The band had a busy festive season, playing carols in a number of High Streets, at private houses and shopping centres.  Although not as cold as last year, the players wore the band fleece to keep warm.  The number of players at the venues varied from seven to a full band.

A Christmas Concert was also performed, held at the Village Hall in Cobham.  Amongst the music played were Sleigh Ride, A Christmas Festival and Sleep.

The band collected money while playing at the events and a proportion of it will be given to the Princess Alice Hospice, the charity that the band is supporting in 2011.

The band played at the prestigious Menuhin Hall for it’s annual Autumn Concert on the 29th October.  The theme of the night was ‘Music from the Screen’ and featured, amongst others, music from Superman, Jurrasic Park, Saving Private Ryan and Pirates of the Caribbean.

 Guest soloist was Lucy Gibbs from the Arioso Orchestra in London who played the oboe in Gabriel’s Oboe and Hetty Wainthropp Investigates.

One of the bands percussionists, Julie Beaven, played an unusual instrument – the Hammered Dulcimer.  The origins of this instrument are said to date back over 2000 years and it is a forerunner of the modern piano.  Julie played a solo in Braveheart and an composition of Some Enchanted Evening.  It is believed that this is the first time this instrument has been played in collaboration with a brass band.

The bandsman of the year award was presented to Darren Abbott

The Cobham Band returned from the annual SCABA (Southern Counties Amateur Band Association) Autumn Contest in Folkestone with a prize! The band played ‘Three Songs Without Words’ by Eric Ball and came third, winning the Bob Whitehouse Memorial cup.

The photograph above shows Musical Director Robin Langdon being presented with the cup by Andy Wilson, Chariman of scaba

The Cobham Band is delighted to announce that it has appointed Robin Langdon as its Musical Director. As well as conducting the band, Robin is a composer, performer and teacher.

 The Cobham Band and the Weybridge Male Voice Choir played to a full house in their own version of The Last Night of the Proms at St Andrews Church in Cobham, Surrey. The band was led by stand-in conductor Jack Smith and the old favorites such as Land of Hope and Glory and Rule Britannia were played to a delighted audience.

The band said farewell to longstanding Musical Director, David Ruel.  David has conducted the band for 8 years and left the band on a high note following a hugely successful concert with Nidaros band from Norway.  Also leaving are his wife Jackie and son Matthew.   The band presented a gift to David at his last rehearsal and congratulated him for the progress he has made with the band during this time.