Woodfalls Band


	Flugel Horn: Chris Lewis Profile coming soon Solo Horn: Trish Chislett Trish started playing at the age of 5 in the Shepton Mallet Band (her home town), initially on cornet and soprano, before moving to Solo Horn at the age of 8, and even at that young age, won prizes at local solo contests for her playing. Trish was asked by the Wincanton Silver Band to play Solo Horn with them at the age of 11. Wincanton at that time were 2nd section (1st section equivalent now) and Trish often played solos out with the band, which often qualified for the national finals. Trish moved to college in Manchester studying Engineering (Product design) and winning national design awards for some of her work. Her final degree thesis was on Brass Instrument Design. During her time in Manchester she played with Sale Concert band and the Glossop Band. On completion of her PGCE year in Crewe, Trish moved back to Ferndown and taught in Southampton, before marrying Steve Chislett in 1983. Steve was a front row cornet player of Woodfalls Band from 1969 to 1975 and a peripatetic brass teacher in Southampton and is still Chairman of the Wessex Brass Band Association. Steve was playing principal cornet at that time with Wes Garner’s Solent Concert and Trish played front row cornet for a couple of years. A short spell with Woodfalls followed before family arrived and Trish played Principal Cornet with Verwood Concert Brass for two years, whilst husband Steve was conducting. Trish continued her thirst for education and completed her LLCM and ALCM in Tenor Horn playing as well as a Masters Degree in Computer Animation and Visualisation at Bournemouth University. Returning to her love of the Tenor Horn, Trish rejoined Woodfalls on Principal horn, a position that she has held ever since and has performed many solos with the band over the years, with the highlight perhaps, being some faultless performances of the Mendelsohn Concerto to some very appreciative Swiss audiences. She has also been a valuable part of the band’s contesting success. Trish has a busy private teaching practice with students of brass, piano, keyboard and theory from young to old and up to Diploma level and is a technical Clinician on brass performance problems and also has a professional Stress Management qualification. Trish continues with her interest in product design and has recently designed some special mutes for Woodfalls Band, which she is hoping will eventually move to a global marketplace. 1st Horn: Paul Street Paul began playing the piano at the age of six and went on to learn the trumpet at the age of 10. Paul joined the Woodfalls Band in 2002 following his studies at Goldsmith’s Music College where he studied voice, piano and trumpet. Paul runs the nationwide vehicle hire company SHB, but still finds time for his major passion which is music. Paul’s banding highlight was playing at the Royal Albert Hall in 2002. 2nd Horn: Brian (Sam) Easterbrook Before we do anything else, it must be explained that almost everyone within banding knows him as Sam, and not his Christian name – Brian. This nickname was started at his former band (the only one) Downton, by another man with a nickname, Jack (Mutt) Moody. Mutt played Repiano in Downton Band and he lived just three doors away from his Great-Grandfather Sam Sherwood in the Borough, Downton so, when Sam joined Downton Band on 2nd cornet, he was immediately called young Sam and it stuck. Sam started playing in 1962/3 when he and a couple of mates, complaining about nothing to do in the summer holidays, were told by a long-suffering mother (Mrs. Joan Tanner) that Downton Band were advertising for youngsters to join the band. They attended a rehearsal where they were asked which instrument they would like to play. They all wanted to play the drums but were given a brass instrument - Sam was given a very old cornet. In approximately 1968, Joe Green, a member of Woodfalls Band joined Downton and shortly after that Cliff Kingshott, a former principal cornet of Woodfalls, also joined. Cliff was a legend at Woodfalls and was an inspiration to Sam - he insisted that Sam be given a decent instrument so, a new long-model Yamaha cornet was purchased just for him- what a thrill to have a new instrument! The light bulb moment for Sam was when he was at the Weston Super Mare contest and Cory played Spectrum - wow, Sam had never heard anything like it before and from that moment on he was hooked. Eventually, Cliff and Joe left Downton and by default Sam found himself playing principal cornet. No sooner had Sam sat on the seat and Keith Green came calling. Keith, a Woodfalls stalwart, was dating the girl opposite Sam and he had been listening to him playing in his bedroom. He asked Sam to come along for a blow but he agreed to go for a listen. It was December 1973 and Woodfalls were playing The Plantagenets for the Wessex contest - Sam was so impressed. Over the Christmas period he agreed to join Woodfalls and so in January 1974 he attended his first rehearsal. Sam joined on 3rd man down and the first contest was the area when Woodfalls played Variations on a Ninth - can you imagine the jump from playing an arrangement of tunes from New World Symphony in the Wessex 3rd section in December to playing Var. on a Ninth in January - it was a new world! Thank goodness that Sam had purchased the GUS World Champions LP and knew how it went, even if he couldn't actually read it (Sam thinks that Woodfalls came 5th). The next contest was the Grand Shield when Woodfalls played Prince Igor and they won at the first attempt - Sam saw grown men cry that day. Thus, Woodfalls qualified for the British Open where they played James Cook Circumnavigator (also on the GUS LP) in the famous Kings Hall, Belle Vue. The following year Woodfalls qualified for the Royal Albert Hall. This was the start of a Golden Period for the band with regular appearances at the Open and Finals but Sam was probably too young or too naive to fully appreciate the enormity of what the village band was achieving under the baton of the great man, Courtney Bosanko. After a few years Sam joined the committee and subsequently became very involved with band administration. Eventually, he felt that a seat on the back row would suit him better and so he volunteered to play Rep and then 2nd and then 3rd - a part that he has always loved playing!! Sam doesn’t know exactly when he became Secretary but he is guessing that it was about 1980. He is most proud of the two Lottery grants for over £147,000 and the sponsorship from South West Trains. Latterly, the hall conversion to accommodate two flats within the band hall has secured our financial income for evermore so that is fantastic for everyone. Contesting has never been a big thing for Sam but he can see that the band loves it, however, he is proud to have organised several concerts in Salisbury Cathedral and the City Hall. The "We Will Remember Them" concerts for the Royal British Legion have also been memorable and he sincerely hopes that it runs and runs. Over the years, Sam has had many great times in the band, too numerous to mention here but one day he’ll write a more complete journey through his time at Woodfalls - can you wait?

Flugel Horn: Chris Lewis

Profile coming soon

Solo Horn: Trish Chislett

Trish started playing at the age of 5 in the Shepton Mallet Band (her home town), initially on cornet and soprano, before moving to Solo Horn at the age of 8, and even at that young age, won prizes at local solo contests for her playing.

Trish was asked by the Wincanton Silver Band to play Solo Horn with them at the age of 11. Wincanton at that time were 2nd section (1st section equivalent now) and Trish often played solos out with the band, which often qualified for the national finals.

Trish moved to college in Manchester studying Engineering (Product design) and winning national design awards for some of her work. Her final degree thesis was on Brass Instrument Design. During her time in Manchester she played with Sale Concert band and the Glossop Band.

On completion of her PGCE year in Crewe, Trish moved back to Ferndown and taught in Southampton, before marrying Steve Chislett in 1983. Steve was a front row cornet player of Woodfalls Band from 1969 to 1975 and a peripatetic brass teacher in Southampton and is still Chairman of the Wessex Brass Band Association. Steve was playing principal cornet at that time with Wes Garner’s Solent Concert and Trish played front row cornet for a couple of years.

A short spell with Woodfalls followed before family arrived and Trish played Principal Cornet with Verwood Concert Brass for two years, whilst husband Steve was conducting.

Trish continued her thirst for education and completed her LLCM and ALCM in Tenor Horn playing as well as a Masters Degree in Computer Animation and Visualisation at Bournemouth University.

Returning to her love of the Tenor Horn, Trish rejoined Woodfalls on Principal horn, a position that she has held ever since and has performed many solos with the band over the years, with the highlight perhaps, being some faultless performances of the Mendelsohn Concerto to some very appreciative Swiss audiences. She has also been a valuable part of the band’s contesting success.

Trish has a busy private teaching practice with students of brass, piano, keyboard and theory from young to old and up to Diploma level and is a technical Clinician on brass performance problems and also has a professional Stress Management qualification.

Trish continues with her interest in product design and has recently designed some special mutes for Woodfalls Band, which she is hoping will eventually move to a global marketplace.

1st Horn: Paul Street

Paul began playing the piano at the age of six and went on to learn the trumpet at the age of 10. Paul joined the Woodfalls Band in 2002 following his studies at Goldsmith’s Music College where he studied voice, piano and trumpet.

Paul runs the nationwide vehicle hire company SHB, but still finds time for his major passion which is music. Paul’s banding highlight was playing at the Royal Albert Hall in 2002.

2nd Horn: Brian (Sam) Easterbrook

Before we do anything else, it must be explained that almost everyone within banding knows him as Sam, and not his Christian name – Brian. This nickname was started at his former band (the only one) Downton, by another man with a nickname, Jack (Mutt) Moody. Mutt played Repiano in Downton Band and he lived just three doors away from his Great-Grandfather Sam Sherwood in the Borough, Downton so, when Sam joined Downton Band on 2nd cornet, he was immediately called young Sam and it stuck.

Sam started playing in 1962/3 when he and a couple of mates, complaining about nothing to do in the summer holidays, were told by a long-suffering mother (Mrs. Joan Tanner) that Downton Band were advertising for youngsters to join the band.  They attended a rehearsal where they were asked which instrument they would like to play.  They all wanted to play the drums but were given a brass instrument - Sam was given a very old cornet.

In approximately 1968, Joe Green, a member of Woodfalls Band joined Downton and shortly after that Cliff Kingshott, a former principal cornet of Woodfalls, also joined. Cliff was a legend at Woodfalls and was an inspiration to Sam - he insisted that Sam be given a decent instrument so, a new long-model Yamaha cornet was purchased just for him- what a thrill to have a new instrument!   The light bulb moment for Sam was when he was at the Weston Super Mare contest and Cory played Spectrum - wow, Sam had never heard anything like it before and from that moment on he was hooked.

Eventually, Cliff and Joe left Downton and by default Sam found himself playing principal cornet. No sooner had Sam sat on the seat and Keith Green came calling. Keith, a Woodfalls stalwart, was dating the girl opposite Sam and he had been listening to him playing in his bedroom. He asked Sam to come along for a blow but he agreed to go for a listen. It was December 1973 and Woodfalls were playing The Plantagenets for the Wessex contest - Sam was so impressed. Over the Christmas period he agreed to join Woodfalls and so in January 1974 he attended his first rehearsal.

Sam joined on 3rd man down and the first contest was the area when Woodfalls played Variations on a Ninth - can you imagine the jump from playing an arrangement of tunes from New World Symphony in the Wessex 3rd section in December to playing Var. on a Ninth in January - it was a new world!   Thank goodness that Sam had purchased the GUS World Champions LP and knew how it went, even if he couldn't actually read it (Sam thinks that Woodfalls came 5th). The next contest was the Grand Shield when Woodfalls played Prince Igor and they won at the first attempt - Sam saw grown men cry that day. Thus, Woodfalls qualified for the British Open where they played James Cook Circumnavigator (also on the GUS LP) in the famous Kings Hall, Belle Vue. The following year Woodfalls qualified for the Royal Albert Hall. This was the start of a Golden Period for the band with regular appearances at the Open and Finals but Sam was probably too young or too naive to fully appreciate the enormity of what the village band was achieving under the baton of the great man, Courtney Bosanko.

After a few years Sam joined the committee and subsequently became very involved with band administration. Eventually, he felt that a seat on the back row would suit him better and so he volunteered to play Rep and then 2nd and then 3rd - a part that he has always loved playing!!

Sam doesn’t know exactly when he became Secretary but he is guessing that it was about 1980. He is most proud of the two Lottery grants for over £147,000 and the sponsorship from South West Trains.   Latterly, the hall conversion to accommodate two flats within the band hall has secured our financial income for evermore so that is fantastic for everyone.

Contesting has never been a big thing for Sam but he can see that the band loves it, however, he is proud to have organised several concerts in Salisbury Cathedral and the City Hall. The "We Will Remember Them" concerts for the Royal British Legion have also been memorable and he sincerely hopes that it runs and runs.

Over the years, Sam has had many great times in the band, too numerous to mention here but one day he’ll write a more complete journey through his time at Woodfalls - can you wait?