Could parents of Little Big Band players please check their emails for a message about next Friday’s engagement at St Bernards?

Many thanks

Tickets go on sale from The Coro on Monday 28th October. Please share the date and the advert below:

We are going to be combining the Brass and Sax Ensembles from now on to enable us to explore more diverse and demanding repertoire. Rehearsals will be every Tuesday lunchtime from 12.55-1.25pm in A14. ALL current members of both ensembles should attend.

The name of this group is still under debate, with BRAX and SAXY BRASS being the current front runners!!!! Heaven help us!!

Set list for Saturday at The Farmers (Lowick) – playing from 2pm-4pm in informal uniform (shirts only). Apart from the 2 students who have been to see me (for whom I have arranged a dep), I am expecting everyone to be there.

We are hoping to publish details of the 2025 concert tour next week – the Lake Garda region of Italy, from Thursday 10th July – Thursday 17th July inclusive. We are initially looking at taking the Wind Band and the Flute & String Ensemble (FLINGS), so please keep those dates in mind (the Summer Concert is likely to be on Friday 4th July)

We are hoping to keep the cost of the tour broadly in line with this year’s 5-day tour thanks to a very generous offer from a local benefactor, but should be able to confirm details next week and out a letter with a deposit request of £50.

Watch this space!!!!

Rehearsals every Wed after school until November

Thursday – Open Evening @ school (5.15pm start; 7.30pm finish – formal black uniform)

Saturday – Farmers Arms, Lowick (arrive by 1.30pm; playing 2pm-4pm – band shirts, own choice bottoms/shoes)

Friday 11th Oct – St Bernards School, Barrow (arrive by 6.30pm; playing 7pm-9pm – formal black uniform)

Arrive:                  6.15pm @ The Coro

Dress:                  Formal Swing Band uniform

Playing time:     6.30pm – 7.15pm

Set List:

This term’s Performing Arts extra-curricular timetable is below. Lunchtime rehearsals start at 12.55pm (so students usually need to bring a packed lunch or order a grab-a-bag from the canteen); after-school activities finish at 4.30pm unless otherwise stated.

Apologies – no Swing Band rehearsal this Friday, we will start next Friday (13th Sept). Instead the Little Big band need to rehearse both tomorrow and Friday from 3.30-4.45pm in order to be ready for Saturday’s engagement at Lowick Show.

Hello everyone and welcome back to a new school year!! We get back into gear straight away with the Little Big Band playing at Lowick Show on Sat 7th Sept (players and parents should have received an email from Mr B.) – therefore there will be rehearsals on Wed 4th and Thu 5th Sept after school. Swing Band will start on Fri 6th Sept after school and Wind Band on Mon 9th.

Once the calendar for this term has been uploaded there will be a message both here and on the Music Dept’s Facebook page (if you haven’t started following it yet please do so – (2) Facebook

Finally – and this is breaking news!!!!!!! An anonymous supporter of UVHS Music has approached us offering to subsidise a tour to Italy in July 2025 – we had not planned a tour next year due to funding/cost, but the amount being offered would mean that we could got to Italy on an 8-day tour with the Wind Band and one or two other groups with the cost to parents being similar to the £600 cost of last term’s 5-day tour to Belgium – individual subsidies would also be available. This very generous person wishes us to be able to take students on concert tours every year as it is so valuable to both their musical and social/emotional development. If the tour does go ahead it will be departing at 8am on the morning of Thursday 10th July and return on the evening of Thursday 17th July. More details will follow…..