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PRESIDENT’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE  post-Tennant Concert  2021

Hello everyone, and may I say as President of Leyburn Band what a joy it is to be back “in business”. I was immensely proud of you all last night, you gave a wonderful concert and demonstrated your brilliant musicality, and well done to Beckie for demonstrating her marvellous conducting and compering skills. Also I would particularly like to thank all at Tennants for their unstinting support. My thanks to you all.

It has been a difficult year for all in the banding movement but there is light at the end of the tunnel although we are not yet out of the woods. I must pay credit to the wonderful attempts made by you all as band members in trying to keep going and so maintaining your high standards. I felt the concert was proof of your success.

Of course looking back over the last year including ‘lockdown’ we realise we have not been silent. We did 4 social distance videos, one of which got on Look North, and one of which was for the Great Yorkshire Show. These virtual performances took a huge amount of organizing and time, and we are grateful to everyone for the part they played.

We were also featured on Mark Forest’s feature The Joy Bringer on Scala Radio. This is when a particular piece of music has given people joy to listen to and is then played on air. He heard us playing our selection from Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang live at Wensleydale Show and used us in his feature.

This year we managed to do the Wensleydale Show and West Witton Feast live and the Octoberfest at Aysgarth Lodges.

One little point!  It is surprising how many people we ‘touch’ with our playing without our knowing. But sometimes we do get feedback and here are two messages we got following our playing:

I ran over Pen Hill today from West Burton in the most incredible sunny and misty conditions.

Just about to take the steep descent back to the village I heard music which took me by surprise. Stopping to listen I heard it to be the playing of a brass band drifting up from somewhere way down in the Dale. I sat down on the turf for five minutes , bright sun and perfect big view and just listened before setting off for my finish.  It was a perfect Yorkshire moment that I will never forget. I felt quite choked up sat there.

I now realise thanks to Google that it was Leyburn Band playing at Aysgarth Lodges.

AND

Dear Leyburn Brass Band

I watched and listened today at the show. Great performance. Lead cornetist was something rather special. What talent. 

John. Germany

It is good when our talented players and their playing is appreciated.

But it is good to play again for live concerts and in particular at our annual Christmas concert.

Our programme contained many of our Christmas favourites, which seems only right as we continue on our journey of music making.

We love to celebrate the Joy of Christmas with our music which helps us to remember the Love which came down at Christmas. But hearing the carols and music always lifts me up and fills me with wonder. I heard one story recently which has stayed with me. It is the Legend of the Fourth Wise Man.

According to tradition there were four wise men not three. The fourth one was late in getting to Bethlehem because he stopped to help a traveller in distress on the way. When he finally got there he found that the family had fled to Egypt to escape Herod. He followed and was late again getting there because he kept stopping to help people in trouble. He left Egypt and followed Mary, Joseph and the baby to Nazareth. But again he was held up and arrived too late.

He finally caught up with them in Jerusalem at the cross. He then saw the Messiah’s face and realized that he had seen that face before. The face he had spent a lifetime searching for, the face of Jesus he had seen in the faces of all the people he had helped on life’s highway.

On behalf of myself and the great Leyburn Band may I wish you a very Merry Christmas and the hope that the love and joy of Christmas be with you all and all those you love throughout the coming year.

 George M. Lundberg

President of Leyburn Band

21/12/21