Brass Band News
& Player Vacancies

World Heritage Site cultural programme heralds Cornwall’s brass and silver bands to tell mining story

Published in Events on 2013-05-14 by Empty Chairs

More news from

On Jan 1st 1970, at

Sounding the call

World Heritage Site cultural programme heralds Cornwall’s brass and silver bands to tell mining story

Whilst Camborne Town Band is understood to have been established at the relatively early date of 1841, within what was then the most important mining and industrial area in Cornwall, the majority of Cornish brass/silver bands were to be created during the second half of the century and into the twentieth, when the external cultural influences were being felt the most. Today there are around thirty active bands in Cornwall, and together these blast out a proud legacy of Cornwall’s internationally important industrial mining heritage.  

To celebrate this proud tradition, the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site has commissioned ‘Adventurers in Music’ - a new work for musicians and actors with a script by acclaimed Cornish writer Jane Pugh and a music score by 2012 British Composer of the Year Award winner, Simon Dobson, who grew-up in a Cornish brass banding family. This is the latest in a series of successful productions in the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site cultural programme, delivered by Near-ta Theatre and Carn to Cove and the resultant public performances will take place at the Royal Cornwall Show, Cotehele Quay, Heartlands, Geevor and Liskeard town centre in June this year.

The work is written in seven musical episodes to be performed by silver and brass band performers of different skill levels. One episode is written for primary school learners, another for a youth band, a third for a community band, fourth for a group of teachers, fifth for a competition level band, sixth for a very experienced flugel horn soloist, and the seventh is the whole ensemble.

Last year saw an amazing one off opportunity for some of Cornwall’s silver and brass bands to play alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra at Heartlands. Now wind musicians across Cornwall have been invited to rehearse the next four episodes.

Interspersed with the musical episodes are seven dramatic scenes, which tell a simple story of life in mining communities towards the end of the 19th century. The music was piloted in rehearsal by a group of five bands: Camborne Youth Band, St Stythians Band, Launceston Town Band, Bude Metric Brass and the young group from Lanner Band last year and scenes from the script by Near-ta Theatre at a development day.  

Near-Ta Theatre has been successful in winning funding to match the commitment of the World Heritage Site for the project’s next exciting step from the Arts Council of England.

The performances will also be recorded to ensure that the script and music has a future in a digital realm including radio broadcasts. The recorded and mixed audio will be reduced to a headset/smartphone exploration at Cornish Mining World Heritage Sites, as well as being incorporated as new content on the website.

Deborah Boden, Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Co-ordinator says, “With a massive brass and silver band community in Cornwall and west Devon, this is a fantastic opportunity for us all to celebrate a music tradition which was integral to our mining culture. Doing this is a major achievement, which has directly garnered the support of the BBC Concert Orchestra and will continue to bring alive the stories of our mining heritage.”

Producer for Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Cultural Programme, Tim Smithies, says, “Thanks to the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site, Adventurers in Music is a unique opportunity to bring together a collective talent like never before within extraordinary and fascinating venues in the Cornish Mining landscape. We understand that musicians have other important commitments however we welcome all brass and silver bands in Cornwall and west Devon to be a part of this historic event.”

Performances and Key Rehearsal dates (Bands are not required to attend all of the rehearsals or all the performances ). Times to be confirmed

Main Rehearsal and Recording Weekend at Pool Academy

Friday 17th May     (evening) (sectional rehearsal to be confirmed)

Saturday 18th May     10am – 10pm   (sectional rehearsal schedule to be confirmed)

Sunday 19th May         10am – 10pm  (full rehearsal schedule to be confirmed)

Performances

Thursday 6th June Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge as part of the 2013 Royal Cornwall Show (excerpts only in the BBC Radio Cornwall Tent).  

Saturday 8th June Cotehele Quay (Tamar Valley)

Sunday 9th June Heartlands (Pool),

Friday 14th June Geevor Mine (West Penwith) – School performances  

Satruday  15th June Liskeard Town Centre   

Main Rehearsal and Recording Weekend at Pool Academy

Friday 17th May     (evening) (sectional rehearsal to be confirmed)

Saturday 18th May     10am – 10pm   (sectional rehearsal schedule to be confirmed)

Sunday 19th May         10am – 10pm  (full rehearsal schedule to be confirmed)

 

To take part, please call Tim Smithies on 01209 312500 or email tim@actcornwall.org.uk. For more details about Adventurers in Music visit www.adventurersinmusic.co.uk.   


 

Article tagged: Cornwall

More news from
Share the news!
Comment on this article...
comments powered by Disqus

Brass Band CDs

Publish Your Press Release

There are two simple ways to publish your brass band related press releases on Empty Chairs:

  1. Sign up for a free account to self publish, or
  2. Send the release to press@emptychairs.co.uk and we will publish it for you.

Latest News

New arrivals and new opportunities

City of Oxford Silver Band is celebrating the arrival of new players to its… read more...

Helping to Promote Brass Bands

Helping to Promote Brass Bands Marching Bands UK connects together all styles of bands across the… read more...

IBSTOCK BRICK BRASS BUILDS WITH BANKS

Local community band Ibstock Brick Brass, based in Coalville, are looking for players to… read more...

Let's Face the Music!

Let's Face the Music! Join us for a fantastic afternoon of music and entertainment.… read more...

Sounds Of Brass

Sounds Of Brass is a live online Radio Broadcast Station for Brass Bands non… read more...


Vacancies

Brass Band News

About & Admin