News

You are never too old to learn - so if you would like to come and have a go contact us at contactfrometownband@gmail.com

CONTACT BAND

FAREWELL TO OUR MUSICAL DIRECTOR CHRIS TURNER

We said goodbye to our Musical Director Chris Turner, he started with us 8 years ago and has pulled us through covid, online lessons and not forgetting our outside groups of 6. He started our schools project which was a vision to ensure that playing an instrument should be available to anyone, this enabled pupils to have free brass music lessons in school - which was funded by local and national grants. Some of them have continued and joined the beginner band and we look forward to seeing their progress. One of the fondest memories we will have of Chris is that he managed to get Frome Town Main Band to play the Snowman in our Christmas Concert 2022, a tremendous challenge to play alongside the movie in the Merlin but with his perseverance and resilience he got us through it.

It was lovely to see the support from the members families which joined us in Victoria Park Cafe for his last concert. Chris gave out some comedy musical awards which underpinned his directorship. We will miss him greatly but we welcome our new Musical Director Roy who will continue Chris' great work in pushing and developing each part of the band.

FROME FESTIVAL SATURDAY 6TH JULY

This year we decided to go to the Blue House for our Frome Festival event, even though we did not have the acoustics of the bandstand we were tremendously supported. The main band started the gig with music "True and Trusty", we brought out old favourites such as Barnard Castle, Pirates of the Caribbean and new music "Best of the Seekers". After our first set the intermediates played a couple of pieces, "Scale Boogie" and "Marching Marines" , then the beginners and they sounded amazing, in such a short amount of time. They were confident to perform a couple of pieces.."When the Saints, Yankee Doodle". Then it was back the main band to finish off with " Sweet Caroline, Scipio, Boogie Woogie Bugle boy, Hit the Road Jack". Popular music and the audience loved it. The rotary went around and collected over a £100 for us and this will go back into our schools project and beginner band to continue to recruit our next foundation of brass musicians.

LIONS FAIR JUNE 15th

We supported the Lion Fair on Saturday June 15th, we had two slots in the afternoon and the first one was dry and quite well supported, it appears that every time we play the last slot , the heavens opened and we play to the stall holders who are packing away. Still it was a good performance by the main band and the Lions were thrilled that we continued until the bitter end.

WELLS DRESSING SATURDAY 25TH MAY

Our annual support to St Johns with the blessing of the Well. It was an early start this morning, we played a march for the choir to walk up the road with incense burning. We were supported by St Johns Choir and some of the community with the hymns. We then went for our usual treat at La Strada int he lovely sunshine.

MAY DAY CONCERT

Frome Town Band put on a May Day concert free of charge in the Bandstand at Victoria park. We played a range of music from our repertoire and then surprised our President Jim Boulter a happy 80th Birthday. He was one of the founding members of Frome Town Youth Band alongside Terry Mounsher. He has given years of service to provide brass music to the youth and community of From for over 40 years. We were delighted that it remained a suprise and past members also surprised him by coming along to say hello.

FTB RECORDING SESSION

We were privileged to be able to undertake a recording session for the afternoon, the main Band under the direction of Musical Director Chris Turner had great fun in practicing several pieces before we recorded them. We hope to be able to share with you very soon what was recorded.

FTB Collects certificate at Frome Lions presentation

On Wednesday 24th April, representatives Jim and Dalma went to collect the certificate from Frome Lions for their efforts for the sponsored swim. We managed to raise £361.72 - a very good amount in a short amount of time.

FTB Spring term Concert at Keyford Heights

On Wednesday 24th April, we had a large crowd of visitors watching our bands perform tonight. We started off with the Beginners band playing: Mary had a little lamb, Ode to Joy, When the saints go Marching by, Twinkle Twinkle little star, Au Clair de la Lune. Intermediates played : Scale Boogie, Little Stars and A Bicycle made for two. Main band aired some of their new pieces for the first time this year ....I'm still standing, Hit the road jack, Grand March. Why not come and see there May Day Concert on May 5th AT the Bandstand 2:30-4:30pm

FTB AGM Wednesday 27th March

We held our AGM at Frome College, we were given a performance by our beginners who have made immense progress. Some of them have come from our School

Brass Programme.

We had a financial report from Adrian Treasurer, then the MD's (Chris Turner) report which is his last report as he is stepping down in July to spend more time with his family, the committee are very committed in finding the right person to fill his big shoes. Chris has brought life back into the band, he persevered through covid, online music lessons, putting together swing low sweet charity from our recordings, small groups of 6 , then finally back to main band. Our schools project has gone strength to strength with a pause at the start of this year as Chris is giving 1:1 lessons on a Wednesday to develop the progress of these members. Chairman's report from Kirstie in which was iterated by Jim FTB President our grateful thanks to Chris for his immense work for Frome Town Band throughout the last 8 years in which we have seen our member grow year on year.

We voted in our New Committee:

Chair : Kirstie Jones
Treasurer : Adrian Parnham
Secretary : June Walsham
Other committee members: Jim Boulter, Alan Sills, Dalma Luttrell , Josh Pulman, Natalie Hanna, Paula Hamblin,

A Cheque from the Frome Town Band 100 Club of £600 was presented to the band to go towards the development of the beginners. We closed the meeting and resumed to our intermediate and main band practice. Thank you to everyone attending

FROME KINDNESS FESTIVAL

We were invited to open the Frome Town Kindness Festival On March 16th, it was a dry afternoon when we arrived in front of the old HSBC bank - this week it has turned into the Kindness Bank. The Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Mohammed Saddiq opened the festival followed by the Frome Town Crier. We played a variety of pieces and collected a small amount of change which we gave back to the Good Heart to continue with their Kindness ventures. In the Afternoon we used the room above The Three Swans to hold a busk in which we invited the public to join in, we had a few visitors to come and try cornets, trumpets and tenor horns. It was great fun to sit and play - the acoustics sounded amazing. We also had an impromptu solo by Adrian on a plastic Flugal playing "Concieto de Aranjuez".

The George Reopening

Friday 1st March - we were invited to play for the reopening of The George in town, we were honoured to play on the balcony - Home again, True and Trusty, New Recruit, March Militaire and other brass band marches followed on. It was a fantastic atmosphere. Good luck to The George for the future.

Mermoids Swim Again

FTB members sawm in the Frome Lions Sponsored swim on Sunday 3rd March, they did fantastically well - swimming the lengths of Frome Town Sports Centre pool. We keep 50% of the sponsorship while the other 50% goes to the Frome Lions charity which is the Youth Club this year.

Swimmers from left to right : Artur, Dalma, Tinker, June and Nikki.

FTB Social Event 24th February

Another great night spent at Frome Rugby Club playing skittles, we split into two teams of Sharps # vs the Flats b. We were also entertained by Jim our President by an impromptu dance to a recording of us playing the Floral Dance, much to the amusement of the younger members! After 6 games the b beat the # by 11 points! A lot of laughs and memories made tonight .

Past FTB Members put on concert in Frome 22nd January

A group of current members of Frome Town Band went to a concert in Rook Lane Chapel to see past member Eliza Talman perform with her band "Solis Trio". Eliza plays the trumpet and flugal. They had a guest performance on percussion with Stan Talman. These two outstanding players started with Frome Town Youth Band many years ago and are now both accomplished players. A truly remarkable performance and we look forward to seeing their journey continue.

2024 New Music for a New Year

After a busy Christmas term - we are back to band with some exciting new music to practice, ready to perform in the spring term