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Hello, I’m Dave Jones and I’ve been the Musical Director of the Band since 1995.
My musical “career” began when I was 5
years old and encouraged by my grandmother to start piano lessons. During later
years at the Brecon Boys Grammar school, I leaned the recorder. Graduated to the
flute and was taught by Sgt. Kenny from the Cwrt-y-Gollen army camp. I was
learning flute at the same time that Jethro Tull was emerging on the folk/rock
scene and preferred to play their music to anything else. This didn’t always go
down well the rest of the school orchestra. When, they were tuning up, I could
normally be heard playing the latest excerpts from Jethro Tull or even worse,
pretending to be a “clanger”. Like most of my contemporaries, I had long hair. I
could normally be found during school lunch breaks at the piano in the music
room, playing Beethoven piano sonatas in very agitated and manic fashion. Some
say, that this slight mania has never left me. Whilst at school I started to
learn the basic of guitar and bass guitar, plus a few other instruments.
I initially joined the Band, playing
flute back in 1967. I’ll admit the music was far beyond me. Most of it consisted
of semiquaver runs, way above the treble clef and in flat keys, I’d never ever
heard of. I only lasted about 5 weeks and gave up the struggle. In those days,
you couldn’t take any music home to rehearse!! Several times I was coerced into
going back but could never settle to the invariable marches that formed the
majority of the Band repertoire. During this time, I continued to play guitar,
bass, guitar and sometimes keyboard in a variety of local groups and styles
ranging from cabaret to “heavy rock”. When I saw an advert for an orchestra that
was “starting up” in Llandrindod Wells, I took my flute out of its dusty case
and went to play. That was a bit of an eye opener – my tone and sight reading
had suffered from years of neglect, so I decided to rejoin BTCB to improve these
areas. The orchestra folded up shortly afterwards and I’ve been a regular with
the Band for the past 17 years. During that time, I’ve taught myself sax,
euphonium, trombone, EEb and BBb bass. I’m sure one of these days I’ll be
competent on one of them.
I became the
Musical Director of the band in 1995, though if you asked any band member, they
would say it felt like a lifetime not just 7 years !
I have a very simple outlook on music
– whilst wishing to conduct the best band possible; I believe that making music
should be fun. In my last year in school, a group of us long haired sixth
formers formed a recorder quintet and performed some Baroque music in the
school’s annual concert. I’m not sure to this day that the headmaster was
comfortable with his thanks to us for that! The current Band is a mix of people
of all age range and ability and has a real community and family feel which is
exactly the way I want it. Several of our musicians travel a round trip of 80 to
attend rehearsals and concerts. During all rehearsals we practice a wide range
off music suitable for the less as well as the more experienced musician. All
musicians are able to take music home to rehearse and the music for the coming
week’ rehearsals is announced the previous week. I encourage everyone,
especially the younger ones to perform in as many different combinations as
possible and to play all types of music.
I still enjoy performing as well as
directing the Band and in the past have played – flute solos accompanied by the
Band, bassoon solos, baritone sax in a sax quartet, euphonium accompanied by the
Band, played piano to accompany a children’s choir and an oboist, and in a
trombone trio. I can normally be seen playing EEb bass in Bethel Square where
the Band performs carols in the weeks before Christmas.
The Band is open to all and it would
be a pleasure to welcome you into its folds.
Contact
Information
Musical Director
Dave Jones
: 07779 390954
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