Meet the brass band from Marple making impressive headway on the regional and national scene
Stockport Nub News spoke to Hawk Green Band, a brass band in Marple. Current North West third section champions, they have competed in and won competitions across the country.
With a number of upcoming competitions, promotion to the second section is very much on the cards, with conductor Neil Hewson describing it as "the best chance we've had".
Promotion works on an aggregate of points at the end of each competing season. Cycles of promotion and relegation usually run every three years, whilst national competition wins offer an alternate chance to move up.
Hawk Green have already risen from the fourth section, and have finished well in a number of other competitions.
On the secret to success, the answer was fairly simple: practice.
This much is clear from a sit-in with the band at rehearsal. All instruments (28 in the full lineup) are tuned by ear to the microtone by Neil, and the multitude of parts are forensically analysed and polished; every note is given equal precedence, to the point where each has its own character.
The discipline and chemistry of the band is such that one member, Jessica, describes how players understand one another's quirks, to the point when it is usually possible to anticipate when a fellow musician is likely to take a breath.
This is down not just to the skill and intuition of the musicians, but also to the familial relationship which the band evidently has.
Indeed, another member, Mark, comments how, looking at band pictures through time, the same faces are visible.
"In other bands, people are drifting in and out all the time, but here you don't get that," he said, highlighting the closeness of the band.
When asked about the best part of Hawk Green, 'the people' came up as an answer unanimously.
That is not to say, however, that Hawk Green is entirely insular. There are a whole range of players, of different ages and backgrounds.
Some come from schools which conductor Neil has taught at, others through word of mouth, others found the band independently.
The newest Hawk Green member, 13-year-old Dan, joined after seeing the band perform at a local fair. This talented young cornet player fits perfectly into the group, a testament both to his skill and the 'tightness' of the band. There are 35 years of service between him and Sue, the longest serving member and, as it happens, also a cornet player.
Dan described a recent competition in Blackpool as 'very busy, but a good experience', which in a sense captures the spirit of the band; 'having fun' was another answer to that aforementioned question on the best thing about Hawk Green.
Certainly, for all the seriousness in the approach to the repertoire, there is as much fun, and rigidness does not take precedence over spirit.
Sue describes the range of music which the band plays, also; the traditional repertoire is very much a staple, but Hawk Green also plays popular music arranged for brass, christmas music, and more.
At the time of writing, upcoming competitions for Hawk Green include the famous Whit Friday event, as well as the national finals in Cheltenham.
In these competitions, standards are remarkably high and consistency is important, the band says. On such days, though, nerves, absences, and form play a disproportionate role.
Nonetheless, the band has finished well in the national finals before, coming third in 2013, so this time a win is by no means out of the question.
Readers looking to see the band perform locally can see them at the Marple Carnival in Marple town centre on 17 June 2023.
For more information, and if you are considering getting involved yourself, you can find more information on the band's website HERE.
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