Chris Helme
MYCY Radio EU is the only community radio station in Cyprus and is based in the Buffer Zone in Nicosia. Sunday Bandstand has been part of the radio station's schedule for almost seven years. Having visited the station on two occasions during the last seven years it was nice to meet the station manager Natalie and some of the staff, and to be able to put faces to names.
The station provides a wide and diverse eclectic mix of material for a number of different nationalities, and therefore attracts listeners not just from Cyprus but from around the world.
Klaas van der Woude b:1954) is a contemporary Dutch composer , arranger , music educator , conductor , cornettist and sound director.Van der Woude was in contact with the music by the family and the local music association at a young age. He played cornet and received a lesson from the Frisian brass band pioneer Sierd de Boer . Through this teacher, at the age of fifteen, he became a cornettist at brass band De Bazuin Oenkerk . After training for a teacher and a switch to Brassband De Wâldsang. He decided to study at the Music Educational Academy in Leeuwarden.
Today he is a conductor of The Bazuin Oenkerk and Christian Music Association "Crescendo", Drachten. In addition, he works as a music teacher, arranger and sound director. Since 2004, Klaas van der Woude is head of department of HaFaBra at the Prince Claus Conservatory in Groningen .
Sunday Bandstand has been part of the radio schedule on Wythenshawe FM 97.2 community radio station for almost five years. The programme can be heard every Sunday between 9pm and 11pm. The show can be picked up through the station's website www.wfmradio.org - click the Listen Live button and you are there. Enjoy the show.... Chris
Ken Smith was a virtuoso cornet player, from New Zealand. Son of conductor K.G.L. Smith, he was born in Westport, New Zealand. He was a youthful prodigy and became a virtuoso cornet player, winning the New Zealand cornet championship 3 years in succession in 1948-49-50.
He left New Zealand for the UK, to play with the Fairey Aviation Works Band in 1950. Arriving in post war Britain he, discovered a country that was so dour that, despite being quite a serious man, he felt committed to brightening up the place. He came from a family with banding in its veins and was Principal Cornet of the National Band of New Zealand that won the 1953 British Open. His return to Fairey’s Band in 1954 was nothing short of sensational, with his style, tone and amazing technique literally placing him years ahead of any of his contemporaries.
Ken conducted St Kilda Brass for a period and later moved to Australia and a senior post at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music. He toured New Zealand, the USA and Canada as a trumpet soloist throughout the 1970s working with leading symphony orchestras . He was appointed MD of the 1985 National Band that toured the U.K. and Europe. He has served as an adjudicator in both New Zealand and Australia.
As a conductor and administrator in New Zealand saw him being honoured by the Queen for his achievements. He retired and returned to Australia in 1996 and later appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to brass bands.
James Gourlay was born in Scotland, where he was 'volunteered' to play in the local school band. Being the tallest in class, his teacher, gave him a tuba saying 'play that'.
He studied at the Royal College of Music, London, he left to take up a position in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, 3 years later, he became principal tuba of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London.
It was in that city that he became involved with the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. He became active in the film industry, performing on the sound tracks of a number of well known films .
After 10 years at the BBC, he went to the solo tubist of the Zurich Opera House Orchestra in Switzerland. It was there that he developed his skills as a conductor, attending master-classes and working with the Brass Band Berner Oberland. Winning the Swiss National Championship 5 times and the Swiss Open Contest 4 times.
Today, he is the General Director of Pittsburgh's full time band River City Brass, USA.
Enjoy the show
Colonel Thomas Palmatier culminated a distinguished military career spanning more than 37 years as the Leader and Commander of The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” the largest military music unit in the United States and was the senior musician in the U.S. Armed Forces. He is now able to dedicate his efforts to music education and to maximizing the success of arts organizations as a clinician, guest conductor, and consultant. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor of Music at Old Dominion University.
He commanded a number of posts during is distinguished career including the Musical Ambassadors of the Army, The U.S. Army Field Band, being the first Officer to command both of the Army’s top premier bands. Other postings included The Army Brass Band.
This week we feature a track from this band - sadly this musical ensemble has since been disbanded.
Enjoy
Chris
Hospital Radio in Preston, Lancashire here in the UK can be traced back to the early years of the 1950's with the original studio being in Lancaster Road.
The studio moved over the years to Preston Royal Infirmary, the grounds of Deepdale hospital, Sharoe Green hospital,and in the early 2000's to its current location on the ground floor in Royal Preston Hospital.
Originally run by the Hospital Welfare Society, changing to the Friends of the hospital, and on their closure Preston Hospital Radio was born in the late 1990's.
A coupling with Chorley hospital radio for approx 5 years was de-coupled in November 2014, and Preston Hospital Radio now broadcasts through to the beds of Royal Preston Hospital and since the early months on 2015 online as well.
Sunday Bandstand has been part of this vital service for patients for almost five years, and long may it continue
Enjoy the show
