On Sunday 2^nd May – David, Jacqueline and Matthew Ruel represented The Cobham Band at Tredegar Town Bands Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony at Bryn Meadows Golf Club, Blackwood, Wales.  Tredegar are the 2010 Welsh Champions and will be representing Wales at the 2011 European Brass Band Championships in Montreux, Switzerland.  The evening was thoroughly enjoyed by all – sharing and celebrating in Tredegar’s recent success.  Tredegar Town Band has since gone on to win The Grand Shield which was held at The Winter Gardens in Blackpool on Saturday 15^th May securing promotion to The British Open.  The Cobham Band wishes to congratulate Tredegar and wishes the band every success for the future.  The Cobham Band looks forward to working with Ian Porthouse and friends and members of Tredegar Town Band later this year.

Matthew Ruel, the band’s solo cornet was also competing at The Winter Gardens in Blackpool in The Senior Trophy with his former band, Friary Guildford Brass Band.  The set test piece was ‘Le Roi D’Ys’ and the adjudicators were Richard Marshall, Principal Cornet of Black Dyke Band and Dr. Robert Childs, Musical Director of The Cory Band.  The band played last in an entry of 20 bands which included some of the United Kingdoms very finest.  The band was awarded 4^th place and has received an invitation to compete in the 2011 Senior Cup.  The next day Matthew played 280miles away from Blackpool at scaba’s Entertainment Contest at The Hawth, Crawley with the Championship Section outfit – Sandhurst Silver Band.  The Cobham Band would like to congratulate friend of the band and Sandhurst Silver Band’s Flugel player, Kevin Barker who was awarded best soloist prize at scaba’s Entertainment Contest.

Kevin recently played with The Cobham Band at The David Bonner Lodge, at Cole Court, Twickenham on Saturday 8^th May.  The David Bonner Lodge is a Musician’s Lodge and its membership includes a number of brass band players from both The Cobham Band and The British Airways Brass Band – the members of whom were invited to play with The Cobham Band at its lunchtime concert for the Lodge.  For members of a non brass banding background Musical Director, David Ruel’s one hour programme conveyed the versatility of a brass band.

Programme:

1. Blaze Away
2. HMS Pinafore
3. Panis Angelicus
4. Elvira Madigan Theme
5. Four Little Maids – 3^rd Movement
6. A Hard Day’s Night
7. Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien – ‘No Regrets’
8. Blaenwern
9. Eternal Flame
10. Anton Aus Tirol
11. True & Trusty

David Ruel invited the Lodge Choir to sing with the band on the hymn tune ‘Blaenwern’.  The Cobham Band received a standing ovation at the end of its programme and then joined members of the Lodge for lunch followed by a tour of the Masonic Temple given by Cobham Band (The) member Dr. Mike Kearsley, which was gratefully received.

Saturday 22^nd May saw The Cobham Band present its annual Spring Concert in Cobham Village Hall.  The 28-strong band played a programme which had the audience singing and toe-tapping (!)  The concert programme featured the band’s Solo Euphonium, Ashley Needham playing the ‘Rondo from Mozart’s Horn Concerto in Eb (No.4)’; the Horn Section – Beryl McMillan, Jeff Bamber, Jacqueline Ruel and Ian Carter playing ‘Elvira Madigan Theme’ and Darren Abbott, the band’s solo cornet playing the opening solo in ‘Eternal Flame’.

Programme:

1. Blaze Away
2. Four Little Maids
3. Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien – ‘No Regrets’
4. A Hard Day’s Night
5. Words
6. Anton Aus Tirol

Interval

1. Whatever You Want
2. HMS Pinafore
3. Rondo from Mozart’s Horn Concerto in Eb (No.4)
4. Elvira Madigan Theme
5. Eternal Flame
6. Sweet Gingerbread Man
7. Sway
8. Et Maintenant – What Now My Love

The band’s busy schedule of summer engagements commences on Saturday 12^th June where the band will be playing for Revd Alan Elkin and the community of West Byfleet at St. John’s Church Fete from midday to 14.00hrs.

The Cobham Band would like to thank its members and supporters for their continued and much appreciated support.