As a fabulous 2015 for the band draws to a close, seasons greetings to you all from Leyland. Three festive concerts on the weekend before Christmas rounded off another very busy year.
Twelve Days of Leyland’s Christmas:-
On the first day of Christmas, Leyland said to me;
A fantastic concert in Innsbruck certainly had its challenges, and the wonderful reception the band got made it more than worthwhile.
On the second day of Christmas, Leyland said to me;
Many people, players and supporters have worked tremendously hard once again to drive the band this year, and two in particular were recognised for their efforts.
On the third day of Christmas, Leyland said to me;
Leyland is always happy to welcome guests to perform with the band, and 2015 saw 3 young students from Switzerland integrated into the band for the short periods they were over in Manchester studying.
On the fourth day of Christmas, Leyland said to me;
In the first competition under the baton of Thomas Wyss, a performance of true quality was rewarded with a deserved top six finish.
On the fifth day of Christmas, Leyland said to me;
Leyland were delighted to appoint Thomas Wyss to the position of Musical Director and what we all hope will be a long and successful collaboration.
On the sixth day of Christmas, Leyland said to me;
Six tutors leading
Leyland’s tutors continue to build their reputation for top quality workshops that engage and entertain. Lead by John Doyle, 2015 saw the tutors deliver great sessions in places as far afield as Sunderland and Enniskillen. John has been accompanied by James McLeod (euphonium), John Stevens (trombone), Ben Thomas (percussion), Rebecca Doyle (horn), Chris Doran (tuba).
On the seventh day of Christmas, Leyland said to me;
Seven self promotions
As well as the appearances the band is engaged to perform at, its successful self promotion concerts continue to grow with the established Matinee 4 concert series supplemented by two Brass at St Andrew’s events and the incredibly popular “Brass Attack” featuring youth and local bands as well as Leyland.
On the eighth day of Christmas, Leyland said to me;
Eight great new players
Adam Bokaris, Alec Banks, Ben Jarvis, Martin Leach, Joe Martin, Anthony Higham, Gethin Rees, Dave Altham
A strong mix of youth and experience were added to Leyland’s line up in 2015, all of whom have already had such a positive impact on the band.
On the ninth day of Christmas, Leyland said to me;
Nine brand new works
Leyland continue to be at the forefront of commissioning new compositions and arrangements. Nine significant pieces were premiered by the band in 2015, including the renowned “Sprites & Flares” at Brass in Concert, and “Metropolis” written for and performed by James McLeod – both these pieces have also been recorded on the band’s latest CD.
On the tenth day of Christmas, Leyland said to me;
A 10 piece in Tatham
Versatility to the fore, the stand out ten piece engagement of 2015 was a packed out concert in the beautiful village of Tatham. The band’s fanfare team was also very active, as was the band’s 18 piece show band throughout the year.
On the eleventh day of Christmas, Leyland said to me;
Leyland’s fanfare team were once again first choice for music and spectacle at the University of Lancashire’s summer and winter graduation ceremonies, performing for over 400o students and 6000 guests.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, Leyland said to me;
12 more exciting months!
Looking forward to more hard work and more exciting performances in 2016 and beyond!
Best wishes to all for the festive period and a happy New Year.