Old News9

The Wigston Band are delighted to announce that the organisation has been granted registered charity status by the Charities Commission of Great Britain. This achievement has taken much hard work but charity status will particularly enable the organisation to better support the work of the Intermediate Band through grant schemes which would otherwise not be available.

The band will be able to build on its work both bringing live music to the people of Wigston, Leicestershire and beyond and encouraging players of all ages and abillities to develop the skills, friendship and confidence gained through playing music as part of an ensemble.

The test piece chosen for this years Area qualifying contest, Pentacle, proved challenging for many First Section bands, not least The Wigston Band. Many rehearsals in the run up to the contest saw Garry sweating and players near to pulling hair out with frustration at counting in fives. On the day the band put in a performance which was described by Garry as solid with no major slip ups, Garry particularly being pleased with the performances from the soloists. The results placed the band in ninth place in a field of sixteen bands which combined with the results of the past two years puts the band mid table at eighth place.

Garry said that he was pleased as the consistent results consolidates the bands position in the first section having dropped straight back to the second section the last time they were promoted.

On May 17th the band made the trip down the M5 to compete in the Weston Super Mare Contest. Although competing in the joint Championship / First Section competition the band are worked hard to put in a good performance of the own choice test "Endeavour" by Philip Sparke. Experiencing mixed weather throughout the day the band finally got on stage to perform at 8pm. Despite being placed at 8th position out of 11 against some very good opposition Garry was satisfied with the performance of the band and a good, if long, days banding was enjoyed by all.

The Wigston Band performed its Annual Summer Concert on Saturday September 12^th 2009. The concert was held at Broughton Astley Village Halland was well attended by an enthusiastic audience who provided their own "picnic" which was enjoyed during the procedings. Among the highlights of the evening were fine performances from a selection of the bands soloists with Dave Harold playing Concert Gallop (euphonium), Alison Harding played Zelda (cornet) and Bob Foulds entertained with An Untold Story (horn) during the first half.

After the interval the solos took a distinctly regional flavour with a sensitive rendition of Ye Banks and Braes (flugal horn) with our solo baritone, welshman Colin Jones delivering a fine reading of the Welsh song Mfanwy,with the sensitivity that perhaps only a Welshman can!

The band thotoughly enjoyed the concert as Im sure the audience did and look forward now to preparing for four contests between now and December.