On top in Malton
Yorkshire Co-op battled off the opposition at the recent Malton Entertainment Contest held last Sunday (2nd) to win by two clear points.
The band's programme found favour with adjudicator Sidney Swancott as it took first prize plus prizes for Best March, Best Basses on the March and the Best Soloist Prize for principal cornet player Tabby Clegg, who performed Simon Kerwin's arrangement of Goedicke's Concert Study.
The band's success is just another step in the upward rebuilding programme under new Musical Director Simon Kerwin which has seen it take three prizes in three contests and recruit several new players.
New members!
With a new MD and revitalised spirit the band is building well and is proud to welcome new members Chris Morgan, Andrew Taylor and Jay Holroyd (cornet), Helen Clavering and Warren Rose (euphonium).
Third at Bolsover!
Following on from a fantastic performance at Old Trafford accompanying Kathryn Jenkins in Jerusalem, the next day Yorkshire Co-op competed at the Bolsover Entertainment Contest,
However, due to a bad sickness virus sweeping the band, six players were unable to play, meaning the band went on stage with no euphoniums and a few other gaps!
Great team work and spirit pulled the band together and it gave a great performance complete with singing to clinch 3rd place!
Wedding bells!
Congratulations to solo baritone player Kathryn Rennard as she married Steve Firth on 26th July in Collingham.
A truly perfect day with the only glorious weather of the Summer!
The bride looked absolutely beautiful and some piccys will appear soon! She also had nine of us playing Star Wars and Crown Imperial!
Congrats Kathryn and Steve!
Also congrats to 2nd trombone player Ian and his fiancee Carrie who got engaged this Summer! We look forward to their wedding in 2009!
Co-op leads Crookhall into Durham
Yorkshire Co-op was proud to make its debut at the internationally recognised Durham Miner's Gala last Saturday (12th July) as it proudly led the banner for Crookhall Colliery and Delves Lane into Durham and its cathedral for the first time in 44 years.
With the banner duly dedicated following a service in the impressive Cathedral, the band led the banner back out of Durham and around the streets of Crookhall and Delves Lane.
The band had a fantastic experience of Durham and cannot thank John Dixon and all our new friends in Crookhall and Delves Lane enough for their fantastic hospitality and friendship. We can't wait for next year!
On a historic note, the band was especially honoured to work in Crookhall as historically it boasted one of the finest bands in the country before it became extinct; the Crookhall Colliery Brass Band, which claims players and conductors such as Maurice Murphy, Geoffrey and Michael Brand. We look forward to a long association with the region in the future.
17th July
Band celebrates successful BMC weekend
Yorkshire Co-op joined in the fun at the annual Brighouse Festival with a highly acclaimed performance at the gala concert and a prize winning performance at the Brighouse March Contest held over the weekend of 5th and 6th July 2008.
The band was joined in the gala concert by the excellent James Maddison University Band from Illinois with the concert being streamed live on the web by themusicpage.com.
The concert was the first official appearance of the band's new Musical Director Simon Kerwin and both bands joined together under Simon's baton in a performance of the Finale from The Organ Symphony by Saint-Saens.
The following day the band won the prize for the Best Band on the March at the BMC, playing its new march by Bb bass player and Band Sargeant Andi Cook, entitled Bethel Street. Named after the street in Brighouse where the contest takes place, Andi wrote the march for the band's 10th anniversary, which it celebrates this year.
The band's march was well received, complete with counter marching and some smart formations thanks to the guidance and patience of the band's Drum Major for the event, Andy Garner from the Nottinghamshire Band of the Royal Engineers (V). A huge thanks to both Andy and Andi for all their hard work!
Kerwin takes over as MD
The Yorkshire Co-op Band has announced the appointment of Simon Kerwin as its new Musical Director.
Having been associated with the band in both a playing and conducting capacity since early 2008, Simon has been able to accept the role of Musical Director on a full-time basis, thanks to changes in geographical and personal situations.
Commenting on his new position Simon said: “I am delighted that circumstances have allowed me to accept this role on a full-time basis. I have been working with the band on a professional basis since earlier this year and it is obvious that the band and its ethos open a variety of different musical opportunities thanks to its fun, friendly and enthusiastic team.”
He continued: “I have spent the last few months working closely with Yorkshire Co-op on a variety of musical and managerial projects from CD recordings to concerts and also playing at the 2008 Yorkshire Regional Championships and this really does mark the start of a completely new chapter for both the band and me. Being resident in Yorkshire also allows me the personal opportunity to work on several other new projects including the launch of the new Mode For.... series of teaching methods, which I am devising with the band’s manager Tabby Clegg.”
Commenting on Simon’s appointment, Tabby Clegg said: “I am delighted that situations have allowed Simon to take on this position on a full-time basis and I am pleased to welcome Simon, his wife Alex and family to Yorkshire and to our banding family. Alex has previously been associated with the former Jayess Band and Yorkshire Co-op has worked with Simon and Alex in the past on our tour to New Zealand in 2005.”
She continued: “Having previously been a major figure within the set-up at Scottish Co-op Band, Simon is very familiar with the sponsorship and managerial set-up at Yorkshire Co-op and is therefore a major asset to the band both musically and on a managerial front. Most importantly, from the band’s perspective, having been a playing member of the band since the Regional Championships and with us through a period of rebuilding he is very much part of our team and that teamwork is the fundamental ethos that our band relies on. We now look forward to what will be an exciting and lucrative musical and social future.”
30 June 2008
Co-op Holds the Line!
The Yorkshire Co-op Brass Band has been officially revealed as the new sound of Yorkshire Water! As part of Yorkshire Water's bid to help the company make the most of it's Yorkshire roots, Brighouse based Yorkshire Co-op Brass Band has recorded a selection of modern tracks that will become the hold music at the company's Bradford based contact centre - Loop customer management. According to Yorkshire Water, the traditional sound of the brass band is rarely heard these days, so Yorkshire Water wanted to provide support to a local art that holds deep roots within the region. To make the music relevant to younger generations of customers, five relatively well known modern tracks were selected by Yorkshire Water employees, recorded by the band and are now available for customers to listen to online at www.yorkshirewater.com/brassband
Customers contacting the company will not only be greeted by the dulcet tones of the new voice of Yorkshire Water, Kevin Carroll from Bradford, but they will also have the chance to bop along to brass band versions of Tony Christies Amerillo, Robbie Williams' Swing When Your Winning Medley, Mambo No 5, Katie Mellua's Closest Thing To Crazy and The Fugees Killing Me Softly.
Head of customer service at Loop, Zoe Mason commented: "Being a Yorkshire company we feel it is important to support the local community so when we decided to change the messaging and hold music at the contact centre to reflect our Yorkshire roots we thought it would be a great idea to work with a local brass band. "By working with the Yorkshire Co-op Brass Band we hope that our customers will further enjoy the experience they receive when they contact Yorkshire Water and enjoy a modern twist on a traditional style of music!"
Said Yorkshire Co-op’s Manager, Tabby Clegg: “Working with Yorkshire Water has been a privilege and another exciting project undertaken by the band. It is also a great honour to be heard by so many people, especially in the year that we celebrate our 10th anniversary. We hope that this is the start of many exciting projects with Yorkshire Water and the launch of the new holding music coincides with the start of a new and exciting era for the band.”
June 2008
Co-op celebrates 10 years!
The band celebrated its 10th anniversary with a cooncert to a full house at St. Paul's Church, Buttershaw on 19 April.
Conducted by its first ever Musical Director John Roberts and compered by Simon Kerwin, the band was in sparkling form.
The band's final piece of Shine as the Light by Peter Graham was also dedicated to former members and close friends Jo Almack and Adrian Davison who sadly lost their lives so young in 2004 and 2006 respectively.
The concert came close on the heels of two other fantastic concerts conducted by Simon Kerwin in Saltaire and Bingley which raised a tremendous amount of money for the Lord Mayor's Charity Appeals and Manorlands Hospice.
April 2008
A change of name and success at Butlins!
The United Co-op Yorkshire Brass Band is pleased to announce that it will be reverting back to its former name of the Yorkshire Co-op Band with immediate effect.
The change of name falls in-line with the merger of its sponsor United Co-op with the Co-operative Group in late 2007. “The band is delighted to return to the name Yorkshire Co-op, not only as it follows the trend of its sponsor, but most importantly as the band has always been affectionately known as Yorkshire Co-op to its members and the public,” said the band’s manager Tabby Clegg.
The return to its old identity in 2008 coincides with the band’s 10th anniversary and in celebration the band will be performing a special concert on 15 March which will be conducted by Yorkshire Co-op’s original Musical Director, John Roberts. “The concert will celebrate the last 10 years and the future as well as paying tribute to those who are no longer with us such as close friends and band members Joanne Almack and Adrian Davison who both tragically lost their lives at a young age. The concert will be especially poignant as John will be conducting and several ex Co-op members will join us on stage,” explained Tabby Clegg.
Yorkshire Co-op’s anniversary year has got off to a flying start with a second place at the annual Butlins Mineworkers Open Brass Band Contest where it was conducted by Michael Fowles. “We are thrilled with the result and I personally wish to thank Michael and all the band members for their hard work as well as the organisers of the Butlins contest. Like many bands, the last few months have been testing but we have received much encouragement from many banding friends. Yorkshire Co-op extends its congratulations to the Skelmanthorpe Band and conductor John Roberts for the fantastic win at Butlins, but most of all wishes to thank everyone at Skelmanthorpe for the amazing support and humbleness in victory they demonstrated to Co-op.”
The band is now looking forward to the Regional Championships where it will be conducted by Michael Fowles as well as inviting applications for a new musical director.
January 2008.
New members!
With Simon Kerwin at the helm the band is building well with a fantastic spirit, great development, variety of music and most of all fun.
The on-going building process has included several new members joining the band and we would like to welcome Chris Morgan, Andrew Taylor and Jay Holroyd (cornet) and Helen Clavering and Warren Rose (euphonium).
The band is delighted that Lorna Nicol has also taken up the challenge of the flugel horn seat, moving from repiano cornet. Lorna replaces Sarah Kearsley who moved to London in September to study acting.