10.11.08 - Dobcross Silver announces new MD!!
Dobcross Silver Band are delighted to announce the appointment of Grenville Moore as our new MD. Following the departure of Dennis Hadfield, a new full-time MD was needed and Grenville has stepped up and took on the role. Grenville, a former player of the band told '4 Bars Rest': "I am really looking forward to continuing the rebuilding process and proud to be associated with this great set-up. These are exciting times for the band. We do have a few empty seats and would welcome interest from players old and new." We would like to give Grenville a huge welcome as we look forward to a successful future.
Also we would like to thank Dennis Hadfield for his 7 years service. Dennis has been a great asset to the band and we have had some fantastic times during his spell here. Dennis is a very talented conductor and we have thoroughly enjoyed playing under him. We would like to wish him the very best of luck in the future and thank him once again for his services.
30.10.08 - Goodbye and thankyou!
The Dobcross Silver Band would like to say goodbye and a huge thank you to Tom Haslam who has been the bands Principal Cornet player for the last 2 years but is now having to resign from the band due to other commitments. Tom has not only been an outstanding asset to the band with his quality playing abilities but he has been a huge help in the conducting side of things. He has helped tremendously in getting the band back on its feet and moving the band forward in positive steps. We would like to wish you all the happiness and success in the future and once again, thank you for your services.
09.09.08 - Brassed Off
Last week Dobcross Silver Band took part in Brassed Off at Oldham Coliseum. The band had an absolutely fantastic time and it was an experience they will never forget. The production was a huge success and the band even received standing ovations each night!
The other bands taking part in the play are Marsden Band, Mossley Band and Delph Band and will be running until September 27th.
The Manchester Evening News review said "There's something about a good brass band that stirs the soul and although there are four champion bands performing in rotation, including Delph, Mossley and Marsden, we were fortunate to hear the mellow tones of Dobcross who were on cracking form."
The Stage concluded their review with "Director Kevin Shaw keeps a tight hold of the play's elements of betrayal and redemption and, without ever over-sentimentalising, achieves a fine balance of tenderness and pathos, qualities that are underscored by the live brass band's mellow tones."
04.07.08 - Top Marks at Hebden Bridge!
On the 29th of June, Dobcross are very proud to announce that they won the 3rd section at the Hebden Bridge March & Hymn Tune Contest!
This is the band's first win since moving to the 3rd section and they are hoping this is the first of many victories to come!
The band marched up to the Chieftan and on the stand played the hymn Rimmington and the march Mephistopheles.
The full results for the contest are as follows:
Championship Section:
1. Blackburn & Darwen (Nick Shepperd)
2. United Co-op Milnrow (John Ward)
First/Second Section:
1. Clifton & Lightcliffe (John Clay)
2. Holme Silver (Duncan Beckley)
Third Section:
1. Dobcross Silver (Dennis Hadfield)
2. Boarshurst Silver (Greenfield) (David W Ashworth)
Fourth Section:
1. Uppermill Band (Alan Widdop)
2. Clifton & Lightcliffe B (John Clay)
Youth Section:
1. Wardle High School (Lee Rigg)
Best Hymn Tune: United Co-op Milnrow.
Deportment: Boarshurst Silver (Greenfield)
Best Youth Instrumentalist: Soprano Cornet, Wardle High School
"That was like Mephi on speed!"
11.06.08 - Welcomes and Goodbyes!
Dobcross Silver Band would like to welcome some new members to the band.
Firstly Chris Hoyle, Frazer Hadfield and Scott Cooper have joined the band on front row. Kathryn Pickford joins the band on solo horn and Matthew Pickford has joined on solo euphonium. Dobcross would also like to welcome Rick Jaeger and Mike Hoyle on BBb bass.
The band would like to say goodbye to George Adamson and Rob Sankey.
12.05.08 - AGM
Dobcross Silver Band will be holding their AGM on Monday 19th May at 8pm at the Dobcross Band Club.
14.03.08 - Area Contest 2008
After missing the Area Contest last year, competing in it this year was just a distant dream to the members of Dobcross Band. However, it seems the hard work paid off and Dobcross once again made the trip to Blackpool Winter Gardens for a weekend of beer and banding!
This year marked a change to Dobcross, with the drop from Championship Section to 3rd Section, which certainly sparked some interest from local bandsmen to say the least!! However, the new team of players and the great enthusiasm that they share let them ignore what others were thinking and concentrate on their performance at the Area.
The band, after a year of not competing managed to achieve a very respectable 10th place out of a massive 20 bands with 171 points playing Paul Lovatt-Cooper's Dark Side of the Moon.
www.4barsrest.com said about the band:
"Dobcross Silver has been through some turbulent times of late but this very young band delivered a good show and could perhaps count themselves a touch unlucky not to have finished slightly higher than 10th. There was so much potential in their playing that despite the obvious weaknesses you sensed that it will only be a matter of time before they will find themselves in the winners enclosure here."
26.02.08 - Dobcross Silver Fighting Fit Again
Dobcross Silver Band would like to announce signings for the area contest.
After a turbulent year in 2006 nearly culminating in the band having no members, 2007 has seen the band rebuild significantly. Only one player, Susan Whitby, a member for the last 30 years, remains from the Championship Band that sat 5th in the North West in from 2003 - 2007.
The band is now made up of people of all ages from Rhys Taylor, percussionist aged 8 and brother Kieran, 3rd cornet, aged 9 to members in their 50s who wish to remain nameless.
Recent signings include the entire Taylor Family the two boys mentioned earlier and their mum Janet, bumper up and Dad, Howard on BBb Bass.
Sop player, 14 year old Ben Halstead from Oldham Music Centre, 2nd Cornets Rachel Hall and Liz Black from Stockport Schools and Diggle B band respectively and Kieran, mentioned above and Hannah Harrison from Littleborough Band, along with Susan Whitby and Tom Haslam make up the Cornet Section.
Jodie Senior from Dobcross Youth has joined on Flugel horn after a 12 month absence from playing.
The Tenor Horns are Kate Stevenson who joined from Dobcross Youth early last year along with Helen Frost who has returned to playing after a seven year break.
The Baritones are brothers Steven and Michael Cavanagh who play for Stockport Schools Brass Band as well.
George Adamson, a previous member of Soham Old Comrades Band joined on Solo Euphonium after an absence of 6 years playing and was soon after joined by James Brooks on 2nd euphonium from Diggle B Band.
Solo Trombone, Rob Sankey arrived from Oldham Brass after an absence from playing and has been joined by Georgina Wright from Littleborough Band on 2nd Trombone.
The Bass Team are Paul Conchie EEb and Howard Taylor BBb and Percussionist Rhys Taylor make the line-up of permanent members.
We would like to express our thanks to several people who have come out of retirement or are willing to help the band go to the area contest, namely:-
Jack Gardner, Alan Ball, Steve Bradnum, Rob Savage, Neil Hewson, Simon Pymm and Eleanor Chester.
Musical Director, Dennis Hadfield had this to say,
"We are very proud of the way things have turned out over previous months. The focus was to get Dobcross Silver back on an even keel and attending this years area contests.
An amazing amount of hard work has gone in to achieve this and we hope that we can continue this after the area contest and we're looking forward to a brighter future. I would personally like to thank everyone involved in keeping this incredible band going."
The Committee and the Musical Director would like wish all the other bands going to the area contest this year the Best of Luck.
25.11.07 - New Look Dobcross Website
The new look dobcross website is now up and running, expect full player profiles up within the next 2 weeks with thier own personal touch. A full list of engagements is available. If you need to contact the band please email mail@dobcrosssilverband.co.uk.
17.09.07 - New Faces
The band would like to welcome a number of new players. Firstly Tom Haslam, who joins us on principal cornet. Mike Brooks, Kieran Taylor and Liz Black all join us on the back row and on the horns we welcome Helen Frost, Kate Stevenson and Janet Taylor . On the euphoniums and baritones we welcome George Adamson, James Brooks , Steven Cavanagh and Michael Cavanagh. We also welcome Rob Sankey on the trombone and Paul Conchie, James Kerr, Howard Taylor and Matt Wain on the basses. We also welcome our youngest player Rhys Taylor aged just 8 on percussion.
26.06.07 - Dobcross Silver Band back on its feet!!
Dobcross have suffered after losing a number of key players recently and after a few months hard work the band are glad to announce that the band are back in business! Apart from a few vacancies the band are back in fighting shape and would like to thank the local bands for all their support to the band over the last few months, especially Boarshurst Band, Wardle Anderson Brass, Oldham Band (Lees), Hawk Green Marple Band, Stalybridge Brass Band and Middleton Band.