Article 3

At the time of writing we have recently performed our usual Christmas concerts, which consist of a full concert at the Betteshanger Club for the club members and one at the ‘Quarterdeck’ opposite Deal Pier for the general public. At this concert it is traditional for our Musical Director, David Burridge, to present the ‘Jack Storey Cup’, which is presented to the bandsman/ woman who in David’s opinion has made the biggest contribution to the band for the year. This year I was thrilled to see Fred Thomson, 1st Euphonium, win it. Fred is a former bandmaster of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force and is a key figure in the Betteshanger band. It is incredibly rare for Fred to miss a rehearsal or concert and his love of music making is such that he continued to play despite appalling eyesight right up to his long awaited cataract operation. Fred is also the band librarian and puts in a lot of time during the week keeping our music in good order. In addition to his playing ability Fred is a fine music teacher and has, over the years, taught many brass musicians including his star pupil Amy Shepherd- Flugel (and Flugel player for the NYBB of Great Britain). Well done Fred, and well deserved.
David also made a presentation, of an inscribed cut glass rose bowl, to our recently retired Chairman Frank Squire who has retired following many years of dedicated support and who will be missed, not least for his tall stories and cheerful disposition.
Ivor Thomas- Baritone- has taken over from Frank as Chairman and was presented with an inscribed silver photograph album containing photographs of his lifetime spent with the Betteshanger Band. Ivor’s 80th birthday is approaching and he has been with the band since he was a child.
Both Frank’s wife Eileen and Ivor’s wife Doreen were presented with a bouquet for their years of support and these lovely floral tributes were very kindly donated by our local flower shop ‘Thanks a Bunch’ in Deal town centre.
Alan Langley- Baritone- received a special mention for his excellent band website which can be viewed at www.betteshanger.org and is well worth a visit.
The band played magnificently and I for one thoroughly enjoyed doing the concert, which featured an action packed film theme as well as the usual Christmas carols and pieces. Amy Shepherd performed ‘Aranjuuez’ to an enthusiastic reception whilst Fred Thomson and Mick Sole- euphoniums- were introduced by David Burridge as the ‘Two Tenors’ and gave a polished performance of ‘The Wedding’ whilst Rosie Cullen, Keith Davies and Lucy Lockwood –cornets- gave a knockout rendition of ‘Trumpets Wild’. This concert also marked Dale George’s -Soprano cornet- return to the band following his elbow operation. It is to see him back in action, welcome back Dale.
The band recently performed during a Carol Concert at St. Saviour’s Church at Walmer. This was originally scheduled to be an open-air concert with the band on the Deal Memorial Bandstand but had to be moved indoors due to bad weather. I am told that over 400 people crammed into the small (formerly seaman’s) church with hundreds outside who couldn’t even get through the door! Following this some of the band played carols in a local old folks home.
Carols were also the order of the day when the band entertained late night shoppers at De Bradelei Wharf shopping outlet in Dover. Nineteen of the band turned out on a cold winters evening and played at various spots around the complex.
A less successful evening was held in Deal on Friday the 20th of December when ten players turned up to play in Deal town centre. We had been asked to get some players together to entertain late night shoppers as the town was having a special ‘late’ shopping evening and the town was expected to be ‘jumping’….. Their words, not mine. As the band members turned up in ones and twos (having rushed home from work, grabbed whatever they could to eat and rushed to the venue) their faces were a picture. The town looked like one of those Spaghetti Western towns and was totally deserted except for the obligatory gang of bandits, sorry, teenagers making a nuisance of themselves. The only thing missing was a bit of tumbleweed rolling across the street. An attempt to salvage something from the evening resulted in those present taking a stroll up to the Somerfield supermarket where we entertained the half dozen or so shoppers buying their weeks supplies. Oh well, you can’t win them all. Even worse was that two of our players, Kim Atkins and Lucy Lockwood- cornets- turned up late after work and did not know where we were. Sorry ladies!
A much more successful carol concert was held at the Martha Trust care home near Deal where the residents were treated to carols, we were treated to an excellent buffet and mulled wine, and the whole lot of us were treated to Phil Linkin's fine solo performance on his BBb Bass of ‘Away in A Manger’. After the concert I was talking to Fred Thomson who I mentioned earlier and we were saying how much we enjoyed doing this kind of concert and Fred said that in his opinion it was performing at events like this which gave the Brass Band Movement its strength and value. I could not agree more. This opinion was re-enforced on Christmas Day which saw our traditional visit to Deal Hospital on Christmas morning where we played carols for the patients who were too ill to go home for Christmas, a most worthwhile job.
Betteshanger band is looking forward to 2004 and a new season of concert and contests and hopefully to selling a few of the bands new CD. We have just produced a CD entitled ‘On the Bandstand’ and the first 50 copies were produced in time for the Christmas concert. I think we were all surprised when we sold 40 of the 50 copies in one night!




	The whole future of Brass-banding is, as it has always been, dependant upon attracting and training new players. In this age of video games, hundreds of TV channels and a general lack of commitment to anything in particular the learning of a musical instrument is only ever likely to appeal to a minority of youngsters. The playing of any musical instrument requires dedication, perseverance and commitment and these commodities are generally in short supply these days. This is not the only issue facing us with the recruitment of new players. Music lessons are often very expensive and I personally know people whose children wanted to learn to play but simply could not afford to continue sending them for lessons and had to stop. How often must this happen? How much talent must be missed because learning music is not as accessible as it could, indeed should be? Betteshanger Welfare Band decided to do what little we could to redress the balance and we now have a Junior Band up and running. Band Secretary Karen Griffiths single-handedly raised over five thousand pounds following a series of lengthy meetings, negotiations and much form filling enabling instruments to be purchased from Unison music at Wincheap, Canterbury. Twenty or so instruments including cornets, tenor horns, trombones, Eb bases and a euphonium were obtained and combined with some instruments the band already had. Enough cash was left over to purchase student music, drumsticks, stands etc.
	The instruments are all second hand and some were in quite a state but have been expertly restored by Gerry and Peter who own Unison, and who have both been very helpful indeed. The band mostly consists of complete beginners who are being taught by some of the senior band members between 6 and 7pm each Monday. After Christmas their conductor and band- leader Joe Baggs, himself a former Betteshanger player, intends doing some ensemble playing and things are progressing very well. I certainly had no experience of teaching youngsters to play a brass instrument (I’m still wearing an ‘L-plate myself!) but when the band started, a couple of months ago, I was asked to look after a group of 6 children who did not even know how to open their instrument cases. I must say that it was quite gratifying hearing them play a couple of Carols just before the Christmas break. I suppose that the other big Betteshanger news is that Phil Collins- Bass Trombone (no…. nothing to do with Genesis) married his partner Karen Sullivan – Tenor Horn at St. Andrew’s Church at Broadstairs on 6th of December. The reception was held at the Courtstairs Country Club at Ramsgate. Following one of the best wedding meals I have ever had the guests were treated to a full concert by the band including, of course, the bride and groom. This was followed by a performance by the Tim Vinall Trio. Tim was formerly the bands Principal Cornet and is married to Solo Horn, Sarah. The smooth jazz trio consists of Flugel, String Bass and Jazz Guitar. Much better than one of those dreadful disco’s
	At the time of writing we have recently performed our usual Christmas concerts, which consist of a full concert at the Betteshanger Club for the club members and one at the ‘Quarterdeck’ opposite Deal Pier for the general public. At this concert it is traditional for our Musical Director, David Burridge, to present the ‘Jack Storey Cup’, which is presented to the bandsman/ woman who in David’s opinion has made the biggest contribution to the band for the year. This year I was thrilled to see Fred Thomson, 1st Euphonium, win it. Fred is a former bandmaster of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force and is a key figure in the Betteshanger band. It is incredibly rare for Fred to miss a rehearsal or concert and his love of music making is such that he continued to play despite appalling eyesight right up to his long awaited cataract operation. Fred is also the band librarian and puts in a lot of time during the week keeping our music in good order. In addition to his playing ability Fred is a fine music teacher and has, over the years, taught many brass musicians including his star pupil Amy Shepherd- Flugel (and Flugel player for the NYBB of Great Britain). Well done Fred, and well deserved. David also made a presentation, of an inscribed cut glass rose bowl, to our recently retired Chairman Frank Squire who has retired following many years of dedicated support and who will be missed, not least for his tall stories and cheerful disposition. Ivor Thomas- Baritone- has taken over from Frank as Chairman and was presented with an inscribed silver photograph album containing photographs of his lifetime spent with the Betteshanger Band. Ivor’s 80th birthday is approaching and he has been with the band since he was a child. Both Frank’s wife Eileen and Ivor’s wife Doreen were presented with a bouquet for their years of support and these lovely floral tributes were very kindly donated by our local flower shop ‘Thanks a Bunch’ in Deal town centre. Alan Langley- Baritone- received a special mention for his excellent band website which can be viewed at www.betteshanger.org and is well worth a visit. The band played magnificently and I for one thoroughly enjoyed doing the concert, which featured an action packed film theme as well as the usual Christmas carols and pieces. Amy Shepherd performed ‘Aranjuuez’ to an enthusiastic reception whilst Fred Thomson and Mick Sole- euphoniums- were introduced by David Burridge as the ‘Two Tenors’ and gave a polished performance of ‘The Wedding’ whilst Rosie Cullen, Keith Davies and Lucy Lockwood –cornets- gave a knockout rendition of ‘Trumpets Wild’. This concert also marked Dale George’s -Soprano cornet- return to the band following his elbow operation. It is to see him back in action, welcome back Dale. The band recently performed during a Carol Concert at St. Saviour’s Church at Walmer. This was originally scheduled to be an open-air concert with the band on the Deal Memorial Bandstand but had to be moved indoors due to bad weather. I am told that over 400 people crammed into the small (formerly seaman’s) church with hundreds outside who couldn’t even get through the door! Following this some of the band played carols in a local old folks home. Carols were also the order of the day when the band entertained late night shoppers at De Bradelei Wharf shopping outlet in Dover. Nineteen of the band turned out on a cold winters evening and played at various spots around the complex. A less successful evening was held in Deal on Friday the 20th of December when ten players turned up to play in Deal town centre. We had been asked to get some players together to entertain late night shoppers as the town was having a special ‘late’ shopping evening and the town was expected to be ‘jumping’….. Their words, not mine. As the band members turned up in ones and twos (having rushed home from work, grabbed whatever they could to eat and rushed to the venue) their faces were a picture. The town looked like one of those Spaghetti Western towns and was totally deserted except for the obligatory gang of bandits, sorry, teenagers making a nuisance of themselves. The only thing missing was a bit of tumbleweed rolling across the street. An attempt to salvage something from the evening resulted in those present taking a stroll up to the Somerfield supermarket where we entertained the half dozen or so shoppers buying their weeks supplies. Oh well, you can’t win them all. Even worse was that two of our players, Kim Atkins and Lucy Lockwood- cornets- turned up late after work and did not know where we were. Sorry ladies! A much more successful carol concert was held at the Martha Trust care home near Deal where the residents were treated to carols, we were treated to an excellent buffet and mulled wine, and the whole lot of us were treated to Phil Linkin's fine solo performance on his BBb Bass of ‘Away in A Manger’. After the concert I was talking to Fred Thomson who I mentioned earlier and we were saying how much we enjoyed doing this kind of concert and Fred said that in his opinion it was performing at events like this which gave the Brass Band Movement its strength and value. I could not agree more. This opinion was re-enforced on Christmas Day which saw our traditional visit to Deal Hospital on Christmas morning where we played carols for the patients who were too ill to go home for Christmas, a most worthwhile job. Betteshanger band is looking forward to 2004 and a new season of concert and contests and hopefully to selling a few of the bands new CD. We have just produced a CD entitled ‘On the Bandstand’ and the first 50 copies were produced in time for the Christmas concert. I think we were all surprised when we sold 40 of the 50 copies in one night!