THE NEWSLETTER OF CRYSTAL PALACE BAND

Issue: 10 (Winter 2004/5)
Happy New Year! After a highly successful year Crystal Palace Band is now looking forward to 2005, and whatever it holds for us. We’ve just finished our last Christmas concert, our annual Epiphany concert at St Michael’s church in Sydenham and have packed away the tinsel in our cases for another year. Highlights of 2004 included the Whit Friday marches, visiting BB Imperial Lenzburg in Switzerland, playing at our favourite seaside resorts such as Broadstairs and appearing on the ITV trailer for Parkinson. It was great to end the year on such a high point – the gala concert at St Bartholomew’s, which was another roaring success. So here’s to 2005 – may it be prosperous and successful for us all!
Band News

  • The band was missing a vital player over the Christmas season – Roger Clements. Roger has not been at band for a while now, and it’s just not the same without him. All our thoughts are with him and his wife, Janet, and we hope to see them both again soon.
  • Crystal Palace Band has another email address! We now have an even simpler one to remember: mail@crystalpalaceband.co.uk – and don’t forget to visit our website which is regularly updated with our news and performance dates.
  • Congratulations are in order for Nicci Maher (tenor horn) who has just passed her driving test. Rumours that she will soon be taking her Public Service Vehicle licence to take the band to and from contests have so far proved to be unfounded. Well done, Nicci!

Crystal Palace Band raises over £1,400 for St Christopher’s Hospice!

After the success of last year’s concert the band was concerned that this year’s gala concert would be a disappointment – but we needn’t have worried. Over £1,400 was raised for St Christopher’s Hospice, and with recent sales of CDs of the concert, the money is still pouring in.

On Saturday 4 December, Crystal Palace Band was joined by the Beckenham Youth Voices and Junior Choir under the musical direction of John Webber, to perform a variety of festive music which included movements from Bach’s Orchestral Suite in D, and the popular ‘Walking In The Air’. Soloists Emma Gray and William Spencer joined the band for a rousing performance of ‘Let The Bright Seraphim’ and the finale of ‘A Christmas Holiday Festival’ was as spectacular as ever.

If you are interested in obtaining a CD of the performance these are now available, for a small donation of £5 to St Christopher’s Hospice, from the editor (contact details overleaf). They are an ideal way to remember a fantastic evening!

Fixtures 2004

Sunday 13th February SCABA Quartet/Ensemble Contest, Ringmer
Sunday 20th March L&S Counties Regional Contest, Stevenage
Saturday 23rd April St. George's Day Celebrations, Penge
Sunday 24th April SCABA Spring Contest, Hove Town Hall
Sunday 10th July Broadstairs Bandstand, Victoria Parade
Sunday 4th September Central Bandstand, Herne Bay

Stanley Mackney

The band is sad to announce that Stanley Mackney, a much loved member of the B Band, passed away in November. The band was proud to be asked to play at his funeral, which was held at Streatham Vale Cemetery. We hope that we gave him a fitting send off. Here, fellow cornet player Basil Preuveneers shares his memories of Stan with us.

“It is now some time since our dear friend Stan passed away but we still miss him. He was a really great friend and many band members came along to play at his funeral, showing the very high esteem in which he was held.

He was the first person I ever met when I joined the band and his cheery welcome made me feel very comfortable. He always seemed to me to be one of the most jovial people I have ever met - he was always happy to see you and always had a cheerful word. If he ever felt unhappy or downhearted, he certainly never showed it. I think that everyone who ever came into contact with him felt richer for the experience.

He was always great company on our band trips and a great supporter at all our concerts. He was a keen cornet player himself, although I regret to say that, whilst he was one of the keenest players I have ever met, he was certainly one of the worst. He would frequently say to me at the training band - "D is 1 and 3, isn't it? I always forget that one". He kept a little crib sheet on his music stand with the valve numbers on it to remind himself.

He was an extremely strong man with an excellent physique. As a builder, he had certainly looked after himself and was still able to help out with building jobs right up to the end of his life. He was very cagey about his age and said to me once that he liked to keep his age quiet, because "once people knew how old you are, they treat you as old". This is advice which I will certainly use myself. He will also be remembered as never one to make a fuss about anything. On one band trip - France I believe - a dog came up to him and for no reason at all, bit him. This was laughed off by everyone including himself as hugely funny but in fact it was quite a serious bite and many people would have made a great deal of fuss over such a serious injury. As to Stan, he never mentioned it again except when we reminded him about the incident.

He was a great friend and a loyal supporter of the band. He will be greatly missed by us all.”
If you wish to contact the editor, please do so via the following ways:
clarelipscombe@hotmail.com or ring Clare Lipscombe on 020 8778 6778. If you have a general band enquiry (e.g. you would like to join the band, or would like to book the band) please contact the Secretary, Rachel Bleach, on 020 8776 2520, or mail@crystalpalaceband.co.uk - or visit the website, www.crystalpalaceband.co.uk The views expressed in this newsletter are the personal views of the Editor and are not necessarily that of Crystal Palace Band. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced in any way, including on websites, without the express permission of the Editor. © January 2005