For members

Term Dates

2025 dates

Sep & Oct rehearsals
17, 24 Sep
1 (AGM), 8, 15, 22 Oct

HALF TERM 29 OCT & 5 NOV

Nov & Dec rehearsals

12, 19, 26 Nov
3 Dec

Concerts - Christmas 2025

Sat 6 Dec - St Peters Brackley

Wed 10 Dec - Westbury Village Hall

Sun 14 Dec - The Mitre

2026 dates

Jan-Feb rehearsals

14, 21, 28 Jan
4, 11, 18 Feb

HALF TERM 25 FEB

Mar rehearsals
4, 11, 18, 24 (social) Mar

DC/LN Day and showcase 21 Mar

EASTER BREAK 1 & 8 APR

April-May rehearsals
15, 22, 29 Apr

6, 13, 20 May

HALF TERM 27 MAY

Jun & Jul rehearsals

3, 10, 17, 24 Jun

1 Jul

Pre-tour concerts TBC

Depart for Germany 8 Jul return 12 Jul

15th Jul social and MUSIC RETURN

SUMMER BREAK 22 JUL - 23 SEP

Committee

Co-chair: Judi Binns

Co-chair: Natalie Milner

Secretary: Heather Arrowsmith

Treasurer: Lindsey Comben

Tour Director: Helen Henshaw

Social media, website, design: Emily Buttrum

Music Library: Michaela Watts

Refreshments:

Committee Members: Richard Linden

Rehearsals

We at rehearse at Westbury Village Hall Wednesdays from 7:30pm to 9:30pm during term time, with a mid-session tea break lasting around 15 minutes.

Cost

Subs are either:

£ 120 per year,
£40 per term, or
£10 per month.

In addition, we ask for a contribution of 20p a week to cover the cost of refreshments.

Music

Nearly all the music is on our Google Drive. You should have been given the link when you joined or it is on our WhatsApp Business chat but if you would like it again, just ask one of the committee.

Please bring all your music with you every week - even if Brian has asked us to practice specific pieces, we might play extra.

Practice

Here are some top tips for effective practice from Brian:

Practice is better done regularly and in short bursts; even 10 minutes a day is worth it, and two lots of 15 minutes is better learning time than 30 mins in one go.

Don't always start from the beginning - play the last 16 bars, then the previous 16 bars.

Warm up with something familiar, then move on to a challenge, and finish with something fun.

Pick out a tricky passage and play it very slowly - work out why it is difficult.

Use a mirror to practice in front of and watch your fingers.

Sometimes just forget the music. Concentrate on tone and control of your dynamic range whilst still staying in tune.