Gallery - Charity Garden Party
Our New CD
Recording:
'Beyond the
Ford'
Gold Award
Winners -
National Concert Band Festival
Page updated: 04 November 2007
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We currently have a number of vacancies for new members:
Our required standard is Grade 8 or above. We rehearse each Tuesday between 7:45pm and 10:00pm at the Anthony Roper Primary School in Eynsford and conclude with drinks at the Chequers Pub in Farningham Village. If you are interested in joining, then please contact us |
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To give you an insight as to what it is like being a member of the Eynsford Concert Band, we asked a number of our members to tell us what they enjoy the most....
| I joined the Eynsford Concert Band back in 1984.
The main reason for joining the band at the time was that my
tutor suggested that it would help with my ensemble playing to
play with other musicians of a similar standard. I also
knew that it would be a great place to meet new people around my
own age.
The band was and still is one of a few bands within the Sevenoaks/Dartford area that plays both enjoyable and challenging music to suit all tastes. During my first year of joining, and to much excitement, we performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. Since then we have played at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and also at various venues both locally and around the world. Being in the band has given me the chance to travel to places
that I otherwise would not have been. We have toured to
Ireland, Austria, Spain, Malta & Canada. All tours have
been very enjoyable both socially and musically. |
Sandra Lane |
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Jane Wright |
I joined Eynsford Concert Band in September 2003, having played in a variety of windbands, orchestras and smaller groups throughout school, university and the start of my working life. Having decided not to continue my musical studies further than the 6th Form, I often found the bands that I played in to be quite elitist and competitive places to be. As a “keen amateur”, I was beginning to feel quite disheartened and needed something to give my playing (and self-esteem) a boost. I was immediately made to feel welcome at ECB and, before long, had agreed to go on tour with them to Waterford, Ireland. Quite a daunting prospect at the time, but certainly something that I thoroughly enjoyed. “Work hard, play hard!” would probably be a good motto for the band! I enjoy the wide-ranging repertoire that is chosen for the band. Some very challenging pieces but also some truly cheesy numbers thrown in along the way! The CD recording was something that I was very glad to be a part of and I look forward to the excitements of the coming year! |
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I will always remember my first experience of the Eynsford Concert Band. In the summer of 2003 I attended my first rehearsal and, although one of the youngest musicians in the band (aged 15 at the time), I was immediately made to feel a welcome addition to the Trumpet section. I’ve found that the band offers me a unique chance to play new and exciting music which is something I have found harder to come by within youth music societies. As well as broadening my knowledge of music repertoire and appreciation for a wide range of genres, the experience has allowed my Trumpet playing to rapidly progress. The perks of being a member of the band do not only lie within the music as the social aspect is equally as exciting. The band participates in a number of tours over seas. I’ve travelled to Malta and Ireland with the Eynsford Concert Band. Being rich in social activities from relaxing on the beach to eating fine foreign cuisine as well as performing in great concerts, both experiences are ones which I’ll not easily forget. In addition, the band has organised masterclasses with very reputable and talented musicians, which offers a very unique opportunity to learn tips from some of the finest in the profession. This is something I feel I’ve benefited greatly from in the past and look forward to doing again. All in all I find playing with the Eynsford Concert Band a very rewarding experience and something I eagerly look forward to every Tuesday night. |
David Bennett |
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Alison Herring |
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| I joined the band at the tender age of 16 in
1976, and never got round to leaving - which makes me sound very
old and sad! The great thing about the band for me is that the standard is high, and yet we are all there to play together and enjoy ourselves, making good sounds without being too competitive or serious. The foreign trips are always great holidays, and we’ve played some great music at prestigious venues, at home and abroad. The band membership is musically talented, convivial, and growing, so it’s a good time to be involved, and the current conductor is pushing the standard higher and finding new ways to entertain new audiences. I rule the flute section with a rod of….. celery? While I still grab the odd flute solo, I mainly play piccolo and we share the flute goodies around the section. Socially I strive manfully to make sure that it’s not only the brass section that have a reputation for being beer monsters. I’ve made many friends and shared many good times with ECB – long may it thrive! |
Nigel Keen |
