Continuing in the policy of attracting young people to our Band, we are very pleased to announce the arrival of a possible bass trombonist for the future.

Our highly esteemed bass trombonist Liam O’Neill and his wife Lyndsey have received the welcome gift of baby James, coming in at 7-10 ozs.

The players and management team send Liam and Lyndsey our very sincere  congratulations.

On only their second rehearsal of the New Year, The Wilsden Band received a marvellous highly beneficial gift, in the person of three new cornet players, all in one go!

Experienced player Liz Davies came along to rehearsal along with daughter Bethan and son James, a very accomplished addition to the ranks of this forward looking West Yorkshire band.

At the end of the rehearsal, Liz declared, on behalf of them all, that Family Davies was definitely highly pleased with the way MD Ken Lee took the rehearsal, and, especially with the wonderful friendly welcome given them by the members of The Wilsden Band.

It just goes to prove that the Wilsden policy ’strikes the right note.’   

Without wasting any time and not having an over long Christmas break, THE WILSDEN BAND are back in their Village Hall bandroom on Sunday, 3rd January 2010, at 9.30am.

MD Ken Lee is keen to introduce the 2010 Area Test Piece into rehearsals, and work on a new set of music for 2010 concerts.

We thank all players for their hard work, excellent team spirit during 2009, and look forward to seeing the current band on their customary seats in 2010.

For any new possible players, come and see us – you will be given a true Wilsden welcome, not to mention a cup of tea/coffee and ‘luxury’ biscuits. 

The Band came into December with far more Christmas engagements than previous years. We played at Church events , our annual Cullingworth concert on behalf of Manorlands, and our mid December visit to entertain the members at a prominent local golf club.

The addition of a third major supermarket to Keighley more or less tripled our supermarket carol playing. The collections so far should give a good result for our charity donation, which this year, is The Neo-natal Ward at Airedale General Hospital, Keighley.

However, one unfortunate feature of this year’s Christmas effort was the cancellation of our own Christmas Concert at The Village Hall, Wilsden on Saturday 19th December. This was due entirely due to the condition of the car park and approach road not having been ‘cleared’ and the likelyhood of further snow falling on the concert night. Although the concert was virtually sold out, we felt that, considering our audience, this was a wise move. We hope that our patrons will understand and continue to support us in the future.

On the same weekend, with the temperature likely to drop below minus, it was decided that asking the players to stand outside one of the town’s supermarkets for 2/3 hours was asking too much, even though we do have a 100% loyal effort from our players.

At the time of writing, we have only one more Christmas job left to perform – a 3 hour play on Christmas Eve from 11-2pm at ASDA supermarket in town.  Should you happen to be Christmas shopping at that time, please say ‘hello’ to us.

The Players and Management of THE WILSDEN BAND wish everyone ;

A MERRY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010. 

Following their recent almost weekly announcements of new players to the ranks of this lively band, yet another addition to the family that is The Wilsden Band.

The band must be doing something right – two new players have signed up in the last few weeks.

First, the vacant 2nd Euphonium position was filled in the few weeks leading up to our Friend’s Concert. Carole Paley stepped straight into the limelight, performing a duet with fellow Euphonium player, Andy Hansen, at the recent concert.

Secondly, a very experienced and talented front row cornet player, Brian Cleaver, who has helped the band out on occasions in the past, decided to join us for a full time position. Brian also performed at the Friend’s Concert and was featured prominently in a performance of Pachelbel’s Canon alongside the rest of the Cornet section.

Carole & Brian bring a wealth of banding knowledge and experience to the Band, and are already taken into the ‘family’ which is the spirit of The Wilsden Band.
MD Ken Lee still says that no potential players will ever be turned away, and the rest of the band back him with the genuinely friendly welcome given to all visitors/players who call upon us.

If you wish to come down to a rehearsal, whether just to watch, or to take part with a view to join us in the long term, we rehearse most Sundays between 9:30am and 12pm in the downstairs room of Wilsden Village Hall. Please contact our Band Secretary, Shelley Hodgson, to ensure we are holding a rehearsal when you wish to come down. Email enquiries@wilsdenband.co.uk or Telephone: 01535 658945.

For the first time in it’s long history, the Wilsden Band has issued it’s very own CD, entitled BLAST, named after the title track, a march by composer and arranger, Goff Richards. The other 14 pieces cover a good variety of brass band music, solos, marches, swing, big band, pops and finish with a spirited rendering of the band’s ever famous encore piece, ‘Can Can’.

The CD was recorded over the Summer in Skipton, just up the road from the band’s native home of Wilsden. The CD was officially launched at the Friends Concert last week and is selling well.

Instead of just playing the music note for note, the Band injects plenty of style and life into each and every one of the items, which regular concert-goers will be used to, and first time listeners will most easily warm to.

We will be launching an area of the website allowing you to purchase the CD shortly, but for now, please contact MD, Ken Lee and Band Secretary Shelley Hodgson for more information by calling 01535 658945.

Last Saturday, 17th October, the Band gave it’s 16th Annual Concert for the Friends of the Band.

The Village Hall was packed out with followers of this ever improving band, and were treated to what was declared by the audience as the best one yet in terms of playing quality and choice of music.

Our euphonium team of Andy Hansen and Carole Paley gave a moving rendition of Deep Inside the Sacred Temple while Bass trombone Liam O’Neill took us way out west with his playing of Wandering Star, with 2nd Trombonist, and band elder, Colin Holt briefly joining the percussion section on the solo ‘coconut shells’.

As with every Friend’s Concert, MD Ken Lee handed out awards to members of the band who he think had shone in the last 12 months. Glenice Sykes, our wardrobe mistress and backrow cornet, won ‘Bandsman of the Year’ for all her hard work both on the stage and behind the scenes, while Andy Hansen, our solo euphonium, well deserved the award for Most Improved Player.

Ken Lee and the band can be justly proud of themselves after another spectacular concert! (even if we do say so ourselves!)

Our Spring Concert at Wilsden Village Hall last Saturday was voted as ‘THE BEST EVER’ by our audience, the players and M.D. Ken Lee, who asked “What is this band on? You all played out of your socks.”

The programme was a well thought out mixture from ‘Famous British Marches’ through Swinging with Robbie Williams and other popular musical delights, finishing with the theme tune; ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business’. Of course, the audience wanted ‘one more piece’, and what an encore – ‘Can-Can’ in all its full glory, driven through by our super percussionist team of Bob & Tom.

One comment overheard from the audience; “We’re very proud of them and thrilled to have a band like this in our village”. What better sentiment?

This band just gets better! Watch this space!