Sunday 12 February 2023, Feilding Brass did its first playout for the year at Explore Esplanade Day in Palmerston North. A most enjoyable morning of music.

Feilding Brass will be attending the dawn service at the Feilding Cenotaph as we pay our respects to the fallen. No marching this year in Feilding but it will still be just as special.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/300566128/feilding-rsa-adamant-anzac-day-service-will-be-just-as-meaningful

We Will Remember Them.

After another year of covid disruptions, Feilding Brass held its end of year concert at the Feilding Salvation Army on Saturday 13 November 2021.

Under the leadership of Carissa Davies and with a lovely covid distanced audience, the band delighted the musical senses with Don’t Stop Me Now, Come On Eileen, Life on Mars and the hymn Colne amongst other pieces.

Our first soloist of the day was Andrew on Flugel playing Under The Boardwalk. Andrew is a fine player who plays in Levin & Districts Brass and has been coming to our rehearsals for a while, and we appreciate his support.

In between the senior band music, we had 3 members of our our training band band play a little solo each. They are Jonathan on cornet, Joanna on horn, Jasmine on cornet. Well done for coming along and playing for us all.

Being unable to compete in our regional contest this year, the band also played the hymn Colne, 2 movements from the Test piece A Malvern Suite and our street march music Victoria.

Our second soloist for the day was Annika, playing Tell Me On A Sunday. A beautiful piece played by our very talented Solo Horn player.

Earlier this year cornet player and ex conductor of Feilding Brass, Murray Coffey passed away. In remembrance of him, the band played a piece that Murray had donated to the band to perform at an upcoming contest. He donated the Salvation Army piece Meditation-Abide With Me, which was also played at his funeral and the band was fortunate to have his wife Val in the audience at our concert as we paid tribute to this true gentleman.

Near the end of our concert we came to a very special moment where we celebrated the huge achievement from our kit player/drum major/band president Stephen Lawton who has just celebrated 50 years of service to the brass band world. Including time spent with Trust Porrirua City Brass, Levin & Districts Brass and our very own Feilding Brass.

(From Dan’s speech) As drum major, Steve has consistently won award after award, for his drum major role and because of his discipline and teaching the band has also won awards for marching.

 His drive and tenacity really helped us all switch on when it really mattered and to give our all. 

Steve has been the band manager for a number of years, in fact I don’t think I have enough fingers and maybe toes to count on. He is currently the President of the band, and has been on the committee for.. well, I just couldn’t say… 

As most of you may know by now, Steve shies away from the limelight .. or at least in the public he does .. At the band room I am sure he bases his behaviour on the  animal from the Muppets if any of you here know what I am talking about… I think Steve has actually only been wrong once in his total of 50 years banding, and that was when he thought he made a mistake … 

There is just so much I could say about Steve, but for now I want to acknowledge Steves achievement for 50 years in banding, but in some ways more importantly his service, and on a local level, to Feilding brass.

Steve receives his 50 year certificate from Feilding Brass musical director, Carissa Davies.

On behalf of Feilding Brass and all in the brass band world, congratulations Steve on your 50 years service. Here’s to 50 more.

Coming up: Feilding Brass looks forward to the silly season in the new traffic light system, with carols in Feilding square and the static Feilding Xmas parade.

The band would also like to thank our musical director Carissa Davies and the band committee for all the behind the scenes work they do to keep the band going during these covid times.

2022 is hopefully going to be an awesome year and we look forward to the new challenges that await us.

On behalf of the band, we would like to wish you all a very merry xmas and a wonderful new year.

Anzac Day 2020 was a very different one than we, as a band would normally do. But due to Covid-19 and lockdown, as a band we did our very best to make sure the Last Post was still heard at some part of our community on behalf of Feilding Brass.

We had 4 in Feilding, 1 in Halcombe, 2 in Palmerston North, 1 in Longburn and 2 in Ashhurst play the Last Post & Reveille for our neighbours.

A very humbling and honouring experience no matter what instrument it was played on. It was a very special sight to see neighbourhoods come out and support each other during this time.

In one spot in Feilding a 9 year girl read out the Ode of Remembrance before the last post played, and that mad the occasion extra special.

Feilding Brass looks forward to seeing everyone next year as we all come together once again to remember the fallen.

Band member acknowledgement: Dan Griffiths, Helen Walker, Nigel Towers, Russell Schwartfeger, Roger Drayton, Karen Willis, Mike Clark, Michael Ashdown (Snr), Murray Coffey, MD Carissa Davies and Band President and Drum Major Stephen Lawton.

As we move into Level 3 on the 28th April, Feilding Brass will still not be allowed to rehearse. But be rest assured that when we are able to, we will be back up running and once again will be a proud accessory to our wonderful community.

As part of Anzac Day, Malcolm Barr from Hamilton has arranged a version of Abide With Me, for virtual brass band and Choir, in which 134 musicians including Nigel Towers (Eb Bass) from Feilding Brass took part.

Click on the above picture and it will link to the You Tube video. Such a pleasure to watch and listen.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Due to Covid-19, all Anzac Day services have been cancelled for 2020. Feilding Brass would normally have attended 3 services, in Feilding, Sanson and Ashhurst but like the rest of New Zealand we will #StandAtDawn at the end of our driveways at 6.00am and we will remember them together though we are apart.

As we are all standing at dawn, there will be a few Feilding Brass players spread around the Manawatu who will be playing the Last Post at the end of their driveways, which is going to be a very special moment at a time where we all can’t be together. Hopefully if its not too dark, someone may video one of them, so it will be able to be uploaded here.

As Covid-19 lockdown is at Level 4 until 28th April and we head into Level 3, Feilding Brass will still not be allowed to have rehearsals until we get permission to do so, which is a huge shame but for the good of our families and community, we must do it.

Home practise it is until we meet again.

Malcolm Barr from Hamilton Brass created an event on facebook where he asked bands people and choir singers to do a video of themselves playing various parts of Abide With Me, which he intends to amalgamate into one big presentation which he will screen on Anzac Day. I will upload it here when it becomes available. Special moment.

E kore rātou e kaumātuatia
Pēnei i a tātou kua mahue nei
E kore hoki rātou e ngoikore
Ahakoa pehea i ngā āhuatanga o te wā
I te hekenga atu o te rā
Tae noa ki te aranga mai i te ata
Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou
Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them
We will remember them.