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ENGAGEMENTS 2012
11th April 2012 - Football
21st April 2012 - St Georges Day, Long Sutton
5th May 2012 - Fleet Baptist Church
2nd June 2012 - Jubilee Concert at Crowland Abbey
4th June 2012 - Jubilee Garden Party at Gedney Hill
4th June 2012 - Holbeach Jubilee Beacon
10th June 2012 - Fun in the Park Donington
4th July 2012 - HVTB at Olympic Torch
29th July 2012 - Battleford Hall, Fleet
22nd September 2012 - Arts Festival Holbeach
11th November 2012 - Remembrance Sunday
11th April 2012 - Football
Our first engagement since Christmas was at this local Derby Football match between Holbeach Utd and Spalding Utd. A large attendance of spectators was expected, although ctual figures seemed low. We played from 7.00 to 7.40pm - it looked likely to rain but managed to stay fine.
We had a good turnout in the cornet and horn sections, but the bottom end of the band was a bit light!
21st April 2012 - St Georges Day, Long Sutton
This was a late booking for us - the organisers having been let down by another band. We were due to play 3 x 40 minute slots at 11.00am, 2.00pm and 4.00pm in the arena at Cinder Ash Park off Roman Bank, Long Sutton.
It was a wet day (with occasional sunshine and occasional heavy rain), so we were pleased to find a covered trailer to protect us from the rain.
We played our first slot at 11.00, but the next entertainment, a gymnastics display, was cancelled due to the weather. Other displays were brought forward (by the 2nd 95th rifles (from the early 19th century) and the Knights of Honour (14th century medieval re-enactment). We ended up playing 3 more sets of about 30 minutes.
Thanks to our soprano player, Laurence, for joining the front row today to cover absences. Thanks also to our new tuned percussionist, Loic, on his first outing with us - Loic is French, so we included a couple of French songs in our performance - 'Je t'aime .. moi non plus' and 'Les Champs-Elysees'
5th May 2012 - Fleet Baptist Church
We had the first of our Jubilee concerts at the Fleet Baptist Church in Fleet Hargate near Holbeach. It was our first visit to the Church (and we hope not the last). We had looked in the Church in advance and found that the area in front of the fixed pews was quite limited! So we went half an hour earlier than usual to see how we could fit the band in. Fortunately (as it turned out) one of our percussionists was away so we did not take the timpani!
We managed to fit the band in with a bit of re-arranging of seats. We had a really good turnout with 29 players (icluding guests) so it was a bit tight and we had the back row cornets one side of the organ and pulpit and the basses and percussion on the other side.
We decided to make the concert a celebration of Britishness with some oblique references to Britain and some exceptions. We opened with the Raiders March from the Raiders of the Lost Ark films (celebrate British explorers) and included a James Bond Collection and music from West Side Story (based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet). We finished the concert with patriotic music - Pomp & Circumstance No. 4, Nimrod and Rule Britannia.
The Church had a theme for the week of Kings and Queens of the Bible and asked if we could include suitable music. We played music for King Xerxes (Handel's Largo from his Opera Xerxes), King Nebuchadnezzar (Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Verdi's Opera Nabucco) and King Nimrod (from the 9th of Elgar's Enigma Variations).
2nd June 2012 - Jubilee Concert at Crowland Abbey
We had a good concert at Crowland Abbey - our first visit there for many years. Although it was the Queen's Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend, we managed a good band, with a few guests to fill in for absentees. Again we concentrated on Britishness and ended the concert with Pomp & Circumstance No 4, Nimrod, the overture of Rule Britannia and ended with Land of Hope and Glory and the National Anthem. The concert was very well received by a good audience who gave the Band three cheers at the end.
4th June 2012 - Jubilee Garden Party at Gedney Hill
A very pleasant afternoon at Gedney Hill. We played the National Anthem to start the event and played background music during the afternoon. The weather was not good with periods of rain making the visitors take shelter. Fortunately the organisers had provided the Band with cover!
4th June 2012 - Holbeach Jubilee Beacon
The Jubilee Beacon was due to be lit after 10.00pm and we were invited to entertain the audience from 8.00pm. We played on the back of a trailer with seats for only half the band, but we managed. The steps up to the trailer also left somethingto be desired!
This was also the day we received the Black Baton as part of the Brass the Baton Relay. The National Organiser of the Relay, Terry Luddington, brought the baton to Hobeach nad handed it to Musical Director, Mel Hopkin. He stayed for the band's performance which included the music specially composed for the Baton Relay entitled 'Going the Distance'.
10th June 2012 - Fun in the Park Donington
'Diamond Jubilee Fun in Flinders Park, Donington'. This was a return visit following our successful concert last year when we 'Christened' the bandstand!
It was a lovely afternoon with nice weather (for a pleasant change) at the end of the Diamond Jubilee week. We had a few absentees due to the public and school holidays but had three guest players. We did not have any basses, but managed quite well without them.
We were due to start playing at 2.00pm after the formal opening by the Spalding Tulip Queen 2011; she was late, so we were delayed 15 minutes. We played again at 3.30pm and finished with Rule Britannia and Aces High as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire flew overhead.
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4th July 2012 - HVTB at Olympic Torch
Holbeach Victoria Training Band had its first public engagement when the Olympic Torch passed through Holbeach. There was a good turnout by the Band, but some members had work commitments, so the band were assisted by members of the senior band and guests.
The Band met at the bandroom and walked in formation to start palying. At the request of the orgnnisers the band played for half an hour outside the NatWest Bank in the West End of Holbeach - it was a pity that all the activities were taking place in the centre of Holbeach! We then watched the Olympic Torch pass and fell in behind (again in formation). We followed the Torch to the centre of Holbeach, which was heaving with people, and stopped opposite the VIP tent (a gazebo) and played again for another half an hour. The VIPs were Olympian Geoff Capes, BBC commentator Stuart Storey, and para-Olympian Sally Reddin.
The Band had to pause their performance while the BBC television reporter and BBC radio lincolnshire reporter interviewed the VIPs. The radio reporter also interviewed Terry Luddington and the Band's Musical Director live on BBC radio Lincolnshire.
During their performance the Band performed 'Going the Distance' for the Black Baton Relay for Brass the Baton. Musical Director, Mel Hopkin, was presented with the Black Baton by Terry Luddington, national organiser of the Brass the Baton relay. The Band were delighted that he joined them playing Baritone.
29th July 2012 - Battleford Hall, Fleet
Good to get back to Battleford Hall, Fleet for the Fleet Preservation Trust Garden Party & Produce Show. We missed the last two years due to clashes with other engagements. Pity about the rain!
We had a few absences due to the holiday season but had a good balanced band.
We played intermittently between 12.00 and 3.30. The first session went well but, as we stopped for lunch, the rain and thunder started and continued until 2.00. We then lpayed for another half hour and had another break during which the rains came again. The rain cleared by 3.00 so we started again; we played one piece and were asked to stop because zumba dancers could not hear their backing track over our music. They finished at 3.30 so we decided to play a little longer, but just as we started, the rain came agin so we called it a day!
22nd September 2012 - Arts Festival Holbeach
Our Autumn Concert was par tof the Holbeach Arts Festival where we took the stage at All Saints Church, Holbeach. We were joined by SADOS (Spalding Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society).
We opened the first half with music from films Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Principal cornet Steven Buteer played the solo Share my Yoke. To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of James Bond we played a selection of music from the James Bond films. We finished the first set with music from the film and musical Grease.
SADOS then took over and sang music from shows over the years.
We returned to close the concert.with Spanish music Salamanca and music from the film The Mask of Zorro. We also played Queen's Crazy Little thing Called Love. We complteted this set with a patriotic flavour with Elgar's Nimrod and the Overture Rule Britannis.
We ended the concert by inviting SADOS and we accompnaied them as they sang Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory.
It was a good concert and appreciated by a large audience.
11th November 2012 - Remembrance Sunday
Pleasant weather for the annual Remembrance Service at Holbeach St Marks. As usual we played incidental music outside the Church at the War Memorial where Steven Butter played Last Post. Then we go in CHurch and played hymns for the service. At the end of the service Kevin King played Last Post at the memorial at the rear of the Church.
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