Brief History

An interesting aspect of life in Northern Ireland is in the existence of a large number of marching bands, quite a few of which are based in rural areas. For generations these bands have provided young people with the opportunity to develop their musical talents and appreciate the joys of collective music making, in areas where no other opportunities existed.

The Church Hill hinterland is one of these isolated rural areas where the local silver band has been serving the community and carrying the name of Church Hill far beyond the boundaries of its native county.

Although its origins are unclear it is known that the band has been in existence for well over one hundred years. The local press records that the excellent flute band from Church Hill was present at the opening of Derrygonnelly Orange Hall in 1889, so it must have been in existence some time before that. We can only speculate on the reasons for the change from flutes to brass ? probably some military influence but this occurred in 1905 so the present Silver Band has celebrated its centenary. Apart from a brief spell during war years generations of Church Hill folk have been playing brass instruments continuously since then.

Modern Band

The population of the Church Hill area has been in decline in recent years due to the depression in agriculture and lack of employment but contrary to this trend, band membership has been on a steady increase. A recent intake of twelve members has boosted membership to fifty-two which is the largest number the band has ever had. Almost half the membership is now under the age of twenty with a total age range of 10 years to 70 years. As an organization it is unique in bridging the generation gaps and also the gender gap as it is almost equally divided between male and female.

Tuition is given free of charge to all new members and everyone is provided with an instrument. The tuition is provided voluntarily by the other senior band members and in this way the band provides an invaluable service to the local community. This has recently been greatly enhanced by the purchase of a large number of new instruments at a cost of 46,000 pounds. A grant of approx 35,000 was received from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Lottery Fund and the balance raised within the local community. From this it is obvious that the local community values the band and its work very much. Another example of how much life in Church Hill revolves around this group of musicians is the fact that the little hall at the bottom of the village which is regularly used by all sorts of groups is always referred to as the ?Band Room?. Practices are held here every Tuesday night under the supervision of current Conductor David Fyffe. A talented player and expert tutor David is one of the few bands people from outside the area, coming from Ballinamallard. David also conducts Kilskery Silver Band.

Another interesting aspect of "band life" is the involvement of families and because membership is not specific to any age group several generations of the same family can often be players at any given time. Many families have three and four members and at present two families have five members each. In this modern age when a lot of community organizations tend to be ?age specific? a group such as Church Hill Silver Band where young and old mix together, is a unique and positive aspect.

Performances

Brass band music can cover a wide range of styles and in the past Church Hill tended to stick to the more traditional marches and sacred pieces. Over recent years this has changed and developed with more concert and modern pieces being added to the repertoire. Marches still form a significant proportion of the bands music as it is first and foremost a marching band with the majority of its performances played ?on the march?. Traditionally these were centred around local cultural parades but more recently members have ventured further a field and parades in Sligo and Rossnowlagh have become regular dates in the bands calendar.

In total members perform at about twenty five events per year with an increasing number of concert type performances.

The future

The band is always on the look-out for new members and anyone interested in joining should contact any band member for details. Instruments (when available) and tuition are provided free of charge and if after audition a member graduates to the senior band uniform is also provided.

Musical repertoire is constantly evolving and after the production of a successful tape in 1993 it is hoped to produce a C.D within the next year or two. Having successfully competed in a few competitions in the past it is hoped to revive this activity in the very near future.

The year 2007 has been ear-marked for the most ground breaking and adventurous activity ever planned as members prepare for a trip to Norway to perform in the city of Bergen. This promises to be an exciting and momentous occasion for everyone involved as the sounds of Silver from Church Hill resonate around the fjords and mountains of Norway.

Never forgetting its roots local performances for community events will still be Church Hill Bands most important priority and it hopes to serve this community for many, many years to come.

If you require and further information contact Band Secretary Edward Rogers on 02868641229 email edwardrogers2727@hotmail.com