* A recent picture of Llangollen Silver Band playing in Castle Street.
* The band in its earliest days as it passes along Bridge Street near
the Royal Hotel.
Llangollen Silver Band had played
without a break since 1904, until the Covid restrictions stopped them in their
tracks.
But they’re now up and running again
and on the lookout for new blood of any age to help keep them in tune for at
least another century.
The band is of an important part
of life in the town and involved in all
its major events plus many more besides.
Spokesperson Bob Lube, himself a
player of many years’ standing, said: “When you join the band you will receive
a very warm welcome and the loan of an instrument for as long as you are a
member. There are also free music lessons, and a uniform.
“It’s a great hobby and you’ll get
lots of enjoyment out of meeting and entertaining a wide range of people. There
are at present three former members of the band making a living by playing in
military bands.
“We perform mostly in north Wales
but we’ve also appeared in the neighbouring areas of England such as Cheshire
and Shropshire.”
Bob added: “We have three sections –
the senior band, which currently comprises about 15 accomplished players, the
youth band of about four members and five members in the training band.
“As with a lot of other groups, we
have young people joining us as children and then when they grow up they often
move away to go to university and things like that.
“So it would be good if we are able
to recruit more potential players aged eight and over to fill the gaps this
creates. It will give them a great skill they can take with them for the rest
of their lives.”
Regular
practice sessions for the seniors are held on Mondays from 7-8.30pm in the Band
Room in Parade Street, which underwent a £100,000 refurbishment in 2012 thanks
to outside grants and the band’s own fundraising.
The training band meet on a Friday
evenings from 6-7pm and the youth band gets together after the training band,
from 8-10pm.
But,
as Bob explained, it’s not just youngsters needed.
“We’re
also after more mature players. These might be people who have played an
instrument when they were younger, given it up but now want to get back into
it.
“Our motto is that music at the
heart of the community. We have a proud record of playing in and around
Llangollen for over 110 years and want to keep going for another century.”
* You can contact the band by using
their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/llangollensilverband