News Archive - Summer Term 2006
 

LETTER FROM BOROUGH OF TELFORD & WREKIN MAYOR

I am pleased to report that I have received a letter from the Borough Council Mayor, Councillor Malcolm Smith on behalf of himself and the Mayoress Mrs Christine Smith, following the End of Term Concert, held on Thursday 20th July - the text of the letter follows below:

Dear Andrew

Thank you very much for inviting the Mayoress and me to join you and the band members of the Abraham Darby Specialist School for the Performing Arts on Thursday 20th July 2006 for the End of Academic Year Concert.

It was a great pleasure for us to be with you on this special evening, enjoying such wonderful music was pure delight.

Please extend my thanks to Miss Christine Brown, Head Teacher, all the musicians and all those involved in the organisation and participation of the event.

I hope, very much, to have the opportunity meeting with you all again during my year in office.

Yours sincerely,
Councillor Malcolm Smith, Mayor Borough of Telford & Wrekin Council
 

SHOWBAND APPEARANCE ON CENTRAL NEWS

The Showband's latest appearance saw them hit the region's TV screens when on Tuesday 25th July 2006 they were shown on Central Tonight on the Regional early evening news programme. In their two minutes of fame the forthcoming trip to New York was highlighted. Simon Platford was interviewed along with a number of the band members.

Please find below a number of stills from the film produced as thumbnails - to view an enlarged version - just click on the appropriate thumbnail.


 

SCHOOL BANDS HIT THE SHROPSHIRE STAR LETTERS PAGE

The school bands have been included in the letters page of the Shropshire Star dated Monday 24th July 2006 - the text of the letter appears below - (everyone associated with the School are very grateful for the correspondent's comments - Steve Richards)

Proud of our young musicians

The best part of two years ago, I was introduced to a world of talented musicians — a change having grown up with punk, new romantic and disco music. The world of music performed by the variations of bands at Abraham Darby School was a tribute to the dedication of a wonderful set of teachers who treat the children with dedication.

I have experienced first hand the major impact that leader Simon Platford has bestowed on many a talented individual without prejudice or favour to age, sex or ability. The music department upholds high standards in performance, behaviour and social standards and the children, aged 10 to 18, are appreciative of the effort and care bestowed on them.

Other proud parents, grandparents, family, friends and I have been privileged to see children grow up and perform to the very highest of standards. Long may it continue.

Steve Richards, Telford

The link to the Shropshire Star Website follows:
http://www.shropshirestar.com/show_article.php?aID=47075
 

TELFORD SCHOOL ACHIEVES UNPRECEDENTED AWARD FROM MAJOR NATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL

Members of the Showband (sponsored by Newport Chiropractic) from the Abraham Darby Specialist School for the Performing Arts, Madeley, Telford returned on Friday from their performance in the School National Wind Band Festival at the National Festival of Music for Youth at the Birmingham Symphony Hall, with their fifth consecutive Outstanding Performance Award and their sixth such award in seven years.

This particular award was the first time that an Outstanding Performance had been awarded at this National Festival for five consecutive years to the same single school in their respective category and bettered the four consecutive awards that was achieved by Northampton School for Boys in the early 1990s under the baton of Martin Sutton. The School has now been the recipients of 14 National awards in various categories in the nine years that the school has been invited to attend the National Festival, a record that Simon Platford is particularly proud of.

The Showband played Stephen Bulla’s composition entitled Firestorm, written to commemorate the events of the first Gulf War in 1991 and which was completed on the same day that Kuwait was liberated by United Nation forces. The piece was also played at the National Festival on the first occasion that the School achieved the top award back in 2000.

Simon Platford, the school’s Director of Performing Arts praised the hard work during rehearsals that the Showband had undertaken in the build up to this Festival, and stated that the awards that had been gained over these years was purely as a result of the dedication and commitment shown by all the band members past and present. I am particularly proud of this latest award for all the members as this result is unprecedented as no other school has achieved five consecutive national awards in the National School Wind Band Festival. He also stated that this particular Festival every year represented an occasion where the school said goodbye to a number of Band members and that this year was no exception. I wish to thank in particular Mel Baker, Oliver DeVine, Liam Gillespie, Jack Marley-Payne, Alex Plim, James Roberts and Tracy Whysall, who have put in long and dedicated service to the various bands of the school over many years and have enjoyed continued success and I wish them every good wish for the future.

BAND AND BARBECUE

The Annual Summer Band and Barbecue took place last Friday 16th June at the School - the event is one of the opportunities for the School's Junior Bands to entertain an audience in the informal setting of a barbecue - with the event being staged outside in the school grounds and is organised and run by SMADS.

A big thank you is extended to Group 4 Security who donated their services free to patrol the Car Park and School Grounds during this event.

If you want to look at photos of the event please click on the Events Photos link on the left hand
side of the page.
 

NATIONAL CONCERT BAND FESTIVAL - NATIONAL FINALS, GLASGOW

Please find attached hyperlink that will take you to the confirmed awards that were presented at the Royal Scottish Royal College Academy of Music and Drama.

NCBF - National Festival - Confirmed Results