News 2020
Then The Traffic Lights Changed Back To Red.
20th October 2020
After only one band practice Lancashire was placed into Tier 3 of the Coronavirus Alert Levels. This meant that the members, even socially distanced, could no longer meet up. If the situation changes, hopefully band practices can resume.
The Traffic Lights Have Changed. 15th October 2020
The band is pleased to announce the recommencement of rehearsals. On Thursday 15th October 2020 they held their first rehearsal since performing together at their Spring Charity Concert on the 15th March.
The photograph above shows the band at the United Reform Church, Clitheroe, following strict Covid security measures, as recommended by Brass Band England.
The first piece played was “Deep Harmony”, an arrangement by conductor John Cowking, followed by the band’s signature march, “Slaidburn”, by William Rimmer.
The band expressed appreciation for the restarting of rehearsals and looked forward with enthusiasm to their continuation.
Yet More Sad News, August 2020
The band is sad to report the death, in late July, of our former euphonium player Gwynne Jones after a long illness. Gwynne had been with the band since the early 1990s and had to retire in 2017 because of poor health.
He had been involved with the band not only as a player, but helped with our beginner's groups and was also our bandmaster from 1996 until his retirement. He was a loyal member, missing very few engagements or rehearsals. There was one engagement in particular which Gwynne was always absent from - Remembrance Sunday - when Gwynne would return to his home village in Wales, where his banding first began, to play the Last Post and Reveille - a tradition he maintained for over 40 years.
More Sad News, July 2020
The Band is sad to announce the death of former member Allan Wood, who played Bb Bass. He died recently at his home in Slaidburn. Allan was one of the villagers who helped reform the band when he joined in 1964 after it had laid dormant since 1954.
He and other villagers found the bandroom covered in cobwebs and the instruments tarnished black! They set to work cleaning things up, using pan scrubs and Brillo pads on the instruments to get them playable! He remained a loyal member of the band for nearly 40 years until eyesight problems forced him to retire.
His other great interests were photography (a favourite phrase at band jobs - "just one for the album,") and collecting memorabilia of Slaidburn. Many of the photographs in the band's gallery are from his collection.
Sad Loss of a Band Member, June 2020
The band is sad to announce the death of band member, Ken Smith.
Ken joined Slaidburn in 2001 on Eb Bass and was still playing with us, having moved on to cornet a couple of years ago, at our final concert in March of this year, before the lockdown curtailed our activities. He died at the age of 87 in Airedale Hospital on Thursday 4th June.
Ken had played for most of his life in a number of bands around the area. He regarded his time with Slaidburn as amongst some of the happiest of his banding life. His chats with members at rehearsals were much enjoyed when he told of his banding experiences and the many famous players, conductors and composers he had met during his musical activities.
Ken was a very loyal and committed member of the band and will be sadly missed.