Tour 2008

Tour 2008

Costa Blanca 2008

Back to Tours menu- Tour Diary 2008- Articles/Reviews- Retrospectives- Tour Band 2008

The photo's on the this page will give you a good idea of the fantastic time we had on Tour in Spain, additional photos can be viewed on the Lions Youth Brass group at Facebook.com

Introduction

2008 Tour will for ever be remembered as very special in the history of Lions Youth Brass. Although not the first foreign expedition the band have taken on this was the first full concert tour organised solely by the band committee for the our band. For the first time we were working with Lions clubs in a foreign country, also for the first time there would be two conductors (I was fortunately asked to accompany the band and to assist Nigel in his duties this year). There were many highs over the course of the week and I will try to document some of them on this page. I hope you enjoy it; please also view the various messages and articles we have received.

Ian Raisbeck (Webmaster, Composer in Residence, Assistant Tour Conductor)

Day 1 - Saturday 19th July 2008

A very early start!

This years tour began a little earlier in the day than normal as we were scheduled to be on a flight from Manchester to Alicante at around 8:30 am which meant meeting in Sandbach at 4:45am!!!

Fortunately there seem to be no pictures of this horrific event as yet!

As we arrived at the airport it became clear the journey would be smooth - the baggage handling equipment had broken resulting in big queues. This then got worse when we discovered our flight was delayed by 3 hours, not the best start but we remained optimistic about the week ahead

Eventually we arrive!

Eventually we arrived at Alicante airport after a pleasant flight (so I was told as I was asleep through most of it!), and after a short coach journey arrived in Torrevieja, our first base of three on this tour.

Torrevieja and the first two concerts

Unusually for a Lions Tour we found ourselves in a hotel for the first two nights of this trip, it was going to be a relief to see a bed that night rather than the usual sleeping arrangement of the entire band on one hall floor!

Before this we had two concerts to play; and before this a short rehearsal at the hotel!

The first of our concerts was at the nearby 'Park of Nations'; we provided music before a peace ceremony featuring a number of flags from around the world, local pageant queens and the releasing of a dove.

This short concert was very useful to get us off the mark and show the local community a snippet of what was to come.

We then moved on to our second venue which was down on the sea front at Torrevieja and saw the band perform to a large appreciative audience. Local Lions club members also enjoyed themselves while collecting for local charities

After a day that lasted for at least 19 hours for most of the band we retired to the hotel for a good nights sleep!

Day 2 - Sunday 20th July 2008

Sunday began a rehearsal outside by the pool at our hotel; this was a good opportunity to test refresh the band on some of the repertoire they would be performing through the week and for me to get to know the band a bit better as I would be conducting some pieces for the first time.

After this rehearsal the band were given the afternoon free to enjoy the hotel facilities which included a large swimming pool area!

Sunday evenings concert was to be held at Torrevieja's stunning Teatro Municipal and featuring us alongside the local youth wind band.

After a setting up and eating the Lions Youth Brass took to the stage and wowed the audience with a fantastic performance featuring many soloists on top form.

The second half gave our Youth Band a chance to relax and watch our Spanish counterparts cheering and supporting wherever possible; perhaps the highlight was the finale which featured the disco hits of the Bee Gee's, this gave our band the chance to show its not just brass playing we're good at!

After this fantastic event the band returned to the hotel where the dancing continued at the disco by the pool.

Day 3 - Monday 21st July 2008

On Monday we said goodbye to Torrevieja and headed south to the very hot Mazarron! When we arrived here we found our accommodation to be back to usual tour tradition, a sports hall floor. This gave the committee a lot less to worry about as they could keep tabs on everybody at all times though!

After a good kick about in the Sports Hall and some Lunch it was soon time to head into the town of Mazarron to see the sights.

Due to the extreme heat in Mazarron our concerts on both nights here began at 10pm and finished at midnight, situated on a specially build stage next to the sea. Despite such late hours the concerts were attended by hundreds of people most of whom stayed for the entire concert and enjoyed every minute of it giving us much positive feedback and buying many of the bands CD's. There were also some familiar faces present the grandparents of Ellis Peake lived not far away and attended both concerts in Mazarron, At the end of the Tour Ellis stayed in Spain with his family for a holiday with them.

Day 4 - Tuesday 22nd July 2008

Due to the extreme hot weather in this part of Spain it was not possible to do much during the middle of the day so again we had free time, this time choosing to visit the beach at Mazarron to swim in the sea, catch some rays or sample the local ice cream parlours!

Once again that evening we returned to the sea front stage at 10pm to perform another concert featuring many different pieces not heard the night before, again to a very large audience.

Day 5 - Wednesday 23rd July 2008

Day 5 began with another full cooked breakfast before we gathered our belongings and headed back north on the coach to the Lady Elizabeth International school near to Calpe and Moraira; this would be our base for the remainder of the tour.

For Jane, Nigel, Susannah, Alex, Harry and Dani there was work to be done immediately as they took part in an interview for local radio.

Once again we were provided with an excellent meal, this time at a local Italian restaurant in Moraira.

That evenings concert was held at 9pm on the sea front at Moraira and once again the band amazed a large audience with a fantastic performance.

Day 6 - Thursday 24th July 2008

Thursday began with an early start before packing our beds away in the hall we had slepped in to prepare it for the audience that would arrive for an 11am concert. This concert was held for the pupils at the summer school, teachers and some parents and all had a fantastic time. Particularly the smallest children who despite being as young as 3 listened and clapped all the way through.

After the concert for the school the band had the afternoon free in the swimming pool at the school while Nigel and Susannah were taken to a local TV studio where they were interviewed for an English speaking Spanish TV programme.

Our evening meal was provided by the local mayor and was a local speciality, meat paella.

Thursday evenings concert was held at perhaps best venue of the whole tour; an amphitheatre situated in the centre of Calpe. This venue combined the best of outdoor and indoor venues with its open air walled arena providing a fantastic acoustic. A capacity crowd gave a standing ovation several times and for the band this was the icing on the cake for a fantastic week of concerts

This was our last Spanish concert of the tour as we then had to say goodbye to Brian and Derek our van drivers who set off into the night in a bid to arrive back in Sandbach in time for Saturdays traditional end of tour concert.

Day 7 - Friday 25th July 2008

With the instruments making their was through France back to England we had Friday free to enjoy the local attractions and after a breakfast at a local restaurant in Moraira we headed for a walk around the local markets. The afternoon consisted of a trip to Aqualande near Benidorm, a very large water theme park consisting of slides, pools, restaurants etc.

After the water park we returned back to our base to prepare for the evening out which was held at 'Wok Extra' in Moraira, an all you can eat Chinese buffet where the meats are cooked to your liking in front of your very eyes. The evening ended with a short walk around Moraira which included the beach and a funfair.

Gifts were exchanged between the local mayor's office, the local Lions club and the band.

Day 8 - Saturday 26th July 2008

Our tour was nearly over and all that was left to do was pack, travel home and then play for the last time before the summer break. This time around a 3 hour delay would be disastrous as we would not make it back for the concert. Fortunately everything went to plan on the way home, the plane even managed to land 25 minutes ahead of schedule.

The end of tour concert

Once back in England we headed to Sandbach Girls School (now the traditional home of the last night concert). We unpacked, set the stage and tucked into something nice and English (Fish and Chips from the Chippy!).

The End of Tour concert is a chance for the band to show parents, relatives and friends what they have been up to over the past week. It is more than just that though; it marks the end of the year for Lions Youth Brass. For those leaving for university or work it is a sad occasion and it marks the progress the band has made since the previous September. Awards are given for long service, special achievements and the premier award the band gives; The Bandsman of the Year.

As ever the hall was packed and the band were on top form. All of the soloists featured over the tour performed in the concert as nobody deserved to be left out based on the superb performances over the tour.

Bandsman of the Year was awarded to cornet player Matthew Darlington; Matthew may well be leaving the band if his A Level results are as hoped and the decision was a very popular one as his commitment and performances throughout the year have been outstanding.

The end of the concert was emotional for many and ended in typical LYB style with the Can Can which had amazed the Spanish audiences and continues to amaze English audiences with ever changing choreography.

This really was a special year for the Lions Youth Brass; the organisation had continued to go from strength to strength over the past year and this tour showed that we are certainly not afraid to look in new directions to promote the success of LYB.

Ian Raisbeck (Webmaster, Composer in Residence, Assistant Tour Conductor)

Articles and Reviews

Here are some of the many articles / reviews we received on our tour of Spain

Prize Winning Youth Band Performances Delight Audiences at Charity Concert

The final performance in Torrevieja of the visiting Lions Youth Brass Band, playing in a concert on Sunday 20th July with our own local Banda Juvenil, the Union Musical Torrevejense, received a standing ovation from an enthralled and delighted audience. Both bands, with their differing musical styles, truly deserved the applause for performances which displayed musical competence and talent which clearly exceeded their years.

Lions Banners were presented to the Musical Directors of the two bands, Francisco J. Garres Perez and Nigel Birch. Councillor Pedro Valero presented Lions Youth Brass with the traditional model of the Torrevieja Salt Boat as a special memento of the occasion.

Lions Youth Brass played at two previous performances on the Saturday 19th July, the evening of their arrival from Cheshire. One at the Parque del Naciones at the Latino Dance Festival and followed by a well received session at La Mata beach promenade. The band's hectic schedule for the week continues with performances along the Costa Blanca sponsored by local authorities and Lions Clubs at Mazarron Bahia and Teulada Moraira. All performances are in aid of local Lions Club International charities.

The members of the Torrevieja Costa Lions Club offer their sincere thanks to Concejalia de Extranjera and Concejalia de Cultura del Excmo. Ayto. de Torrevieja for the help and financial support that made this cultural and fund raising visit of the Lions Youth Band possible. Our special thanks goes to Councillor Pedro Valero and to Graham Knight of the Foreigners Office for their considerable help with local knowledge and organisational expertise. All money raised in the Torrevieja area by the band's visit will be donated by the Lions to the Torrevieja Cruz Roja Ambulancia Appeal.

Your local branch of the Lions Clubs International, a charitable institution with over 1.3 million members world wide, is always interested in recruiting new members willing to give of their time and talents for the benefit of others less fortunate than themselves. Please contact our Membership Secretary Shirley Crandon telephone 966764882 for more details

Peter Long - Secretary - Torrevieja Costa Lions Club

A letter from closer to home

We were fortunate enough to see the Lions Youth Band at Calpe (Spain) and wish to forward our congratulations to Nigel and the team.

We were totally impressed by the young talent on display and thoroughly enjoyed the concert.

Congratulations to all concerned.

Bob & Sue Brown

Sheffield, UK

A message from some of our new friends in Calpe

Dear All,

I just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed your visit to Calpe! The concert was a huge success and many people have phoned in to our radio station (Onda Cero) to say how good you all were, not only as musicians, but also as entertainers. The interview we recorded at Lady Elizabeth School produced a lot of feed back and your 'spokesmen and women' were a credit to you!

If you decide to come back to Spain, Beverly and I would be delighted to coordinate the Calpe leg of your trip as we did this time....and I hope we will be able to get some of you live on air at the radio station.

With best wishes for your continued success!

Lions Hugh and Beverly Stewart

Retrospectives 2008

As they become available peoples views of the tour as a whole will appear on this page.

Susannah Ball - Band representative

This year�s tour to Spain was something a bit different to what I�ve become used to when going away with the band; we stayed in a hotel for our first two nights, something that we all enjoyed!

The prospect of having to organise a trip abroad without being able to meet with the foreign contacts face to face was something that many people responsible for 35 �young adults� would perhaps shy away from. However, whilst this may have slightly bothered Jane & co (Ruth, Brian, Katie, Nigel etc.) they didn�t let this stop them, and after a lot of planning we were all getting up early to meet in Sandbach at 5am on Saturday 22nd July, ready for our tour to the Costa Blanca!

It�s impossible for me to pick out my favourite bits of this year�s tour, from the fun we all had at the pool and beach to the buzz we got from playing each evening to extremely appreciative audiences I really don�t know where I�d start with the highlights. For me personally, the whole of this year�s tour was a highlight of my time at Lions and probably the most enjoyable tour I�ve been on.

I�d like to thank all of the committee and band members that helped to organise and went on this year�s tour, as I don�t think anyone will forget the great time that we had!

Susannah Ball
Band Representative

Ian Raisbeck

For me this tour was a very special experience for a number of reasons. With just 4 weeks until the tour commenced I received a phone call from Nigel on a Monday lunchtime asking if I could step in to rehearse the band for him the following night. Following this rehearsal I received the invitation to come with the Band to Spain as assistant to Nigel; an opportunity I was delighted to be offered.

The Lions Youth Brass today are streets ahead in performance quality from the Lions Youth Brass I was a member of some 6 years ago. And by this I do not mean that the soloists are better as there will always be star individuals; I am talking about the strength and depth within every single section of the band. In rehearsal the band learn new repertoire, listen to new ideas and always produce a sound quality that many of the UK's adult bands would like to possess. The reason for this is the way Lions has evolved over the past few years with changes in Beginner and Junior levels pushing the quality of young players up.

Some things have not changed on a Lions Youth Brass Tour; the friendly group atmosphere, camaraderie and respect for each other and the committee have always been present and were no different this time around. Social time was increased this year due to only playing evening concerts and enabled the whole band to mix together and build even stronger friendships.

A foreign tour is a big undertaking; the effort that Jane and the committee have put into this tour in immense. There were also big contributions from the Lions Clubs on the Costa Blanca and of course all of those parents, grandparents and friends who raised the money to send us there.

With plans already started for a return journey I am sure that foreign tours will happen more and more in the future. I hope to work closely with the Band over the next few years and hopefully witness more performances like the ones given on this tour.

Ian Raisbeck
Assistant Tour Conductor
Composer in Residence
Webmaster