Page 7 - Thrapston Life July 2024

Championships of Great Britain which will take place in Cheltenham in September.
It is an expensive business getting a band to the ‘Nationals’ so in the meantime we are working hard to raise funds. Later in the year the band will be hosting an Oompah Night at Ringstead Village Social Club.
What brings you joy? Obviously, it is amazing to have secured the recent contest wins that we have however what really brings us joy is achieving the best performance we can at any given time whether that is on a contest stage, a concert venue or a village fete. There
is nothing like the cheers and applause from
an appreciative audience who have
enjoyed our music.
Something people don’t know about you? People often ask us whether the players in the band are paid and the answer is ‘No’, every member of the band gives their time for free. The monies we charge for events all goes into keeping the band running.
Who inspires you? As a team we are very grateful for the leadership of our highly talented and hardworking Musical Director, Nathan Waterman. He motivates and encourages us to be the best players we can be and to achieve the best performance we can as an ensemble.
How often do you rehearse? We rehearse twice a week on a Monday and Thursday, 7.30pm at Ringstead Village Social Club.
Can anybody join the band? Anyone can come along and learn how to play a brass instrument. We offer beginners lessons to anyone from the age of 8 to 80+.
Are you looking for new members? We are
we can longer claim to be a ‘Temperance” band
always happy to talk to existing brass players or people who are looking to learn how to play a brass instrument.
Do you charge for playing at events?
The band charges a standard fee for engagements at events which is set annually at the AGM. The band does perform a number of civic duties for the
One other fact that people also often don’t realise is that we do not have trumpets in our band. Brass bands are comprised of a soprano cornet, Bb cornets, a flugel horn, tenor horns, baritone horns, euphoniums, tenor trombones, a bass trombone, Eb and Bb basses and a percussion section.
town free of charge such as Remembrance Day. Is there a social side to the band? The band is
very friendly and we enjoy socialising together after rehearsal and events. We have to admit we can no longer claim to be a ‘Temperance” band. We do organise various social events throughout the year. www.thrapstontownband.co.uk
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