Just because you’re self-isolating doesn’t mean you can’t still go to band on Thursday nights… #FriendshipOfMusic @abingdonconcertband #music #friends ????????????????????

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without some Christmas carols with @abingdonconcertband at @milletsfarm…
#christmas???? #carols #music ????????????????????

We’ve only gone and done it again! @abingdonconcertband take #gold???? at the @ncbf_festival national competition! #windband #musicinspires #music ????????????????????

Listening to wind at @ncbf_festival… #music

Listening to #MauriceAndré playing Handel’s Trumpet Concertos (albeit on CD not over-played cassette) still evokes 35 year old memories of reading Arthur Ransomes Missee Lee and still inspires me creatively. •••
What music and listening format still brings back those first memories for you?
#music #inspiration #creativity #iwasnotacoolkid

“Somewhere, from a far off room a tune made it’s way out – oboe or flute – lilting out through the stillness” •••
Love it when *that* music makes its first appearance in #MrTumnal3: #ForgottenFriends. @neilbrownless and @abingdonconcertband are familiar with the tune… •••
#music #inspiration #musicismagic #HULitFest #amwriting

#Repost @abingdonconcertband
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It’s that exciting time of year again – our Christmas concert poster is out, as well as tickets for the event. We’ve got a wonderfully narrated show full of festive faves, including one or two you may not have heard.
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. Tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-abingdon-christmas-carol-tickets-51945086151
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#Abingdon #Oxfordshire #music #concert #Christmas #homealone #muppets #familyfriendly #greatestshowman

Entertaining the people of Henley with music for a summer’s afternoon in the park… #windband #concertband #music #summermusic @abingdonconcertband

Everyone knows the power of music to transform lives don’t they? It’s why music is so important. It’s why it’s so sad that when governments through the ages look for things to cut they cut the arts (including music) simply because the benefits are not so easy to quantify and rank in league tables and statistics. Music makes us though, and not just for the musicians. Music feeds us, and teaches us how to live.

This is what it’s like in Rachel Joyce’s book about a man, Frank, and his music shop. With echoes of magical realism, Frank doesn’t just sell records but is able to find the music that his customers need before they know that they need it. Then the lady with the pea-green coat walks into her shop and into his life and persuades him to teach him about music.

This is the beginning of a love story to cross the years. The story begins, and for the most part takes place, in the late 80s at a time when vinyl records are being left forgotten by onset of CDs. By the time the novel (though maybe not the story) concludes some 21 years later CDs have come and gone, and vinyl is actually making a resurgence. The question for Frank and Ilse is this too late for their relationship?

This is a beautiful, gently-written story, with a quirky and supportive (both metaphorically and literally) cast of characters from the rundown parade of shops in Union Street that teaches us what it is that is important about music and why we need it in our lives. And by in our lives I mean really in our lives and not just streamed to us via Spotify or Apple Music…

Celebrating @abingdonconcert band’s 40th anniversary with ???? and ????! #beer #music #concertband #windband #pubgarden

#1HappyYear Day 344: With a little help from your friends… #music and @abingdonconcert can get me through the next seven driving-free months #100HappyDays

In recent years these aims have included being generally fitter twelve months from now, or reading more (and in this last one I’ve done very well for the past two years). This year in addition to those two standing aims, I want to vow to play my flute more and do more practice.

This Christmas I’ve enjoyed playing notes out of a trumpet again – I think I may have exorcised some demons from past there – although one day I think I might like to get a trumpet of my own again as I can, kind of play it, to add another instrument to my repertoire. Whilst visiting my brothers I tinkled – in the losest of senses – on Ben’s piano and I enjoyed the fact that some of what I taught myself ten years ago wasn’t completely forgotten. I also haven’t forgotten that the piano is definitely not the instrument for me. Right hand playing one tune on treble clef whilst left hand plays something completely different in bass clef is a skill that is not made for me!!

But in the the meantime I have my flute and I have my piccolo and I think I should start first at playing those better – and yes, that does include finally learning how to play those illusive notes scarily stratopheric above the stave above top G. Yes, I need to start there, and do regular practice.