Bed and Breakfast Accommodation A White Lodge B&B 42 Hastings Road Battle East Sussex TN33 0TE
Contact
Telephone 01424 772122
mobile 07714270373
skype: jane.smith1
email: janewhitelodge2@msn.com
check availability and book on line
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Battle Town Band
Events
The original band, with a tradition dating back well into the last century,
dissolved in 1939. We have little idea when they were formed, or why,
but have unearthed the following little gem: BATTLE BRASS BAND (as told by Mr G. Meppem)
The band always took one, and sometimes two, clowns with them to cut antics
in between the playing. They were not large bands, a farm wagon usually held them
On one occasion the band were playing at a Football Final match at Robertsbridge
and just before they started, old Bob Parks’s spectacles fell off into the bass,
and he could not get them out, and there was nothing for it but to play without them.
After they got back, Mr Sellens…had a go and did get them out, and at the same time
out came a tobacco pipe. At least 12 years before, that tobacco pipe
belonged to Bill Santer and it was lost on the way home from Jarvis Brook. Doesn’t seem all that much has really changed since! Except that we now dress the clowns in band uniform and call them our “Trombone Section”. The current band were reformed in 1975, based around students from a brass instrument evening class run by then director Angela Holland. Since then it has endeavoured to promote and encourage the playing of brass instruments in Battle and the surrounding area. The band has been fortunate in having had just two Musical Directors in this time, Peter Mitchell taking over the whip…erm…baton in the Spring of 1981. Over the years the band has gradually and steadily improved in quality and strength (no laughing at the back there). The band was initially reluctant to pick up the challenge of contesting, but with confidence growing entered the “Stars of Tomorrow” contest organised by SCABA in 1988, winning this contest the following year. This success encouraged the band to enter the SCABA Spring Contest in 1990, where we achieved a creditable 4th place. Entering this contest regularly we were eventually rewarded with Second Place in the Third Section in 1993, Third in1998 and First Place in 1994, 1996 and 1997. One attempt has been made at the London and Southern Counties Regional contest in 1994, where we finished half-way down the list of 24 entries in the 4th Section. 1999 was (and will probably remain!) our most successful year ever, with the band regaining the SCABA Spring Contest 3rd Section title by three clear points. The Summer programme went well, and included an excellent concert for the Battle Festival with Bob Childs as soloist. To add to the Spring Contest victory, we then went to the Autumn Contest at Folkestone and secured an improbable two-point win as well as carrying off the Conductor’s Prize and (most improbable of all) the brand-new Best Bass Section trophy. Thanks to all of this we were invited to compete in the 2nd Section in 2000, bringing us into direct competition once more with both local rivals Sussex Brass and Cranbrook Town Band. Unfortunately/Fortunately neither were able to make it to our first contest in this section, the SCABA Spring Contest, where we gained a somewhat surprised Second Place. Amusingly we repeated this feat, finishing 2nd in the Autumn Contest, beating both of them (smiles on faces all round there! 
and carrying off the prize for Best Horn Section. Again the Summer programme went well, with the highlight being our Battle Festival performance with Nick Hudson. The year was topped by an invitation to play at the infamous Millennium Dome in November. We finished (a still very creditable) 5th in the 2001 Spring Contest, but we are “only a social band” after all…Plans for this year include a concert with Steve Sykes and a trip to London to play for the Chelsea Pensioners. And hopefully not coming last in the Autumn Contest…
The band organises regular social events such as trips to Chessington and Stock Car races, as well as more sedate activities such as…um…curry evenings! We have embraced the technological age (well, some of us), setting up a news/discussion e-mailing list, not to mention this “award-winning website” (!!). We believe that making music is important, but enjoying it is equally so. The wide range of ages in the band mean that it is, essentially, one big extended family. Oh, I’m getting all sentimental now. We are keen to promote music-making amongst young people, and run a Junior Band before rehearsals during term-time. They have their own page here. On top of this we also organise an annual workshop and concert during February half-term, featuring both a senior residential course band and a junior band. This is a great chance for young (and not so young in some cases!) players to work with some of the top names in brass-banding. Previous conductors/soloists read like a veritable “Who’s Who” of the banding world: Gordon Higginbotham, Ray Farr, Frank Renton, Steve Sykes, Trevor Walmsley, Russell Gray, Simon Gunton, Roy Newsome, Keith Wilkinson, Jim Davis, Simone Rebello, Nick Hudson, Bill Rushworth, Richard Evans, Steven Mead, Alan Morrison, Glyn Williams, Shaun Crowther, and this year Melvin White and Sheona White. Currently numbering some 35-ish players (as well as various “exiled” players away studying at University or doing exciting desk-jobs in Daventry - many of whom return to play for the band on a regular basis) we rehearse every Friday night from 7-9.30pm at Claverham Community College, Battle. All welcome (and in the “Chequers” afterwards…or the “Horse & Groom” in St Leonards of a Sunday evening come to that…)! The band has never had any sponsorship (if any bored millionaires are reading this…), but has been blessed with having cheap rehearsal facilities (Thanks Bob and co!). A lottery grant helped the band to purchase shiny new instruments such as a Soprano, Flugel Horn, Baritones (what are they?) and some Basses (must be how they won that award). We also bought wonderful uniforms in a very fetching dark green colour with gold braiding. Lovely.
Bed and Breakfast Accommodation A White Lodge B&B 42 Hastings Road Battle East Sussex TN33 0TE
Contact
Telephone 01424 772122
mobile 07714270373
skype: jane.smith1
email: janewhitelodge2@msn.com
check availability and book on line