymouth Pavilion
3rd September 2005
Fomer Michelmersh member, Jeremy Topp, married Kate Ivey who he met while competing in the West of England Championships in Torquay. Jeremy - son
of Michelmersh Bandmaster Michael Topp and his wife Claire, started his musical life playing tenor horn for Michelmersh Silver, before moving on to play for
Andover-based Test Valley Brass.
When competing in the West of England Championships, Test Valley Brass shared a hotel with the Portishead Town Band from Somerset and it was here
that Jeremy met fellow tenor horn player Kate and found someone to share his love of music and his life.
18th July 2005
The 'Wartime Melodies' concert at the Plaza
is a sell out and a great success.
January 2005
After much hard work the band have been granted registered charitable status. A special thanks to Richard
Boler for seeing the application to a successful conclusion.
December 2004
The band welcomes Dougie Graham as our new Musical Director.
25th September 2004
Band members Lynda and Stuart finally tied the knot after many years together. Their wedding was held at St. Johns
church in Rownhams. Stuart produced an arrangement of Pachelbel's canon for the band to play while Lynda walked
down the aisle.
20th September 2003
The Band competed in the National Finals at Caird Hall in Dundee. Placed a respectable tenth out of twenty bands,
and a memorable weekend to boot!
20th August 2003
Our new CD goes on sale. One Voice, recorded during February and eagerly awaited, the new CD is FINALLY out of the
Post Production stage and available to buy. Dedicated to the Late Wilf
Parsons, and featuring a great mixture of traditional, and contemporary Brass music.
5th April 2003
Michelmersh Silver Band won the 3rd Section of the West of
England Regionals in Torquay, for the second year running, with a clear two point lead. The test piece was
Peter Graham's "Northern Landscapes".
The band now qualifies to take part in the national finals in Dundee in September! Four first places in the
last five contests can't be bad!
9th January 2003
Wilf Parsons, member of Michelmersh Silver Band for
76 years, died on 9th January. Wilf maintained his interest
to the last, enjoying MSB's recent contesting successes as much as the players, and conducting the band as an
honoured guest last summer at the opening of the newly constructed bandstand in Romsey. Current Musical Director,
Brian Kelloway led the band in a minute's silence as Wilf's death was announced at rehearsal, and paid tribute
to Wilf's legacy of a generation of brass players taught and encouraged by him.
7th December 2002
After winning the 2nd section of the Wessex area contest at Poole Arts Centre last year, the band was
promoted to the first section. This year we went on the win the 1st Section with our rendition
of Kenneth Downie's "Purcell Variations". This puts us up into the championship section next year,
which should prove quite an experience.
22nd September 2002
This weekend was the NBBA National Finals in Torquay. The weekend was a fantastic experience for players and
supporters alike. We came 17th out of the 19 qualifying bands from all across the UK.
28th April 2002
Romsey's new bandstand was opened
by it's benefactress, Miss Madge Saunders. Over 200 people joined civic leaders for the opening ceremony in which Miss
Saunders cut a yellow ribbon to mark the memorable moment. Miss Saunders donated more than £92,000 towards the project
memory of her late father, Alfred George Saunders.
The band had a guest conductor for part of the afternoon, Wilf Parsons, former bandmaster and player, who
remembers playing on the original Romsey bandstand before it was demolished in the 1940's
7th April 2002
Michelmersh Silver Band won the 3rd Section of the West of
England Regionals in Bristol, with an emotive rendition of Kenneth Downie's "St Austell Suite".
The band now qualifies to take part in the national finals in Torquay in September. This is the second
successive victory under the baton of Brian Kelloway... BRAVO MD!
1st December 2001
The band was placed first in the 2nd Section of the Wessex area contest at Poole Arts Centre. Coming first,
we are now promoted to the first section at Wessex. This was our first contest with Brian Kelloway as conductor,
and we now look to many more contesting successes in the future! See here for pictures of our success at Poole.
11th November 2001
Romsey's Remembrance Service took place in the memorial park with MSB escorting the Mayor and dignitaries from the
Town Hallto the Cenotaph. Later in the evening the band provided the accompaniment for the congregation of Michelmersh
Church as they remembered their lost war veterans.
13th October 2001
Hampshire Association for the Care of the Blind benefited from a concert at Romsey United Reform Church. This
performance was particularly important for the band as it was the Premiere of a piece commissioned
by the band, composed by Roger Andrews. The piece, entitled 'The Michelmersh Suite - A Village Trilogy' was written
to reflect the various facets of life in the village: the bustle of the brickyard; the cool river flowing through;
the lively rhythm of a village dance, all come through in the music. All in all, a successful evening helping
to raise money for this worthy cause.
1st July 2001
The Training Band played its first outdoor concert for the Mayor of Romsey's picnic in Romsey Memorial Park.
The Band played for half an hour to a large and appreciative audience. They have already been requested to play
at next years event.
18th June 2001
After helping the band out as a guest conductor since the Torquay contest in April,
Brian Kelloway has now agreed to be our full-time conductor.
3rd April 2001
Last weekend (31st March/1st April) the band took part in the West of England Regionals of the
National Brass Band Association Contest, at Torquay. We came 8th out of 17 bands.
A start has been made to the history section of the website.
13th March 2001
The new look web site goes live |
