| Winterley Methodist Brass Band - History | |
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| Winterley
Methodist Brass Band was formed in 1938 by a handful of young men at
the Church, with the aim of providing an accompaniment to the hymns
being sung by the Sunday School scholars and staff as they toured the
village on several Sunday mornings prior to their annual Sunday School
Anniversary. These “Singing Rounds” helped not only to publicise the forthcoming anniversary, but also provided an opportunity for Christian witness in the open air. Christmas time found the band touring Winterley and the neighbouring village of Haslington to play carols. During the 1940s and 1950s, a steady number of new players joined the band. However, compulsory service in H.M. forces frequently robbed the band of key players for several years on end. During this time, demand for the services of the band steadily grew. Occasional small concerts were given, but the main demand came from an increasing number of Sunday Schools requesting that the band accompany them on their “Singing Rounds”. Thanks to the dedication of its musical director, during recent years, the band has continued to go from strength to strength, and includes a very wide age range in its membership. The band performs several concerts a year and rehearses each Thursday evening. It has never received sponsorship nor entered a competition and yet can boast that many players in premier brass bands began their playing career at Winterley. Over the years the repertoire has been expanded, and nowadays includes everything from the music of Lennon and McCartney to the classics, as well as opera and hymns. Rehearsals for the main band are held on most Thursdays, commencing at 7-30 p.m. Details can be found on the Events page. To encourage youngsters to gain an interest in music - and brass band music in particular, of course - a trainer band was set up in 2007. Tuition is provided free of charge to anyone wishing to learn. The classes, which are relaxed and enjoyable, commence at 6-30 p.m .each Thursday and last for about an hour. A special “Band Sunday" service is held on the last Sunday in November each year. On two occasions, in 2003 and 2007, the service has been recorded and the resulting CDs have been sold to help band funds. These services, which are conducted in Winterley Methodist Church, are very popular. The band looks forward to serving the community for many more years. The accompanying photos are taken from originals supplied to us by Seamus O'Dowd; further photographs can be found in the Gallery and Gallery 2 sections. |
 Winterley Methodist Church, Crewe Road, Winterley.  Neil Barnett and Hazel Sandlands.  Band members during a break on 28/3/13 |
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