Hemel Hempstead Band

The Band

Musical Director
• David Klein

Cornets
• Colin Bennett
• Louis Bradley
• Alan Coughlan
• Lisa Farnese
• Paul Franklin
• Kathy Gifford
• Tracy Hare

• Brian Harrison
• Hannah Leslie

• Joe Messenger

• Andrew Morris
• Gareth Statham
• Rebecca Tossell
• Geoff Young

Horns
• Mike Abbott
• Graham Draper

• Ruth Harrison
• Barbara Page

Flugelhorn
• Annie Dehaney-Steven

• Jeff Folkins

Baritones
• Jan Coughlan
• Peter Davis

Euphoniums
• Colin Reeves
• Chris Theobald

Trombones
• Mike Innes

• Jack Lonergan

• Steve Marsh
• Stuart Marsh

Basses
• Barry Batchelor

• Neil Beardsworth
• Terrance Cook
• Haydn Drinkwater
• Felix Schiermann

Percussion
• Jai Restall

Committee 2011

President
• Peter Davis
Chairman
• Chris Theobald
Secretary
• Jack Lonergan
Treasurer
• Alan Coughlan
Librarian
• Graham Draper
Contest Secretary
• Colin Bennett
Assistant Secretary
• Tracy Hare
Publicity Officer
• Jack Lonergan
Committee members
• Hannah Leslie
• Steve Marsh
• Stuart Marsh
• Jai Restall

About the band

Consisting of amateur musicians of all ages, the Hemel Hempstead Band continues the tradition of over a hundred years' entertainment and service for the community.

Functions and engagements

The full brass Band of 25 players regularly performs at a variety of public and private functions such as Carnivals, Fetes, Park Bandstands, Church events, Sports meetings, Shopping centres, Remembrance Day parades, and its own Concerts ? mostly within easy reach of the Dacorum district of Hertfordshire.

As a community Band we help to raise funds for local charities, such as the Hospice of St Francis, Hope for Children, Macmillan Nurse Appeal, the Royal British Legion. The Band has an extensive library of over 3000 pieces, spanning many decades and including classics, musicals, religious pieces and pop music. Whatever the occasion, the Band can provide suitable musical entertainment.

Contests

The Band also takes part in competitive contests, and January 2010 saw the Band promoted to the 3rd Section of the National Brass Band Championships. For other contests and events see the Calendar.

The Band has close ties overseas, especially Turnhout in Belgium and Neu Isenburg, Germany, and a return visit to the latter is planned for August 2010.

Rehearsals

Rehearsals are held twice weekly throughout the year, apart from public holidays, on Mondays and Thursdays from 8.00 to 10.00 p.m. The Band owns, insures and maintains a full set of brass instruments for members' use, although many players prefer their own instruments. We can normally provide visitors, guest and beginners with an instrument as required.

Finances

Players are volunteers who pay a small annual subscription to the Band and generally pay their own incidental expenses when attending engagements (such as petrol money). The Band provides uniform jackets, ties or scarves, and all money raised is used for the non-profit making activities of the Band.

Learners are subsidised and normally meet on Thursdays at 7.00 p.m. before the main rehearsal. All players are encouraged, and expected, to spend time on individual and private practice between rehearsals, especially when engagements or contest are imminent.

Hemel Hempstead Band has a history of over 130 years and its members and friends are proud to be part of a community which appreciates its musical performances.

Cornets

Tracy started playing at the age of 7 after she and her brother were "dragged along" to band rehearsals. She protested gallantly until, upon leaving school, she realised that she quite enjoyed playing. Initially she played with Northallerton and Bedale bands, and then with the Yorkshire Post Band whilst at University. She joined the Hemel Hampstead Band in 1998 and regards the band as her second family. She currently plays tutti cornet.

Cornets

Joe comes from a brass and military band family, his father and several uncles having played in the old Crystal Palace contents in the 1920s. He joined the Berkhamsted St Peters band in 1946 at the age of 8 on cornet. In 1954 Joe transferred to the John Dickinson band as a repiano cornet player and then in 1955 moved to Hazels Printing Works band in Aylesbury where he played tutti cornet and here won the area Championship section, coming 2nd the following year and played at the Albert Hall finals. When the Hazels band dissolved in 1959, he was invited to join the newly formed Berkhamsted and Boxmoor band playing soprano cornet. In 1973 Joe took a break from playing, but returned to the Hemel band almost 25 years later where he continues to play third cornet.

Horns

Barbara Page played solo cornet for Wycombe Youth Band and for Soham Comrades Band in the 80s. She has returned to brass banding in the last 5 years after a long interlude, during which she became a volcanologist, a Catastrophe Modeller, a wife, an ex-pat living in Denmark and a mother. She now plays solo horn for the band.

Flugelhorn

Annie is the band's flugel horn player and, as such, a member of the most glamourous section in the band. Although the horns, Babs, Ruthie, Graham and Annie, are undeniably gorgeous, they rarely use it against the plainer sections, preferring instead to allow their deliciousness to bathe the rest in a reflected golden glow; as David says, 'One team, one dream'. Prior to joining HH she played for almost 20 years for Epping Forest. She gave up banding for ever in summer 2009, found that forever was an awfully long time and joined HH in the autumn. Leaving one band and joining the other were amongst her better decisions! (Others were choosing parents with good skin and having beautiful children). She feels fortunate to be playing in a band with a positive outlook and a bright future. Annie teaches in a college and privately by day and is a jazz vocalist, jazz jam madame and impressario by night - when she isn't banding. She is still looking for a hobby!

Euphoniums

Chris started playing at the age of 12 and at 13 was lucky enough to win a junior scholarship to Trinity college of music london being the first Euphonium player to be admitted to one of the royal colleges. At 15 he joined the Coldstream Guards Band. Chris was the principal euphonium player of the band for 7 years during which time he play hundreds of solo's and was also a member of the fanfare team. In 2007, after a break of 28 years, he joined the Hemel Hempstead band as 2nd Euphonium. Chris is also currently the band's Chairman.

Basses

Inspired by Bernard Goodman of the John Dickinson Band, Barry started playing the baritone at the age of 11 (when he wasn't able to play the trombone) and at 13 moved on to the euphonium. On leaving school he joined the Ellesborough Band for a few years before joining the Tring Silver band at its inception in the mid '80s until it's demise. He then joined the Atlas Copco band where in the late 90's moved onto playing the B flat Bass.

Barry has been a local councillor since 1991 and the Mayor of Tring in 2003 and 2006. He is also the Chairman of the 1st Tring Scouts and a member of the Campaign for real ale.