Andrew S. Dalby

Tag: Brass Band Music

  • Rain Does Not Stop Play

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    DarkHo_Admin
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    It is good to be back into the school term after the summer holiday because I am beginning to find my routine again. Having said this, it does mean that my diary has suddenly filled with dates for concerts and all my weekends are spoken for until November. This is good. It means there is…

  • Getting High

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    DarkHo_Admin
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    There are many ways to be uplifted, some legal and others not, but by far and away the most reliable, healthy, longest lasting and above all legal high comes from making music, especially in a good concert. Last night, Saturday 17th May 2025, was one such occasion! I am still buzzing from the high of…

  • Show Time

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    DarkHo_Admin
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    This time tomorrow night we will be in the process of performing Tchaikowsky’s 1st Piano Concerto in the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall at York University. This is where all the York Symphony Orchestra concert’s take place, and what a venue! It will be quite the test of endurance though because we are also playing…

  • All Change

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    DarkHo_Admin
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    I shall begin with an apology. I am sorry I have been quiet in recent weeks. Things took a turn for the worse after Christmas when my wife became very unwell with a dose of flu (compounded by a pulmonary embolism and a collapsed lung) which left her laid low for a considerable length of…

  • Floods, F.O.M.O. and Email

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    DarkHo_Admin
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    One of the most frustrating things about running a website is all the snake-oil merchants who flood your inbox with promises of improving your website for just the price of an arm and a leg. It has become so bad that I am seriously considering closing down the email part of the website and relying…

  • Fresh Magic

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    DarkHo_Admin
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    Like all good crescendos Christmas begins quite a long way before the actual time of the loudest part. As any good musician knows, it is wise not to peak too soon otherwise you are left with nowhere to go. I am a little concerned that Christmas has arrived before I was ready for it. We…

  • Too Many Irons

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    DarkHo_Admin
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    I think this is the most tardy I have been in posting my weekly blog which is very frustrating. All I can say in my defence is that I have been busy with other things both family and business. I have too many irons in the fire sometimes and when something has to give it…

  • In the Bleak Mid (British) Summer

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    DarkHo_Admin
    in

    Many years ago when I was a classroom teacher the summer holidays were a strange time because thoughts were already turning to Christmas and planning for the long autumn term. I thought I had put that behind me when I changed to instrumental teaching, but during the course of this last week I have found…

  • What a Week!

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    DarkHo_Admin
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    This week has caught me out, what with stuff going on outside the office and of course the General Election. I didn’t stay up all night, but I did get up at 3am in time to hear back to back declarations for Islington and Clacton! What with all that excitement and a lean week in…