Sellers Seniors close Xmas - at last!

27-Dec-2004
The Senior players at Sellers have finally called a halt to their successful 2004.

The Sellers International Band have finally called a halt to their successful 2004, after a marathon series of Christmas Concerts.

December saw concerts at Lepton Parish Church, Morley Town Hall, St. George's Hall in Bradford, Huddersfield Parish Church, Halifax Parish Church (with organist Simon Lindley) and two sell-out concerts at Huddersfield Town Hall with the Huddersfield Choral Society and BBC Radio personality Brian Kay.

Finally, Sunday 19th December saw the annual Sellers International Charity Concert, this year held at Huddersfield University's St. Paul's Hall. Guest soloists for the evening were Tenor Jason McCann, son of musical director Phillip and a leading light in the West End, and Soprano Elizabeth Atkinson, a former winner of the Kirklees Young Musician of the Year Award and now a Postgraduate vocal student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Both have appeared on recent, highly acclaimed Sellers International Band recordings.

Since the band came under the Sellers banner in 1987 both national and local charities have benefitted to the tune of nearly £200,000. Money raised from this year's charity concert is to be donated to the Cornerstone Project of St. Peter's Parish Church in Huddersfield.

The evening also gave the Sellers International Management and the band to present a number of gifts and awards. A presentation was made to the legendary John Clough, for many years a member of Seller's euphonium and baritone section, who recently retired from playing. His contribution to the band will be sorely missed. The eagerly awaited Bandsperson of the Year award went most deservedly to ,another former Black Dyke great, Bflat bass player Derek Jackson. Phillip McCann paid tribute to Derek's immense experience, musicianship and committment, which have been a major factor in the band's resurgence over the last few years.

In fact 2004 has been one of the most successful years in the band's short history, seeing a victory at the Grand Shield in Blackpool, 2nd place at Spennymoor, 4th place at the Yorkshire Area and 5th place at the band's first appearance at the British Open for a number of years. The year also saw another small milestone for the Sellers International musical organisation as the Principal Cornet of the Sellers Youth Band, 13 year old Joe Murray, progressed into the 'Senior Band' on 3rd Cornet, the first member of the young ensemble to do so.

Thanks to Mark Bousie