Under the spotlight: Penicuik Silver
FOUNDED in 1835, Penicuik Silver Band is the latest band to go under the spotlight. The band has its roots in the town's paper mills, where Scotland's banknote paper was printed for more than a century.
Under the baton of Stuart Black, Penicuik Silver is preparing to write its latest chapter at the Band Supplies Scottish Challenge on November 28.
Time to meet the band...
Soprano cornet: Dawn Coventry
Principal cornet: Anna Florence
Flugelhorn: Alasdair Mathers
Solo horn: Penny Van Millingen
Solo baritone: Ken Perrett
Solo trombone: Mark Chittenden
Solo euphonium: Ian Forrest
Solo Eb bass: Sandy Mcleman
Solo Bb bass: Jim Peebles
Principal percussionist: Joshua Middleton
Penicuik Silver Band is one of the longest continuously existing community organisations in Penicuik, founded in 1835, and one of the oldest continuously existing brass bands in Scotland. Beginning its life associated with the workers in paper mills of Penicuik, where Scotland's banknote paper was printed for over 100 years, the band has played in every section of the Scottish Brass Band Association since its creation.
The peak of the band's fortunes competitively was in 1923 when it finished second in the championship section. Like most small town bands Penicuik has faced many challenges in the changing nature of industry and social conditions, winning the fourth section in 1952.
The 1960s and 1970s saw the end of local papermaking and a new commuter town emerge. The membership of the band widened to include many school pupils and fourth section victory in 1975 followed. Restructuring of divisions unfortunately saw Penicuik returned to a widened fourth section, where it again won in 1982, coming third in the third section the following year before financial problems almost caused the band to fold.
Loss of players and turnover of conductors led to some perilous years before 1993 when a new resurgence ensured the bands continuation, and a period of never being below 5th in the fourth section, and winning a series of regional contests without making the breakthrough so much desired by band members.
The formation of a sister organisation Penicuik Youth band now means that there are three junior ensembles, and senior band with around a third of its members still at school promising a bright future . The nationals last year saw the senior band under conductor, Stuart Black, miss promotion by one point and then win the Carnegie six weeks later. Hopes are high for continuing improvement.
The band rehearses on Mondays and Thursdays in the Carnethy Centre in Penicuik and all brass players of any ability are welcome to come along.
Stuart Black started playing the cornet at the age of 10 years old with the Jedforest Instrumental Band, a band that he has been involved with for14 years. Over the years there he began to progress through the ranks of the band, moving from the back row to the flugelhorn.
During his time with the band he has been lucky to gain many mentions on the competition and concert scene, most recently wining the best instrumentalist prize at the National Brass Band Championships 2011, helping the band to a 5th place finish.
Away from banding Stuart is a keen soloist for which he has enjoyed some success in the competition scene over the years. In 2002 Stuart won the North West Young Musician of the year competition beating off some phenomenal talents of various genres for the title. He has also won the title of Borders slow melody champion of his age group five times, as well as gaining two top six finishes in at the Scottish slow melody championships over the last few years.
In 2005 Stuart moved to Salford to study music and performance under the direction of Professor David King, Russell Gray and Howard Evans. During his time there he got the opportunity to play in such places as Regent Hall in London as well as getting the chance to play alongside some of the best brass players in the country. Stuart finished off with a 2/1 in performance and a 2/2 with honours over all in 2008 when he graduated.
Since moving back to Scotland Stuart has been working mostly as teacher both privately and as a supply instructor in the Borders and Midlothian, trying to give back what he has learned in his time down in Salford. In 2012, Stuart was also appointed as one of the SBBA Regional Development officers working alongside development manager, Andrew Duncan, doing recruitment workshops and helping bands in the Borders in any way he can.
Over the last seven years, Stuart has been working as conductor, a passion of his that he has been trying to build on and develop in recent times getting to work with and learn from various great brass band musician such as Alan Fernie, Ian Porthouse, Russell Gray and Alan Withington.
Currently Stuart works as MD of the Penicuik Silver Band and Galashiels Town band. He also works a lot in the youth band field heading up Penicuik Youth Band,Jedforest Band Buddies, Galashiels Youth, Galashiels Junior Bands as well as being visiting MD of the Peebles Concert Band and taking on any freelance conducting that he is asked to do.
