Greenfield Band would like to wish all our friends and followers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The band has had a great year, finishing off with a busy December full of Christmas carols, fingerless gloves and mince pies.

We are looking forward to 2019 when we will continue competing in the 2^nd section. 

We would like to wish all the local bands good luck for the forthcoming year!

On Sunday we made the trip to Buxton Contest, where we last visited in 2015. As we are still in the process of looking for a new rehearsal room – we had a difficult run up to the contest. Usually we would have sectionals, extra rehearsals and spend lots of time concentrating on our chosen test piece. With our time taken up moving out of the Conservative Club and transferring all our gear into temporary storage, rehearsal time was limited! We had a last minute change of test-piece giving us just two-weeks to get it up to scratch. We would like to place on record our thanks to Delph Band, Uppermill Band and Boarshurst Band for their kindness in letting us use their rehearsal facilities as our hunt continues for a new room.

Drawn fourth in our section, we performed our chosen test piece, Oceans by Goff Richards. We came off stage pleased with our performance and were rewarded with three prizes:

Best Euphonium Section in the 3rd Section
Best North West Band in the 3rd Section
3rd Overall in the 3rd Section

Our congratulations to all other prize winners!

We are now looking forward next Sunday which is the Westhaughton Mayoral Parade!
 

On Saturday 1st April, we performed as part of a Mass Brass outfit at Uppermill Civic Hall. Alongside us at the event were Dobcross Youth Band, Delph Band and our Boarshurst Band. Each band played a 20-minute stint forming together at the end of the concert to play a rendition of the Whit Friday classic Death or Glory. We had a fantastic sell-out crowd listening on as the sound of 120 brass players filled the hall. Thank you to everybody who helped in organising what was a great event. We are already looking forward to the 2018 Mass Brass!

We had our annual trip to Blackpool last Sunday for the North West Area Contest. We had a late start to the day due to the third section not beginning until 3pm. Drawn 15th we took to the stand to provide our rendition of Darkwood composed by Dan Price. It would be fair to say that the acoustics in the Arena took us by surprise but after an uncomfortable start, we produced a great performance to be proud of. Steve Pritchard-Jones and Glyn Williams, the adjudicators in the box on the day, commented that the acoustics and conditions were difficult and also stated: "We very nearly heard two performances for the price of one as the band sound bounced around". The results were announced around 7pm and we were awarded fourth place and first reserve for the National Finals in Cheltenham. Although a fantastic result for us - it would have been great to have gone to the Finals.


As a band we are really proud of how much we have progressed over our two years in the third section. Our last four results include a 1st, a 3rd, a 2nd and a 4th and there is definitely a feel-good factor going round the band room.

As usual we would like to pass on our congratulations to everyone that managed to qualify for the National Finals! Special mentions go to Milnrow on their amazing second place, Delph with third and their qualification as well as our neighbours Boarshurst on their respective fourth place in the second section.

We began our 2016/17 contest season with a podium finish at Rochdale Town Hall. We were drawn first in our section and chose to play The Lion and the Rose by Philip Wilby. We left stage feeling we had given a good account of the 2017 chosen Butlins testpiece. With a third place and some constructive remarks from the adjudicator we feel in good stead for the upcoming January contest!

Just a reminder, it is our October Flea Market this coming Sunday (30/10). It would be great to see you there supporting the band!

The band were proud to be asked to play at Durham Miners Gala for the first time. After a 3am start to our Saturday morning we left the band room in high spirits to head to Washington, Durham. Representing Usbech Top and Gleve Collieries, we marched through the streets at 7am, waking up the bleary-eyed local residents, with renditions of Great Escape and Uptown Funk. After this we had another short bus ride into the centre of Durham to meet up with all the other collieries and their bands. We marched through the packed city centre, before stopping to play our chosen piece, The Blues Brothers, Everybody Needs Somebody. Watching were politicians, ex mine-workers and other muscians and after a great reception we carried on to the meeting point. After leaving our instuments we left to explore Durham and its drinking establishments. A few hours passed and we met back up with our colliery to march back through the packed city. Another short bus ride had us back in Washington where we were welcomed with a buffet and karaoke. At about 7pm we left to head back to Greenfield after a really enjoyable, memorable day. We must have made a good impression as we've already been booked for next years gala!

We were pleased to be asked once again to take part in the annual Whit Monday Walks in Manchester City Centre. It is one of the bands favourite jobs of the year as we march the length Deansgate alongside many other musical outfits. A service is held in St. Ann's Square in which the band play the National Anthem to close before we march back to the church. Our next concert is this coming Sunday (05/06) at Uppermill Conservative Club. We hope to see you there!

We had our most successful Whit Friday in the bands history (and also one of the wettest!). Our day began at 9.30am as we marched down Shaw Hall Bank Road in Greenfield to Hail Smiling Morn alongside Friezland and Lydgate churches. Meeting up with the other churches and their bands in Uppermill park, we had time for a quick drink whilst the service was carried out. We marched back negotiating the other brass bands, roundabouts and speed bumps playing crowd-pleasing marches including: Slaidburn, True and Trusty and Death or Glory. We then had a couple of hours break to get a bite to eat before meeting up again for a quick rehearsal at 3.30pm. We arrived at our first contest, Friezland, and were the first band to play for adjudicator Terry Newbigging. Despite 47 other challengers, nobody could beat our performance and we scooped the overall prize! Leaving Friezland we continued to Carrbrook, Mossley, Lees, Scouthead, Lydgate, Uppermill and finally Greenfield. As well as winning Friezland off the number 1 spot, we also gained best local at Uppermill and 10th overall, won the 3rd section prize at Scouthead and 13th overall, 2nd best 3rd section band at Lees and 16th overall and finally 2nd best 2nd section band at Greenfield as well as 14th overall out of a record 72 band turnout. An amazing set of results for us beating some top bands on the night! 

We must also thank our fantastic head chef Mavis Vizard and her team for working so hard making and selling sandwiches, hot food, and cakes all night! 

Our congratulations go out to all other prize winners on what was a fantastic (and quite wet) Whit Friday!

On Sunday we took a trip over the hill to Holmfirth contest. Drawn third we chose to play the hymn tune Lloyd from the red book and the test piece Oceans by Goff Richards. We came off stage feeling proud of our performance given we had only had about three weeks to get it up to scratch. We won 2nd best hymn tune performance, outstanding conductor, best percussion section, best trombone section and 1st overall in the joint 3rd and 4th section contest! Congratulations to all the other prize winners! 

Back into the band room on Thursday to start Whit Friday preperation!

Band Chairman Martin Brown and Treasurer Geoff Whatmough have retired after 29 years' service to the band. On Saturday we held our annual St. George's concert at the Conservative Club and had a presentation to thank both for all their hard work over the years. 

On Sunday we took our annual trip to the Winter Gardens in Blackpool for the North-West Area Contest. Fresh from our success at Butlins we were full of confidence ahead of our performance in the infamous ballroom. As a band we felt we delivered a great performance of Michael Ball's test piece; A Cambrian Suite. We also received positive comments from 4 bars rest: 'An intriguing one (performance) full of style, musical character that just may be a contender today, who knows, but the first in a while to make an impact'. The British Bandsman also stated: 'One of the best so far from Greenfield Band. Well read by the MD and the band plays with rhythm, dynamics, control and style.' Both sources also predicted us to finish in the top 3 and so it was with some disappointment when we found out we were placed 8th overall. In retrospect it was a positive top half result for us, improving on last years 11th place. We are now looking forward to Holmfirth contest at the end of April!

Our congratulations also go to all the bands who qualified to go to Cheltenham over the weekend with special mentions to our neighbours Boarshurst!

After weeks of preperation, hard work and extra rehearsals we were rewarded with second place at the 2016 Butlins Mineworkers contest. Drawn 11th in our section, we had time for a rehearsal before we took to the stage. As a band we felt proud of the performance we delivered and this was echoed in the adjudicators remarks. Barry Thompson and Peter Roberts who oversaw the 15 competitors, told 4BR that: "...only the top two really got to grips with Paul Lovatt-Cooper's colourful 'Platform to the Heavens'. It proved to be a good choice, but in truth only the top two really got near it." We're now looking forward to the area contest at the end of February and hope to continue our winning ways!