News

Nene Valley Community Band appoint new Musical Director

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Nene Valley Community Band are pleased to announce that we have appointed Matt Haddock as our new musical director.
Sam Newman, our previous director, has moved on to pastures new with a teacher training position, and we wish him well in his future career.

Matt brings with him an impressive musical pedigree, having studied Music at the University of Chichester, and Post Graduate study at The Royal Academy of Music.
He studied Conducting under Michael Rose, Andre Previn and Bernard Haitink, and has worked in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France.

Having studied Music over two decades, he is a Senior Lecturer of Music and Composition and Head of Orchestral Study and teaches Woodwind, Piano and Voice at St Giles Music in Northampton.

He cannot wait to start with the Band and lead all of us on to ‘Great Things’.

News, Performances

NVCB record Lockdown tribute to NHS

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As one of our own in the band works in the ICU at Northampton General Hospital, the band got together online to put together our cover of ‘What a Wonderful World’. Thanks to the help of James Norden at http://upbeatimage.co.uk we’ve been able to produce this very professional looking video, which has already featured in the Northampton Chronicle.

Thanks to all in the band and to James for putting this all together!

Upcoming Events

Another year at the Northampton Umbrella Fair Festival – 20th & 21st August 2016

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Umbrella_fair_Northampton

And they’re at it again …

Nene Valley Community Band will be performing at the Umbrella Fair Festival again this year on the 21st of August 2016.  We’ll be returning with an expanded repertoire but the same variety of musical styles.  Although it’s peak holiday season, we’ll be there in numbers and make a good showing.

Unlike last year, when we performed a short set at lunch time, we’ll be on in the evening, playing from 7pm, and we’re looking forward to it immensely…

… and if you like what you hear, and if you have a wind instrument you want to play, come and talk to us after the set – whether you’re new to playing, haven’t played for years or play regularly, if you want to join a friendly Community Band, we’re just what you’ve been looking for …

News

Northampton Festival of the Performing Arts

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northampton festival of arts certificate of performance
Northampton Festival of Arts – Certificate of Performance awarded to NVCB – Nene Valley Community Band

Didn’t we have a loverley time …..

Sunday, 22nd May saw Nene Valley Community Band participating in the Northampton Festival of the Performing Arts for the first time.  It was ‘Brass’ day and we entered in the Orchestral Ensemble class, performing medleys from Pirates of the Caribbean, and Fiddler on the Roof.  John Berryman, the Adjudicator, was highly complementary about our performance, and also gave some very useful feedback so we know what to focus on to improve.  Andy Johnson, our Musical Director, will be studying that closely and making sure we pay attention to the details.

We weren’t the only show in town, though.  Our own Anna Langton played a solo on Euphonium, and then played a duet with James Dixon on trombone, and received positive feedback for both – and we must mention the Liberty Drum Corps, led by Dale Willis (alto sax with NVCB) who entered the Orchestral Ensemble class and came away with a very well deserved ‘Outstanding’.

Apart from those specific mentions, it was wonderful to hear all of the younger participants in ensembles, playing duets and solos.  We were very impressed by the skill, musicality (and sheer bravery) of the participants.  Will we be back next year? You bet!