Mullingar Town Band members catch up post Covid-19 lockdown

Mullingar Town Band were delighted to return to rehearsals last week, under restrictions. Until then the band had been operating as a ‘Zoom Band’. They have managed to continue their membership online since lockdowns began in March 2020, and took the opportunities to meet when the lockdowns lifted. Team leaders worked hard to ensure learning, fun and participation continued by incorporating new music, quiz nights and video projects.

Included was a series of instrumental workshops between January and March on Zoom, facilitated by professional brass and woodwind musicians and tutors from the Royal Irish Academy, Irish Conservatory of Music, Dublin Trumpet Academy, RTÉ Concert Orchestra and East London Brass, namely Paul Roe on clarinet, Bill Dowdall on flute, Kevin Hanafin on saxophone, Shaun Hooke on trumpet, Cormac O hAodain on French horn, Steve Mathieson on trombone and Jayne Murrill on euphonium.

This was a wonderful success for all senior and junior band members. They learned a lot of new techniques as well as being reminded of the basics when playing their instruments. The workshop tutors were impressed to see how the band operated online and with the level of participation on Zoom band. The project was funded by Creative Ireland.

While Zoom was a great facility to maintain band activities and communication, it was by no means a substitute for normal band activities. It couldn’t facilitate all members for reasons such as poor internet connections, playing brass, wind and percussion in late evenings rehearsals with close neighbours or with new babies or ill relatives in homes.

While band rehearsals facilitated everyone online visually, it meant the band had to play their instruments on mute while listening to band backing tracks via their devices. This was the lonely side of playing in a band, and it was evident that energy levels were beginning to fade in recent weeks.

It has been a tough year. Reinventing the band practice online has been exhausting but thankfully, due to continued attendance and support from section leaders, band and committee members and their families, it was as successful as it could have been.

Mullingar Town Band were delighted to welcome back to the Bandhall the ‘Zoom Band’ last week. First in the gates were the newest recruits, who joined a new recorder class online last March. These members had not yet met in person prior so Tuesday was about saying hello and welcoming the group to the organisation as well as putting online learning into practice.

Following that class, the Senior Recorder group arrived, finally getting the chance to begin the process of trying out brass and woodwind instruments for their future in the band. The process is different due to Covid; once an instrument is tried once, it is disinfected and put into ‘instrument quarantine’ until the following week.

The group have been patient and have been encouraged to try their top four choices this year with guidance from the band director. They have excelled online by working hard and have almost completed their beginner instrumental course. Congratulations to all the recorder groups.

Next in the gate was the drum class on Wednesday; they have been learning different marching band drumming techniques online with their facilitator, Aidan. They got straight to work and began their focus on playing together again, an important skill in the drumline.

Finally, there was a great buzz on the band field on Friday and Saturday as the junior and senior instrumentalists, colourguard and committee returned. They met in their instrument pods and got straight into introducing each other, catching up, setting up and rehearsing in their section groups. It was a wonderful sound to hear. They began piecing together the music rehearsed online during lockdown.

Some of the music came together quickly, while some of the other music will need a lot more practice! This rehearsal began with some nerves from the younger musicians, who were on the band field for the first time, some smiling faces from senior musicians, and thankfully the rehearsal finished with smiling faces everywhere and a round of applause.

Due to continued restrictions, bands activities focus on outdoor participation for the summer. Weather apps are a new addition to the band plan regime although members are used to rehearsing in all sorts of weather. Without a doubt this is preferable to Zoom.

Pitch n Putt

The band would like to welcome to the committee its newest members from the most recent AGM: Niall, Gemma, Nuala and Brendan; and to new additional trustees, Brenda, Barbara and Pauline, and newly appointed officers – chairperson Helen, vice-chairperson Therese, secretary Brendan, treasurer Adrienne and assistant treasurer Rachel.

This band committee have this month launched the Pitch n Putt Classic, with organisers Pauline and Niall, and with the support of Lough Owel Pitch n Putt Club, to take place on June 19. It will raise necessary funds for the band and promises to be a great day out for the family. All are welcome but teams must book as Covid compliance and numbers will be in place. A team of four is €60 – booked by emailing pitchandputtclassic@gmail.com. Half of team slots are already booked so get in touch soon to guarantee a space.

To win free entry, take part in the Facebook competition by tagging and sharing the event, which is on the Pitch n Putt Classic Facebook page. A shop and BBQ will be open on the day.

In addition to the Pitch n Putt Classic, the committee are hosting a Clothing Drive on Saturday June 26 (11am-2pm) at the Bandhall. Start your wardrobe clean-out and drop off your once loved clothing, bed linen and shoes. Contact us for more info.

The band have been successful in two recent grant applications: from Music Network, €4258, which has aided the purchase of trumpets, flutes, alto saxophones, trombones, mouthpieces for French horn, trombone and trumpets. This is a major boost to the instrument bank, which is available to all members. The instruments were supplied by Paul Ryan and Thomann Ireland, and are of excellent quality.

As the band are just returning, the instruments are being distributed to current and upcoming brass and woodwind instrumentalists. The band thank Music Network for the contribution.

Creative Westmeath Community Grant 2021 by Creative Ireland and Westmeath County Council have this month awarded the band €1540 towards their Summer Performance Project. They will be performing in Mullingar over the summer and look forward to that. A huge thank you to Creative Ireland for their support.

Partner groups

The band are delighted to be welcoming to the band premises, outdoor and indoor (youth education), Mullingar Resource Centre, Westmeath Community Development, Dance Factory, and Bible Group. The Bandhall has plenty of space, indoor and outdoor, if your group requires a venue, temporarily or otherwise.

The Bandhall also has a new defibrillator on its exterior. This project was sponsored by the Gibney family and is not just for MTB but for Mullingar. For more information or enquiries on hall or outdoor hire, email the committee on mullingartownband1879@gmail.com.

Last November, the band launched the Band Booster Raffle Club, a monthly raffle held at the Bandhall and by Zoom for 10 months of the year. The Raffle currently has 64 members, who are entered to the raffle each month. First prize is €150, second and third prizes are €75. To enter is €100 for the year paid by EFT. If you wish join and support MTB, please email for details.

The band would like to thank all current raffle members for their support to date. Raffle members receive a copy of the newsletter Bandlink, produced by our band members and committee three times a year.

In final news, the band look forward to September, when they will be welcoming returning members to band rehearsals and new members into the junior band programme. The band will be relaunching a revamped junior band programme to begin in September for all new incoming members (look out for advertising of the details soon).

In the meantime, if you are interested in joining the band, please get in touch and your will be included on their mailing list for updates – complete beginners are welcome. Sign up today.

Mullingar Town Band (in small groups) look forward to bringing the public their music programme in person in the next few weeks.

Mullingar Town Band committee and members wish to extend their condolences to band members Kieran Rory and Tom and the O’Brien family and to Jane and the Duggan families on the recent losses of their grandfathers. Ar dheis De go raibh a h’anam dilis.