Recent Events
ANZAC Day Citizens’ Service
Leopard Coachlines Canterbury Brass takes great pleasure from their involvement in the ANZAC day Citizens’ Service. The band participates every year in the service which is held in the ChristChurch Cathedral.
This year the band and Cathedral organist were joined by the Cathedral Choir in providing the musical aspects of the service. The band, choir and organ came together to perform God Save the Queen, God Defend New Zealand, and a number of hymns. Despite differences in musical backgrounds, the groups blended together effortlessly to deliver strong performances.
Canterbury Brass began the day with a series of pre-service music consisting of the traditional number Ye Banks and Braes, Shepherds Song, and the title music from the television series Band of Brothers. This set culminated with the meditative Elegy, played as the official party entered the Cathedral. The band later performed a sacred item entitled The Old Rugged Cross.
Principal cornet, Kevin McMorran took the stage alone for the Last Post and Rouse. His performance caught the mood of the day flawlessly.
The band concluded the service with a march entitled Colonel Bogey. This number was familiar to many of those gathered, and provided a heartening backdrop for the official party’s recessional march.
Garden City SummerTimes – Sunday Bandstand
On Sunday 7 March 2010, Leopard Coachlines Canterbury Brass featured in the Sunday Bandstand as part of the Christchurch City Council SummerTimes programme. The annual Bandstand series showcases brass and pipe bands from the Christchurch area, providing free entertainment in a number of idyllic musical settings. Canterbury Brass performed in the Bandsmen’s Memorial Rotunda in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens to a large audience of picnickers, Sunday strollers, and music enthusiasts.
The band, under the leadership of guest conductor David Fiu, offered a varied and lively repertoire for the hour-long concert. Audiences’ enjoyed music from a variety of genres, including jazz, opera, Latin and Elvis. The band also paid tribute to the more historical brass band musical style, as well as the tradition of the band rotunda in which they performed, with an energetic performance of the well known brass band march, Bramwyn.
Not forgetting their audiences’ favourites, principal trombonist-come-vocalist Brain Eckersley sang the anthem best associated with the Liverpool Football Club, You’ll Never Walk Alone. Principal euphonium Steve Griffin also delighted audiences with his solo performance of the famous opera aria Nessun Dorma; while principal cornet Kevin McMorran performed the ever-sweet Pastorale.
Crossway Community Church Concert
The band played a Christmas Concert at the Crossways Community Church on the 29th December.This concert featured some very talented soloists from the band with Kevin McMorran playing Aye Waukin' O!, Steve Griffin playing an arrangement of Slaviche Fantasia , and Jess Hix on the marimba entertaining the audience with an exciting Goff Richards number called Zimba Zamba. The full and enthusiastic audience was very appreciative of the performance of the Band with requests to perform further Christmas Concerts next year. This was the first concert under our new musical director Tyme Marsters which has provided us with a great springboard to start off in a new direction.
Woolston Club
Sunday the 13th December saw the band put on
the annual Christmas Concert at the Woolston Club. We played to a full
house with many joining in with the Christmas Carols led by compere and
vocalist Brian Eckersley. Brian went on to entertain the crowd with
Butch Green's arrangement of "Mack the Knife" before bringing the house
down with "You'll never walk alone".
Santa Parade
On December 6th the Band led the annual Santa Parade marching in front of over 100,000 people. The excitement and enthusiasim from the crowd was felt throughout the band and we are proud to still be the only Christchurch Brass Band who march in this parade. Led by our Drum Major (and Musical Director) Tyme Marsters the band stepped off to a lively march called Appreciation. The crowd showed their enjoyment the entire way and were equally impressed by the excellent percussion breaks between Snoopy's Christmas and Jingle Bell Rock.
Funding
The band has had further funding success with a grant from the Lion Foundation for another new timpani. A grant from Youthtown Inc will enable our percussion section to be given new personalised mallets and sticks to use.
Looking ahead
After some tough times over the last few years the Band is experiencing a period of rejuvenation with many new members joining and some old hands returning. Goals for next year include attending the National contest in Dunedin, the provincial contest in Christchurch, together with the re-establishment of a concert series.
