News Archive - Autumn Term 2006
 

TELFORD BAND MEMBERS TO CARRY ON CHRISTMAS EVE TRADITION

A national award winning band from Madeley, Telford will continue a long standing Christmas Eve tradition when the school is represented at the annual “Carols on the Bridge” on the world famous Ironbridge, which spans the River Severn and is situated less than a mile from the School. It is hoped that a large audience attends the event which saw over 500 people attending last year.

Members of the Abraham Darby Showband (sponsored by Newport Chiropractic Ltd), will perform at this event which is now in it’s 35th consecutive year and was started by the late Bernard Crawforth, a former Deputy Head of the school who had died in 2004. The event commences at 7.00 p.m. and it is hoped that a large number of local residents will attend the event. This particular event represents the school’s final engagement in 2006 and will finally complete a very busy calendar year, which has seen the School return from many Festivals and events with an exceptional record of achieving top awards, most notably the National Festival of Music for Youth where the Showband achieved their fifth consecutive Outstanding Performance award in the School Wind Band Festival. The event will also be supported by the Darby Singers, the well known local Community Choir.

At the event there will be a collection for the School’s Showband as they continue their fundraising activities in order for them to participate in the New York Wind Band Festival which will provide a lifetime experience of the band performing on the stage of the world famous Carnegie Hall.

Simon Platford, the school’s Director of Performing Arts said that “this event has become a long-standing annual event, which the school has been represented at for many years, and I am keen to ensure that this support continues – I hope that the weather is kind for the event and I hope to see a big audience by way of support.”

The Band members will finally have a well earned rest before returning to school in the New Year, when they will commence their preparatory work leading to the hosting of a Joint Concert with the Sellers International Band from Huddersfield led by their famous musical director Phillip McCann, which will be held on Saturday 20th January 2007 in the School’s well equipped Selwyn Theatre, which incorporates comfortable tiered seating and commences at 7.30 p.m. This concert has been chosen as the inaugural event for the Borough wide celebrations for the 250th Anniversary of the birth of the civil engineer Thomas Telford, after whom the Town is named. This will be the fifth consecutive annual concert where the school has hosted Sellers International Band as guests and a splendid night’s entertainment is guaranteed. Tickets priced at £8.00 and £6.00 are available from the school on (01952) 386000 or from the Supporters of Music at Abraham Darby School on either (01952) 400686 or (07798) 843458.

To see the press release on www.4barsrest.com please click on the link below:

http://www.4barsrest.com/news/detail.asp?id=4689
 

TELFORD SCHOOL SAY GOODBYE TO MUSICAL DIRECTOR 

The Band Members at the Abraham Darby Specialist School for the Performing Arts, Madeley, Telford will be saying goodbye to one of their long-standing Musical Directors at the end of the Christmas Term when Wayne Ruston leaves the school after having conducted the Abraham Darby Senior Brass Band (sponsored by Dalvie Systems) at the school for the last 11 years. He has decided to resign his current position as a result of his growing business interests and his other musical commitments. These have left Wayne feeling he was spreading himself too thinly and feeling that now was the right time to move on.  

Wayne Ruston was a former pupil of the school and has been a stalwart of music at the school, dedicating many long hours to the Music Department and to a long line of individual pupils, guiding them through their musical development, not only as the brass bands musical director but as a teacher of low brass.  

Under Wayne’s direction the Senior Brass Band had been very successful in various Festivals and Contests with them appearing in the National Festival of Music for Youth every year since 1998 resulting in the award of the Highly Commended Award in 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2005. The Band had also achieved success in the National Youth Brass Band Championships with them being close runners up in 2003, 2005 and 2006. Another prestigious event that the Brass Band has participated in is the Action Research UK Youth  Entertainment Contest held in the Winter Gardens Blackpool and a 1st Prize in the Youth Brass Band Class at the 2005 World Youth Music Festival that was held in Zurich, Switzerland. 

The Senior Brass Band will continue and will attend the various forthcoming events over the next few months they had committed to. This will see them compete at the Action Research Contest in February, and participating in the Regional Heat of Music for Youth. In April they will participate in the Schools Section at the National Youth Brass Band Championships held at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. In the intervening period between now and when a successor is appointed, the Brass Band will be under the baton of Simon Platford. Wayne’s final appearance will see him conduct the Brass Band at the School’s Christmas End of Term Concert on Monday 18th December.  

Simon Platford, the School’s Director of Performing Arts said “that he, the Band, the Supporters of Music at Abraham Darby School (SMADS) and the School all wish Wayne every good wish for the future and that we are all very sorry to see him end his very long association with the school. Wayne has been a major part of the musical success that the school has enjoyed over the past eleven years and has on numerous occasions gone well beyond the call of duty, often giving up evenings and weekends to take part in either rehearsals or performances. Everyone connected with the school wishes him all the very best for the future”.

To see the press release on www.themouthpiece.com please click on the link below:

http://www.themouthpiece.com/vb/showthread.php?t=25260

To see the press release on www.4barsrest.com please click on the link below:

http://www.4barsrest.com/news/detail.asp?id=4615
 

BUSY FESTIVE PERIOD FOR TELFORD SCHOOL BAND MEMBERS

The talented band members from the Abraham Darby Specialist School for the Performing Arts, Madeley, Telford are getting ready for a busy festive period of music and performances over the upcoming festive period, when the various bands appear at a number of events within the Borough. Staff and pupils will be appearing at carol services and events bringing the festive spirit to hundreds of people in the town.

The festivities commence on Monday 4th December when the School’s Showband will perform at Telford & Wrekin Council Annual Civic Carol Service which will be held at The Place (formerly Oakengates Theatre). 

Meanwhile, on Sunday 10th, 17th December together with Christmas Eve from 10.00 a.m. until 4.00 p.m. band members will be heard playing in the Telford Shopping Centre where they will entertain the many shoppers with the playing of festive music.

The School will also be staging the customary End of Term Concert, to which everybody is invited to attend, on Monday 18th December in the school’s Selwyn Theatre which will feature a number of the bands and musical ensembles from the school. Tickets for this concert are still available priced at £4.00 and £3.00 from the school on (01952) 386000 or by contacting the Supporters of Music at Abraham Darby School (SMADS) on 07798 843458.

Then on Christmas Eve their activities are concluded, when a number of school members will again support the traditional Carols on the Bridge by playing on the world famous Ironbridge. This event was started some 35 years ago by the late Bernard Crawforth, a former Deputy Head of the School. The event starts at 7.00 p.m. Simon Platford, the school’s Director of Performing Arts said “this event has become a long-standing annual event, which the school have attended for many years, and I am keen to ensure that this support continues – I hope that the weather is kind for the event and I hope to see a big audience by way of support. The event has become a well known event and represents a marvellous way to see in Christmas”.

The Band members will finally have a well earned rest before returning to school in the New Year, when they will commence their preparatory work leading to the hosting of a Joint Concert with the Sellers International Band from Huddersfield led by their famous musical director Phillip McCann, which will be held on Saturday 20th January 2007 in the School’s well equipped Selwyn Theatre, commencing at 7.30 p.m. This will be the fifth occasion that the school has hosted Sellers International Band and this particular concert is the inaugural event for the year long celebrations within the Borough for the 250th Anniversary of the famous civil engineer Thomas Telford. Tickets priced at £8.00 and £6.00 are now available from the school on (01952) 38600 or from the Supporters of Music at Abraham Darby School on either (01952) 400686 or (07798) 843458.
 

TELFORD BAND HITS THE ROAD TO CHEPSTOW 

The band members of the award winning Abraham Darby Specialist School for the Performing Arts, Madeley, Telford will leave early in the day next Sunday (26th November) to travel to the West of England/South Wales Regional Festival of the National Concert Band Festival that will be held in Chepstow. Both the Showband (sponsored by Newport Chiropractic) and the School’s Jazz Band will be competing and will be hoping to achieve regional Gold Awards which will result in an invitation to participate in the National Festival which will be held in Gateshead in March 2007. 

Both of the school bands have achieved unprecedented success at the National Festival in previous years with the Showband having achieved seven consecutive National Gold Awards and the Jazz Band having secured five National Gold Awards in the last seven years which saw them achieve another National Silver Award. 

Simon Platford, the school’s Director of Performing Arts said “that he and all the band members were pleased to be participating in Chepstow and were looking forward to the event at this Regional Qualifier as the hosts have always made us feel most welcome. The school bands have enjoyed the unprecedented success in this prestigious National Festival as a result of long hours of dedication and hard work over many years – and hopefully all this work will be rewarded with an invitation to play in the National Festival in Gateshead next April”.

Please follow link to the 4barsrest.com website
http://www.4barsrest.com/news/detail.asp?id=4519
 

Showband at BASBWE Midland Conference

On Sunday 5th November the Abraham Darby Showband (sponsored by Newport Chiropractic) attended at the BASBWE Midland Conference held at the Birmingham Conservatoire, which saw them perform in the newly re-furbished Adrian Boult Hall they were on stage for 45 minutes during which they played original Wind Band repertoire by composers such as Jay Bocook, Brian Balmages and others. During the afternoon other ensembles performed at the event including the Birmingham Schools Wind Orchestra, the National Saxophone Choir and Northampton School for Boys. Photographs of the Band's performance appear below - to view an enlarged photo - just click on the appropriate thumbnail.

Showband Hits the Letters Page - Again

The Showband has appeared in the Shropshire Star Letters page (edition dated Wednesday 1st November) again - this time in connection with the Telford Town Centre Concert which was held on 15th October. The letter is copied below together with a hyperlink to the Shropshire Star website.

Musicians' Show was Excellent

TELFORD SCHOOL GOING, GOING GONE, ALL THE WAY TO NEW YORK

On Saturday 7th October the Supporters of Music at Abraham Darby Specialist School for the Performing Arts, Madeley, Telford are holding a different fundraising event as they stage their first Grand Promise Auction, with all the proceeds going to the Showband’s forthcoming trip to play on the stage of the world famous Carnegie Hall, when they participate in the New York International Wind Band Festival next March. 

The auction will be held in the School’s Selwyn Theatre, with viewing at 2.00 pm and the auction commencing at 3.00 pm, with the hammer under the control of Chris Hargreaves from the local firm of Nock Deighton, Ironbridge. There will be a wide and varied selection of lots to suit all pockets and all ages ranging from a flight for two in a hot air balloon, a flight in a light airplane, Theatre tickets, museum passports, two nights in the Honeymoon Suite for two at the local Holiday Inn, Power Tools, Digital Camera, a course of driving lessons and many other lots.

Andrew Roberts, Chairperson of the Supporters of Music at Abraham Darby School (SMADS) said "that this was the first time that we have organised an event such as this as we look for different methods of fundraising in order to finance the participation of the School’s Showband in the New York International Wind Band Festival in March 2007, where they will grace the stage of the world famous Carnegie Hall. We have received over 50 lots from a large number of personal and business supporters and may I take this opportunity to sincerely thank every body for their marvellous donations and invite as many members of the public to attend at this event in order to help us towards achieving our target of over £30,000". 

Please follow link to 4 Barsrest website:
http://www.4barsrest.com/news/detail.asp?id=4120