Merry Christmas from Newstead Brass

Newstead brass wish all players, friends and supporters a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We concluded our festive activities on Sunday December 21st with groups of players entertaining shoppers in Nottingham’s Victoria Centre and accompanying the Carol Service for Junction Church at Loughborough’s Odeon Cinema.

Other highlights of Christmas included playing for capacity congregations at the Gedling Civic Carol Service, for which the band were thanked by the Mayor of Gedling, and for the annual Carols in Brass service at St. Wilfrid’s Church in Kirkby in Ashfield.

The band are already taking bookings for Christmas 2015 so if you’re interested in having the band play at a Christmas event / concert near you, or at any other time during the year, please get in touch by emailing contactus@newsteadband.co.uk or calling 0115 952 7435.

Details of our 2015 concerts and events will be added to our events page soon.

Newstead Brass Lead Notts. Success in Leicestershire Festival

Newstead Brass retained their title as Leicestershire Open Brass Band Champions, leading a successful day for Nottinghamshire bands against strong opposition.

The popular contest, held in Loughborough on 23rd November, attracted over 70 entries from across the Midlands, Yorkshire, East Anglia and beyond including 6 Nottinghamshire bands.  Newstead brass won the highest graded ‘Championship’ section, with Blidworth winning section 1, Hucknall-Linby winning section 3 and Kirkby runners up in section 4.

Adjudicator Alan Morrison awarded Newstead Brass and their musical director Duncan Beckley 192 points from 200 for their performance of ‘Variations on an Enigma’ by Philip Sparke and also took the award for ‘best trombone’ section.

A band spokesperson commented, “It’s great to have retained our title, this award reflects a lot of hard work put in by Duncan Beckley and the band over recent months.”

Newstead brass Christmas events begin this Friday (28th November) with the switching on of Ripley’s Christmas lights and also include the Gedling Civic Carol Service at Arnold on December 13th and a service of lessons and Carols at St. Wilfrid’s Church in Kirkby on December 14th – See http://www.newsteadband.co.uk/events.html for more information.

Brass and Voices Link in Pursuit of Excellence

Newstead brass are putting the finishing touches to their programme for a night of ‘Brass and Voices’ at Nottingham’s Albert Hall later this month.

Newstead Brass will join with the Carlton Male Voice Choir at 7.30 pm on Friday 24th October for the concert which is promoted by the Wainman Trust, a newly formed charitable business operating care homes for older people, all run with a Christian ethos.

A Newstead brass spokesperson commented, “The Wainman Trust motto is ‘In Pursuit of Excellence’ and so it’s fitting that two of the area’s most successful amateur music groups are coming together for this event in this fine venue.  We know that the audience will be in for a truly excellent evening.”

Newstead brass programme will include some favourites from their summer programme, a brief look back to the centenary of the first world war and some new pieces selected for this event.  Carlton brass will include the first performance of ‘Freedom Song’, a new composition by Charles Thompson-Armstrong. Band and choir will also join for a grand finale.

Tickets for the concert are £10 available from Gigantic Tickets Limited on 0115 8077900, or online at http://wainmantrust.gigantic.com.  There are a limited number available from band and choir members and, subject to availability, at the door.

Newstead Brass Commemorating WW1

After a short summer break, Newstead Brass commence their autumn programme with a World War One Commemoration Concert at St Mary Magdalene Church, Creswell at 7.00 pm this Sunday, September 14th.

The concert will provide a fitting finale to a four day festival organised by Creswell and Elmton Local History Group and the Creswell Parish Council which also includes a flower festival exhibitions and a ‘Blitz’ dance.

A Newstead brass spokesperson commented, “Newstead Brass have had a busy year commemorating the centenary of the start of the First World War.  Our last concert before the summer break was very well received at the Gedling ‘Poppy Proms’, so we’re pleased to be sharing in another commemoration, this time in another of the villages, like Newstead, which lies along Nottinghamshire’s Robin Hood railway line.”

Sunday’s concert will feature music from the era, with poignant memories contrasting with more uplifting memories, sing-a-longs and ending with Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory.

Tickets for the concert are £5 (£4 concessions) and available from the Cresswell Social Centre, Turner’s Shop on Elmton Road and at the door.

Future plans include a ‘Brass and Voices’ concert at Nottingham’s Albert Hall in October and appearances at the Bolsover Festival of brass; please see the band website www.newsteadband.co.uk for more information.

Proms and Picnics with Newstead brass

After a successful opening to their summer concert season, Newstead brass continue over the next two weekends giving the opportunity for audiences to picnic and prom.

This Saturday, July 5th, Newstead brass will play for a ‘charity Summer Proms’ evening at Radcliffe-on-Trent Golf Club.  The event has been organised by the Hilltoppers Golf Society and proceeds will support the Portland College and the Portland College iPAD Orchestra will also play during the evening. The event starts at 7.00pm and admission costs £7.50; contact 01623 409686 or 01623 499187 for more details.

On Sunday, July 6th, Newstead Brass will be at Newstead Abbey for the International Byron festival and an afternoon ‘Celebrating Byron at the Abbey’.  The band will be playing between 12 noon and 2.15 pm and the day also includes performances by the Ellenismos Greek Dance Team and Mansfield Male Voice Choir.

The following weekend the band crosses into Derbyshire for the annual ‘Brass Spectacular’ as part of the Ripley Music Festival.  The ‘Proms in Crossley Park’ on Saturday July 12th starts at 7.30 pm and ends with a Firework Finale accompanied by live music by Newstead Brass.  The evening will also include ‘Thunderbird 4’ playing music from the 1960s and ‘last night of proms’ favourites.  Admission is free but the audience are asked to bring chairs or blankets to sit on. 

Full Houses and Standing Ovations for Brassed Off

Audiences clearly weren’t ‘Brassed Off’ as they responded to performances at the Sheffield Lyceum theatre with standing ovations and prolonged applause for a talented cast and the award winning Newstead brass band.

Newstead brass joined with professional actors from the Touring Consortium Theatre Company for the final week of a 10 week national tour which coincided with the 30th anniversary of the Miners' Strike of 1984.  The cast featured John McArdle (Brookside), Andrew Dunn (Dinner Ladies) and Rebecca Clay in a talented cast, many of whom also played instruments in the band scenes.

The play has been critically acclaimed on its national tour with the British Theatre Guide commenting that the Sheffield production was “immeasurably enriched by the rich and resonant tone of the Newstead Brass Band.”

Newstead brass will be reprising just a small selection of music from ‘Brassed Off’ in their next concert at St. Philip Neri RC Church in Mansfield on Saturday May 31st at 7.45 pm.  The concert also features Bestwood Male Voice Choir and proceeds will support the church’s activities.  Tickets are £7.00 each, available from the parish office on 01623 623458.

Newstead Brass Off to ‘Tread the Boards’ Again

Award winning Newstead brass are set to return to the stage for ‘Brassed Off’ in the revived professional tour concluding at the Sheffield Lyceum from May 7th to 10th.

Newstead brass will be joining with professional actors from the Touring Consortium Theatre Company for the final week of a 10 week national tour.

A Newstead band spokesperson said, “Newstead brass, and our musical director Duncan Beckley, were closely involved when the ‘Brassed Off’ film first transferred to the stage in 1998, playing for the Nottingham leg of that professional tour.  We’ve subsequently been involved in a number of local amateur productions including the Bonington players’ adaptation in January 2013 which was awarded the Nottingham and Notts Drama Association ‘Production of the Year’.  We’re delighted to be involved in this new production as it concludes its run in Sheffield after outstanding reviews for the company, and the various brass bands which have been involved, during the tour.”

‘Brassed Off’ tells the story of a community threatened by the closure of their colliery and the impacts on the village and their brass band, as well as the romantic encounters of the bandsman Andy and his returning childhood sweetheart (and outstanding Flugelhorn player) Gloria. . It’s a story close to the heart of Newstead brass having experienced the closure and demolition of the Hucknall Colliery where they were previously based resulting, after a few years of worry, in the move to Newstead and current name.

More details of performance times and ticket prices can be found on the Sheffield Lyceum theatre website at  www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk or ringing the box office on 0114 2496000.

Newstead Aid Children as St. Magnus meets St. Wilfrid.

A Newstead Brass concert of sacred and secular music at Kirkby in Ashfield’s St. Wilfrid’s Church has raised almost £300 for the vital work of the Children’s Society providing support to vulnerable and disadvantaged children throughout the UK.

The concert began with a Salvation Army march ‘Jubilee’ and continued with a selection of solos and well known tunes from the band including ‘Lady Madonna’ and ‘Devil’s Dream Galop’,  The programme featured the challenging setting of ‘St. Magnus’ by Salvationist Kenneth Downie, a  13 minute work of ‘Theme in Variations’ on the hymn tune best known as ‘O Sacred Head Sore Wounded’.

Despite the challenging nature of the piece it was very much enjoyed by the audience.  A retiring collection raised £290 for the work of the Children’s Society. 

The concert was the band’s final performance before taking part in the Midland’s Regional Championships at Bedworth on Sunday 9th March.  Another fine performance of ‘St Magnus’ by Newstead brass’ did not impress the adjudicators quite as much as it had the Kirkby audience the previous evening.  Contest Adjudicators Brett Baker and David Horsfield placed Newstead 6th of the 11 competing bands. The top two places went to pre-contest favourites the Virtuosi GUS and Desford Colliery bands.

Children to Benefit from Newstead’s Saintly Gesture

Some of the United Kingdom’s most deprived and vulnerable children are set to benefit as Newstead Brass give a free concert in Kirkby-in-Ashfield this Saturday evening, March 8th. 

The concert, called ‘Saintly Brass’ will include around an hour of the finest in brass band music, including Salvationist Composer Kenneth Downie’s challenging ‘St. Magnus’, the test-piece for this year’s midlands brass band championships.  The programme will also include marches, solos and show tunes.  Newstead Brass will be conducted by their Musical Director Duncan Beckley.  

The event takes place at St. Wilfrid’s Church in Kirkby in Ashfield, near the ‘Kirkby Cross’ and begins at 7.30 pm.  Admission is FREE but there will be refreshments and a collection with all proceeds going to support the work of the Church of England Children’s Society.

A Newstead band spokesperson said, “Newstead Brass play regularly at St. Wilfrid’s as part of their Christmas Carol services.  It’s great to be able to return for this short concert and support the vital work of the Children’s’ Society.”

Fine Feedback for Festival Five as Newstead Prepare for Saintly Reprise

Over 250 players, supporters and brass enthusiasts enjoyed a ‘Test Piece Festival’ at the Newstead Centre on Saturday, February 22nd, when five Midland’s brass bands performed the five pieces of music set for the regional qualifying rounds of the National Brass Band Championships.

Hosts Newstead Brass and musical director Duncan Beckley were joined by Enderby (Simon Jones), Shirland (Lynden Cooper), Newhall (Kevin Holdgate) and Pleasley (Keith Buxton).

Experienced adjudicator John Roberts listened to all the performances, complemented the bands, conductors and soloists and advised on further improvements each band could make in the remaining two weeks of rehearsals. He announced his ‘best soloist’ of the night as Patricia Woodings, principal horn of the Newhall Band.

A Newstead band spokesperson said, “The Newstead Centre proved an ideal venue for the event and is also available for other community events, dances and presentations.  For more details call the centre on  01623 720140.  Our thanks also to the bands and conductors for their participation.  Good luck to all the bands in the championships taking place in Bedworth on March 8th and 9th.”

There’s another chance to hear Newstead play the championship set piece ‘St Magnus’ in a short concert called ‘Saintly Brass’ at Kirkby in Ashfield’s St Wilfrid’s Church on Saturday March 8th at 7.30 pm.  Admission to the concert is free but a collection will be taken for the work of the Children’s’ Society.