Trombonist Rich Sharp takes on a weightlifting challenge
Rich has set himself a target of lifting 260,000Ib of weight in the gym over 26 days as part of the #26forSoph.
Sophie Ward joined the Royal Marines Service in 2020 and served as a flute and saxophone player in the Collingwood Band. Last year concerns were raised about her health and after lengthy investigations Sophie was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, she is only 26. She has been resilient and defiant of her diagnosis but deterioration is alarming.
Rich, alongside other members of the RMBS, are undertaking individual or group challenges with money raised going to the Royal Marines Charity (RMA), Dorothy House Hospice Care and the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
Rich's fundraising page can be found here. Good luck Rich!
GOSPORT
HEADED TO THE
'WILD, WILD WEST!'
8 June 2024
Hitting the frontier town of Gosport on Saturday night, the Band presented a concert of music from The Wild West, transporting the audience to the era of cowboys, outlaws and wide-open plains and it went down a storm!
Huge hits from classic Western films, such as The Magnificent Seven, The Big Country and How The West Was Won, and pieces from South of the border, including Malaguena, Mexican Hat Dance and Children of Sanchez, rang out over the crowd, with arrangements from Sheriff Phillip Littlemore and stand-up solos from Tracey Bennett (Principal Cornet), Bekki Collis (Flugel horn) and Les Yarrow (Euphonium).
The penultimate number from the band, The Lone Ranger, had the band smokin' at their fingertips as they sped rapidly through the notes to produce a finale which gained them a standing ovation with the audience.
The theme from Rawhide was delivered by the band as their Encore, and even had the wonderful front of house crew dancing their boots off in the foyer.
This was an unforgettable rootin’, tootin’ Wild West Show by Gosport Solent Brass!
'LAMP LIGHTS OF PEACE' FOR D DAY 80
6 June 2024
Gosport Solent Brass took part in the town’s D Day 80 beacon lighting event last Thursday, 6th June.
Marking the 80th anniversary of Allied Forces mounting the largest amphibious invasion the world has ever seen in 1944. Around 4,000 ships and landing craft set down over 130,000 troops on five Normandy beaches, in action that would bring about the liberation of north-west Europe from Nazi occupation. Stokes Bay and Hardway were chosen as embarkation points for tanks and support vehicles destined for Normandy.
Gosport, along with many other towns and cities across the country, took part in the national beacon lighting at 9.15pm, in celebration of the 'light of peace' that came out of the darkness of the war. The beacon was sited on the slipway opposite Stokes Bay Sailing Club. The Mayor of Gosport, Councillor Richard Earle, lit the beacon (at the second attempt) as the National Tribute was read by Mrs Arabella Birdwood DL, representing the Lord-Lieutenant.
The band preceded the beacon lighting with a 45-minute programme of music with an obvious 1940s theme which included Colonel Bogey March, A Vera Lynn Medley (White Cliffs of Dover, Bless ‘em All and We’ll Meet Again), As Time Goes By, Soldiers in the Park and The Dambusters.
'TRIPTYCH' IN TORQUAY
9 March 2024
On Saturday 9th March the band headed to Torquay to take part in the annual West of England brass band contest, playing Philip Sparke’s “Triptych” in the 2nd Section, against 14 other talented bands from across the South West.
Drawn lucky number 7 the band produced a confident, well rounded account of the piece which was brought to life with an excellent reading from MD Philip Littlemore. The band really enjoyed getting to grips with this piece and it clearly showed in the end result, with the adjudicators in agreement and awarding the band with 3rd place.
The band will now once again be heading to Cheltenham in September after securing another invitation to the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain lower section finals and can not wait to find out what the test piece will be. Another achievement will see Gosport Solent Brass promoted to the 1st section in January for the very first time since it was formed in 2011.
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
12 November 2023
The Band had the privilege of playing for the Gosport Civic Remembrance Service which took place outside the Gosport War Memorial Hospital.
Our very own solo horn player Mark Rooke had the honour of playing the Last Post and Reveille.
'We Will Remember Them'
DISCO INFERNO - OH, WHAT A NIGHT!
7 October 2023
What a fantastic night! Our Autumn concert of 60’s and 70’s classics was a smash hit with the local Gosport community, and the band certainly got into the groove!
Donning their party gladrags the band entertained the crowd with some smash hits from the 60’s and 70’s including tracks from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, 60’s Eurovision medley, and many more. The soloists were fantastic too, four of our principal seat players stood up to take the floor throughout the programme, this included our solo cornet -Tracey, flugelhorn -Bekki, solo horn -Mark and solo euphonium, Les.
The night was a great success and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
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