Under the spotlight: NASUWT Riverside
TAKING a turn under the spotlight ahead of the 2015 Scottish Open is the NASUWT Riverside Band, from the north east of England.
The championship section outfit celebrated earlier in the year when it qualified for the National Brass band Championships at the Royal Albert Hall. Now it's looking for its latest contesting success in the plush surroundings of Perth Concert Hall.
Let the band introduce itself...
Soprano cornet: Steven Symonds
Principal cornet: Tina Mortimer
Flugelhorn: Fiona Taylor
Solo horn: Michael Duncan
Solo baritone: Joe Ridgeon
Solo euphonium: James Beeston
Solo trombone: Chris Bentham
Solo Eb bass: Eric Leckenby
Solo Bb bass: Jeff Winter
Principal percussionist: Tracy Conway
The band was formed in 1877 as The Pelton Fell Methodist Band, based in the village of Pelton Fell near Chester-le-Street (which is now part of Chester-le-Street). It soon became The Pelton Fell Colliery Band and played under that name until the colliery closed in 1966.
In 1975 a lifeline was given to the band by Newcastle Breweries who sponsored the band and provided practice facilities at the Brewery Depot in Washington. It played under the name The Newcastle Brown Ale Band. This was to be a successful period for the band, for during these years it rose through the sections to become a championship section band in the early 1980s. In 2001 another crisis hit the band when it was informed that the Newcastle Breweries sponsorship was to end.
The band adopted the name Chester le Street Riverside Band and rehearsed at Durham's international cricket ground.
In 2005 the band qualified for the first time in their history for the National Finals at The Royal Albert Hall London . Also in 2005 the band secured funding to create a youth band and this has prove to be a thriving unit and has over 30 children, known as the NASUWT Concert Band
Further support for the band came in 2008 with a sponsorship deal from the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT). As a result of this new sponsorship the band is now proudly called the NASUWT Riverside Band.
In 2010 the bands relocated into a new purpose built rehearsal facility in the Memorial Park at Pelton Fell.
Both bands qualified for their respective National Brass band Championship Finals that year. The concert band performed at the fourth section finals in Harrogate in September and the senior band took part in the championship section finals in the Royal Albert Hall, London in October.
The concert band qualified for their National finals in Cheltenham in 2011. The senior band, over the past four years, has been a principal performer at the Durham International Brass Festival including a key role in the Miners Hymns performances in Durham Cathedral 2010.
The senior band regularly performs at the Sage in Gateshead. In 2013 both bands won their respective regional contests, the concert band played in the National Finals at Cheltenham in the third aection. The senior band was the North of England Champion Band 2013 and played in the Royal Albert Hall, London in October 2013.
In 2014 the band performed the Miners Hymns once again in the Sage and London Barbican. The band was also the first band to perform with British Sea Power an Indie rock band based in Brighton and performances were held in the Gala Theatre and the Sage Gateshead.
In 2015 both bands once again qualified for their respective national finals.
