The Band will be entertaiing the punters at the Ebor meeting at York Races. See us in fornt of the Old Weighing Room at the side of the Champagne Garden.
Tag: Senior Band
Durham Miners Gala
The Band will be leading the Silksworth Banner Group at the “Big Meet” in Durham once again this year. Look forward to a party piece outside the County Hotel for the speakers at the event.
Christmas CD Wrapped Up
After spending a rather warm couple of days at All Saints School on Nunnery Lane, the senior band completed recording the music for our new Christmas CD which will be out in time for the Christmas Gala concerts in December.
Here are a few photos of what we got up to on the day. I’m sure you will agree the choreography from the percussion section is of the highest order!
Our thanks have to go out to Keith and George from Music House Productions for their work on setting up and recording, to Bronte Wilkinson, Kate Ironton, James Stockdale and of course Sharon “7 hours” Greenfield for filling in a few spaces we had.
Christmas in June!
It is a few years since the Senior Band released their last Christmas CD and we are asked at every concert when the next one is coming out. We can answer that now and our new Christmas CD will be out in time for Christmas 2023. What that means for the band is that we need to record the music and this weekend saw us head down to All Saints RC School to lay down the tracks.
We welcomed Sharon Greenfield back for the recording, Sharon was our Flugelhorn player for many years and when we asked for a horn player to cover a seat, Sharon stepped in and made the 7 hour journey up from her home in Devon to help us out. That’s dedication!
It does feel odd recording Christmas music while most of the band are sitting in shorts and T shirts, but some players really got into he spirit of the session and got out their Christmas shirts.
The first days recording went well and the work rate was extremely high.
The percussion crew figured out there was a time lapse running and set about choreographing their own little stop motion video. Such ingenuity!
Keep a look out for the details of the CD release date and also look out for the band’s earlier CD content being made available for streaming over a range of streaming platforms in the near future. In the meantime, here’s an outtake from the recording session and a short teaser of what’s coming up.
A chilly success!
On December 10th, the Senior Band took on a new Christmas Challenge at St Andrews Church in Bishopthorpe when they performed the live soundtrack to a showing Raymond Briggs’ animated film “The Snowman”. This was a new experience for the band, playing film music is a very different performance to a concert performance and the build up to this has been quite intense.
The band was joined by Buffy Breakwell who played keyboards with us and Sophie Sylvester who provided the vocals for the iconic song “Walking in the Air”. Everyone in the band was really impressed with the professionalism and superb musical ability of both our guests for the day. We can only hope this will not be our last collaboration.
We could have sold the tickets for this ten times over so next year we will be back to do it all over again. Watch this space!
That wasn’t the only thing we did on the day though!
In the interval between performances, the band went along to Bishopthorpe Sports and Social Club to play Christmas Carols for the Lollipop children’s Christmas party. Lollipop is a charity for D/deaf children and their families in York and the band’s Principal Cornet player Sean Chandler is involved in making music with the children the charity works with.
When Sean asked if a few players could go, the whole band said yes. Playing “Away in a Manger” with a choir signing the words was such a powerful moment.
If you want to know more about Lollipop and want to support their work, check out their website.
Vacancies – BBb Bass
Following a number of signings over the past months, the band now welcomes applications for a BB Bass player to join our strong Bass Section for the upcoming area contest in Durham where we will play Philip Wilby’s Red Priest, and the Senior Cup in Blackpool where we will play Philip Sparke’s London Overture.
We have a number of excellent Concerts planned for 2023 including a joint concert in York with Black Dyke Band in aid of York Against Cancer, this follows our recent joint concert with Cory Band, something of an annual fixture now.
What we have to offer:
- Championship level banding
- Great concert-contest balance
- Fun contemporary music and the latest arrangements
- Some of the best rehearsal facilities in the country
- One of the largest banding organisations around, as recently featured in the British Bandsman
- A busy and lively social scene
- Spring Festival Senior Cup, Blackpool
The band practices on Tuesday and Friday evenings in York – however, our members travel from all over Yorkshire so lifts could most likely be arranged.
For anymore information or an informal, confidential chat about the position, please contact Our MD Richard Wilton on 07973442249, richardwilton@nesyork.org
Alternatively, feel free to message us directly through the bands Facebook page. 
Please get in touch with Richard Wilton for further details.
The Snowman Live – 6pm Screening
The 2022 Screening of ’The Snowman’ with LIVE soundtrack from the Shepherd Group Brass Band! This is something for all the family and is not to be missed.
The show will be presented at St Andrew’s Church, Church Lane, Bishopthorpe, York, YO23 2QG
Tickets for the 6pm performance can be obtained from Eventbrite.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sgbb-presents-the-snowman-live-6pm-tickets-408085614057
The Snowman Live!
If you were at the Christmas Concerts last year, you will remember the announcement that the band would be performing a live soundtrack along with the whole film of The Snowman. The classic Christmas story by Raymond Briggs.
Everything is in place for this now and there will be 2 performances taking place on December 10th 2022 at St Andrews Church Bishopthorpe, the first at 2pm and then a further performance at 6pm.
Do get your tickets ordered early, this is going to be a great experience for familes as well as for the band. The tickets can be bought from Eventbrite usung the following links
2 pm Performance
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sgbb-presents-the-snowman-live-2pm-tickets-408059606267
6pm Performance
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sgbb-presents-the-snowman-live-6pm-tickets-408085614057
Imogen shines in Taunton
At the recent National Youth Brass Band course held in Taunton, our Solo Baritone player Imogen Fewster participated in the prestigious Harry Mortimer solo competition. This sees all the section winners of the Katie Ogden solo competition held in the spring course compete against each other. As you will appreciate this is a competition held between players who really are at the top of their game.
Imogen chose to play the Baritone Concerto by Martin Ellerby, a fiendishly difficult piece that demonstrates just how good a player we have in the band. Sadly she missed out on the top spot in the contest, but you will agree this is a stunning performance.
Imogen was once again successful in her audition for the solo baritone seat in the NYBBGB in what is the band’s 70th anniversary year. During the course the band worked with renowned trumpeter Louis Dowdeswell and performed the premiere of a specially commissioned piece, Hyperlink from the pen of Peter Graham. Hyperlink will be the test piece for the forthcoming National Championships held at the Albert Hall in October
Vacancies – Solo Cornet
EXCITING OPPORTUNITY
The Shepherd Group Brass Band are seeking an experienced SOLO CORNET PLAYER to join our cornet section.
What we have to offer:
- Championship level banding
- Great concert-contest balance
- Fun contemporary music and the latest arrangements
- Some of the best rehearsal facilities in the country
- One of the largest banding organisations around, as recently featured in the British Bandsman
- A busy and lively social scene
- Spring Festival Senior Cup, Blackpool
The band practices on Tuesday and Friday evenings in York – however, our members travel from all over Yorkshire so lifts could most likely be arranged.
For anymore information or an informal, confidential chat about the position, please contact Our MD Richard Wilton on 07973442249, richardwilton@nesyork.org
Alternatively Feel free to message us directly through the bands Facebook page.
