Lyme Regis Town Band

This annual church service in the parish church is attended by the Mayor and members and officials of the town council.

As in other years the band this year accompanied the hymns and the National Anthem. We always enjoy this occasion, providing as it does an opportunity to play alongside the magnificent new church organ, expertly played by Alex Davies. It is a thrilling sound to hear the combined forces of band, organ and congregation participating together in great hymns like Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer and All People That On Earth Do Dwell.

The band also played Beethoven’s Romance, Amazing Grace and All Though the Night as voluntaries before, during and after the service.

The band enjoyed a fantastic day of musicmaking and inter-band mingling at the recent workshop presided over by the hugely talented Rod Starr. Players from Lyme band were joined by others from Wellington Silver Band, Chard Concert Brass, Weymouth Concert Band, Honiton Band, St Swithun’s Band, Bridport and Durnovaria Silver Band, Dorchester – some forty musicians in all, including an encouraging number of youngsters. We played, we laughed, we ate and we listened to Rod’s entertaining repartee. The standard of playing Rod got out of us was testimony to his expertise at direction and conducting.

Highlight of the day was surely the inaugural performance of General at Sea: read more about the background to the piece and about Rod Starr in recent posts below, where also will be found a link to a recording of the march.

At the end of a thrilling day of fun and music our chairman presented Rod with a framed photograph of the band.

We hope you’ll come back to Lyme soon for a repeat performance, Rod.

Our new secretary Sandra and her husband represented the band at the recent gathering of Lyme’s organisations, civic officials and worthies hosted by the Mayor. It is a good opportunity for sectors of the town to meet together in a non-business atmosphere and, additionally, in the band’s case, an important chance to foster a positive friendship with ‘he who pays the piper’ on summer Sunday afternoons!

The band is hugely looking forward to its forthcoming day-long workshop on May 4th, led by conductor and composer Rod Starr. Rod brings a wealth of experience creating, directing, teaching and performing music and the band is in for a real treat.

Rod has written a march for the band entitled ‘General at Sea’ dedicated to Colonel Robert Blake who is often referred to as the ‘Father of the Royal Navy’. As well as being largely responsible for building the largest navy the country had then ever known, from a few tens of ships to well over a hundred, Blake also produced the navy’s first ever set of rules and regulations, The Laws of War and Ordinances of the Sea. His Sailing instructions and Fighting Instructions, which were major overhaul of naval tactics written while recovering from injury in 1653, were the foundation of English naval tactics in the age of sail. Blake’s association with Lyme Regis is that he played a leading role in holding the town when it was besieged in the civil war. Rod’s march is also dedicated to the Lyme Regis Town Band.

The workshop will begin at 10.30. Brass players and bands from the area are most welcome to join us – please let us know by April 6th, via this website, if you would like to come. There will be no charge and lunch will be provided.

More about Roderick R Starr M.Mus LRAM FISM

Roderick grew up in Winchester where he developed his love of music in and around Winchester College and St Cross. He initially studied the organ under Isadore Harvey and later general music under Ernest Stride and David Squibb in Kent when he joined the Royal Marines School of Music and from where he developed as a composer and conductor. He went on to become a Bandmaster and a Director of Music. He studied harmony and composition under Michael Hurd and later 20th Century composition with Martin Ellerby.

He has been commissioned to compose works ranging from Christmas carols to large symphonic pieces. The West Leigh Trust commissioned Roderick to compose a large work for mixed children’s choir, treble soloist, two pianos and percussion which he based on the story of Rumpelstiltskin and in 2013 the Waterlooville Music Festival commissioned him to compose a large scale work for Symphonic Wind Band which he entitled Scherzo Grandoise. The“Chiure de Vent” society in Lille, France, honoured him with an award for his Shifting Sands wind band composition.

Roderick currently lives in Emsworth, near Chichester from where he composes music and teaches for Associated Board Theory examinations. He was the organist of St Mary’s Church, Chidham before taking up the post of Director of Music and Organist of St George’s Church Waterlooville. He is particularly honoured to be successor to his late wife Stella who held this post before him.

Roderick is a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music in conducting. He holds a Masters Degree in 20th Century Composition and is a Fellow of the Incorporated Society of Musicians.

At their recent Annual General Meeting, chaired by Band President, Councillor Owen Lovell, band members appointed David Tozer as their Musical Director.  David is taking over from Brian Scott who has decided to step down from this role after several years’ loyal service.  David is a talented and popular member of the band who was recently presented with the Gordon Broom Award, which acknowledges his outstanding contribution to the band.

At the meeting it was also reported that Gilly Warr is relinquishing the post of Secretary after many years in this role.  She was thanked for her hard work, which had contributed greatly to the smooth running of the band.  Gilly’s replacement is local resident, Mrs Sandra Evans, who has volunteered her considerable admin skills to the band, and she was warmly welcomed.

Other officers and committee members were appointed for the ensuing year with Paul Snowball continuing as Chairman, Adrian Pearson as Treasurer and John Warr as Librarian.  Debbie Woehrle was appointed as Vice Chairman, Adrian agreed to take on the role as Conductor, with Ellis Holt taking over as Musical Director for the Training Band. Committee members were confirmed as Robert Crabbe, Lynne Greenfield, John Hallett, Catherine Lancaster, Geoff Poulton, Steve Topp  and Kathy Smith. As a registered charity the band is required to appoint two Trustees and John Evans and Derek Hallett agreed to continue in this role and the Chairman expressed the band’s gratitude to them for their support.

In his report to the meeting the Chairman, Paul Snowball, congratulated band members on the success of their weekly concerts held on Marine Parade throughout the summer months and he also referred to the recent Christmas Concert, which had been well attended and greatly enjoyed by all concerned.

Finally Brian announced the winners of his two awards.  Solo cornet player Catherine Lancaster received the Bandmaster’s Award for the most improved player and the Musical Director’s Award, for the band member who “goes the extra mile”, went to Gilly Warr.

Councillor Lovell brought the meeting to a close by thanking the band for their hard work throughout the year wishing them every success in the future.