(Modified 29/12/08)

Unfortunately we have to start this update with bad news. We did not manage to match our great result at Pontins 2007 this time round. Despite a good middle field draw of 11 and a solid performance of John McCabe's "Cloudcatcher Fells", the adjudicators didn't see it the same way and saw fit to award the band eighth place. Disappointing yes, but we came off stage pretty happy with our day's work on a piece that had many technical and stylistic pitfalls.

So, on with the positive! November was a quiet month for us (at last) but we did fulfill our usual engagement at the Mechanics Institute in Marsden for the Remembrance weekend. Along with our guest vocal soloist we entertained the audience with a good balance of patriotic music and wartime favourites.

December has seen 'Small Team' engagements at 'The Drop Inn' at Elland and 'The Shepherd's Rest' in Sowerby Bridge, where we entertained the regulars with a blend of standards and of course christmas carols! The other engagements along these lines included our popular Christmas engagements at Woodsome Hall Golf Club, providing background music for the diners in the grand hall before becoming 'wandering minstrels', offering several carols to the guests in each dining room. Our final ensemble concert was a new but local one to us. Around a hundred people ventured out into the cold of Sunday 14th to attend a Carol Concert held in Marsden Park. With the band playing from the well illuminated Bandstand, the hardy souls were rewarded with plenty of singing and refreshments of Mulled Wine and of course Mince Pies! Our refreshment came later when we returned to the bandroom - Brian and Edna's pie and peas! We did have to 'sing for our supper' though, rounding off the short concert given by our Youth and Training Bands with some carols. (You don't get owt for nowt round Marsden you know!)

Inbetween these bookings we ventured 'across the border', taking our passports with us, to Frodsham in Cheshire. We were asked to do this charity concert after the sad, recent demise of neighbours Pennine Brass, who had fulfilled this booking for a few years. It was an interesting experience for the band, new territory and some novel programming. Wartime favourites (straight from our November pads) stood alongside several pieces from our Riverhead CD and the inevitable festive favourites. The band also had a new conductor, the very cool and suave Paul Andrews of Wire Brass, deputising for Glyn Williams who was busy playing for Fodens Band. We pulled off an enjoyable concert, it was great to play to a large capacity audience and have been invited back next year!

As usual our final engagement came at the grand St Bartholomew's Church in Marsden, joined by the Colne Valley Male Voice Choir. The accoustics really do help make this concert a great event with both choir and band taking the opportunity to 'open up'. Glyn had found a new work for us to tackle in the shape of Eric Ball's 'Kingdom Triumphant' - a festival overture combining the carols 'O Come, O Come Immanuel' and 'Lo He Comes With Clouds Ascending'. Basically it was a great hit, bringing the house, well, church down at the end of the first half.

The Marsden Silver Band would like to take the opportunity to wish all our supporters and friends throughout the banding world 'A Happy Christmas and All The Best For The New Year!'

See you in 2009!