Aurora

Fishburn Band recorded their second CD "Aurora" in June 2003 at Mickleton Village Hall, Mickleton, County Durham once again working alongside Brian Hillson from B & H Sound Services Limited. The release of the CD in December 2003 was in preparation for the Band's 50th Anniversary in 2004. Audrey Gill was the driving force once again behind the project, liaising closely with Brian to ensure all arrangements were in place ensuring a smooth operation over the weekend of recording.

Music on the CD includes a wide variety of pieces that capture all aspects of this important event for the band and local community alike. Selected for inclusion in this entertaining CD is 'Tallis Variations' by Philip Sparke - this was the test piece at the British Open Brass Band Championship 83rd Spring Festival Grand Shield contest in May 2003 where Fishburn Band achieved a very creditable 4th place in a strong field of 21 Bands from across the UK.

The title of the CD 'Aurora' was thought of by Trombone player and committee member, Paul White. The Oxford English Dictionary describes Aurora as being 'Luminous Electrical Radiation from Northern (borealis) Magnetic Pole' This can be best described and is more commonly known as 'Northern Lights' A most appropriate choice of title for the 50th anniversary CD of Fishburn Band. The CD cover depicts the 'Angel of the North', the picture and subsequent design being produced by Band members Neil Simpson and Tom Soron. Again, the choice of sleeve design compliments the choice of title and emphasises the standing of Fishburn Band in the 'world of banding'

AND THE BAND PLAYED ON

LONDONDERRY AIR

CORNET SOLO - ZIG ZAG (SOLOIST JOHN GILL)

LI'L DARLIN'

BEST OF BOND

HORN SOLO - ANNIE LAURIE (SOLOIST JILLIAN DIXON)

GAUDETE

I'LL WALK WITH GOD

MALAGUENA

10.

TITANIC

11.

HORA STACATTO

12.

TROMBONE SOLO - STARDUST (SOLOIST MALCOLM GILL)

13.

TALLIS VARIATIONS

FEATURED SOLOISTS:

JOHN GILL CORNET SOLO 'ZIG-ZAG'

John has been a member of Fishburn Band since 1982 and has sat Principal Cornet since 1990. He commenced playing whilst at school in Hartlepool, aged 14, under the tuition of Russ Nicholson and Bill Buckley. Contesting began with Hartlepool Youth Band, followed by Blackhall Colliery and then the Head Wrightson Works Band (Middlesbrough Brass). When it came to selecting a solo to perform on the CD, John chose to play the lesser-known technically difficult cornet solo 'Zig-Zag', which was recently revived and bought for John to play by Dougie Cairns (an ex-Fishburn Band bass player). A hard working member of the Band, in February 2001 John was responsible for designing and building the 'award winning' Fishburn Band website www.fishburnband.co.uk and is also the Chairman of the Fishburn Band Fantasy Football League. John is married to Audrey (granddaughter of Bill Buckley, who first taught him to play at school), who also plays cornet for Fishburn. They have two children, Alison and Kieran.

JILLIAN DIXON HORN SOLO 'ANNIE LAURIE'

Jillian started her banding career on trombone at the age of 7 under the guidance of horn player Colin Adamson. Her first taste of contesting, however, was at the age of 14 with Harton and Westoe Colliery Band, where she followed in her great, great-grandad's footsteps, as 60 years previously he had also been a member of the band in the days of the great Jack Mackintosh. While at University, Jillian was a member of Hull City Youth Band playing flugel horn before returning to Harton and Westoe in 1985. Employment in the Police Force precluded Jillian from contesting 'full-time', but in 1990 she joined Newcastle Brown Ale Band, spending 3 years on flugel and 6 years on Solo Horn. It was following a very brief period within the ranks of Ever Ready that Jillian joined the Fishburn Band horn section. Jillian had grown up in a house filled with Scottish and Irish folk music and so the decision to play Adrian Drover's beautiful jazzy arrangement of 'Annie Laurie' was a natural choice of solo to show-off Jillian's tonal qualities.

MALCOLM GILL TROMBONE SOLO 'STARDUST'

Malcolm joined Fishburn Band in September 1997 on Principal Trombone and was soon impressing adjudicators by winning solo prizes at many contests. His playing career however commenced some 20 years prior to that date, performing with both brass and dance bands in the North East area. At the age of 13, Malcolm started his contesting with the Amoco Band and has since been a member of Consett Whitbread and Boldon Colliery. Malcolm's influences in playing have been the charismatic John Pollard and the great Tommy Dorsey. It is this influence that allows Malcolm to give such a laid-back rendition of the beautiful solo 'Stardust', which captures the mood of the music and shows off Malcolm's great flair and prowess for this style of playing.

AURORA - Fishburn Band's CD costs £10 (plus £1 p&p)

Available from Band Members or contact

Audrey 01429 297019

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This page was last updated on: 26/8/2017

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~ AURORA ~

FISHBURN BAND ~ MUSICAL DIRECTOR GRAHAM O'CONNOR

Soprano Cornet

Principal Solo Cornet

Solo Cornets

Repiano Cornet

Second Cornet

Third Cornet

Flugel Horn

Solo Horn

First Horn

Second Horn

Solo Euphonium

2nd Euphonium

Solo Baritone

Second Baritone

Solo Trombone

Second Trombone

Bass Trombone

E Flat Bass

B Flat Bass

Percussion

Malcolm Usher

John Gill

John White Paul Kerry Tim Pratt

Helen Gill

Andrew Nicholson Audrey Gill

Andrea White Len Potts Tom Soron

Patrick Garner

Jillian Dixon

Steven Hardy

John Youll

Jeff Bell

Neil Simpson

Caroline Bell

Neil Parkin

Malcolm Gill

Paul White

Paul Robinson

Anthony Taylor Philip Rosier Sarah Waters

Keith Hepworth David Long

Kevin Franey Ashley Durrant Carole Bell Rachel Dickinson

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS/THANKS:

Brian Hillson & staff, B & H Sound Services

Audrey Gill, CD co-ordinator and booklet design

David Hutchinson, Mickleton Village Hall

Stewart Wilson

Cliff Linsley

Ronnie Bannister

Lorna, Myra & Sheena, LMS Catering

John & Pat Parkin

Billy Elliott and Members of the Band Supporters Group

The people of Fishburn for their continued support

Paul White, for his inspired choice of title for the CD

Neil Simpson and Tom Soron, for their CD picture design

Click here to see photographs of the recording weekend