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Cranbrook Bugle Band: 2015 has begun and Miss Pat’s back!

Come and join us for a great opportunity to represent Cranbrook, make new friends, travel and have lots of fun.
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Members of the Cranbrook Bugle Band rehearsing at Steeples Elementary School in Cranbrook.

Submitted

Just to give you a little background on our band in case you are not familiar with the Cranbrook Bugle Band.  The Band was formed in 1941 so is 74 years old this year.  It's the oldest youth group that in Cranbrook that carries the city name, which means the Cranbrook name is out there wherever we go.

The band has travelled as far east as Montreal, north to Whitehorse, west to Victoria and Seattle and south to Salt Lake City.  We have won awards throughout the years with the oldest trophy being from 1952.

As an example of having the Cranbrook Bugle Band out there, a gentleman that passed away in Calgary in 2014 willed his bugle and drumsticks to the Cranbrook Bugle Band, as he always enjoyed watching us and would travel to see us.

The Cranbrook Bugle Band had a great 2014.  They represented Cranbrook at several parades and shows throughout the Kootenays and Alberta, winning different awards such as Best Marching Unit, Best Musical Group as well as  2nd in Junior Bands at the Calgary Stampede in 2014.  The band that won 1st was the Roundup band from Calgary, a 100 member unit.

The band's performance season began with Band Camp in April, and ended with the very wet Santa Claus parade here in Cranbrook.  Miss Pat was acting Director throughout the summer, returning as full Director in the fall.

With a new year starting we are now accepting new members and since the is co-ed member ship is open to all youths from the ages of 11 – 18.  You do not need to be a resident of Cranbrook, only be able to attend the practices on Wednesday evenings (6:30 – 8 pm) and Saturday mornings (10 am – 1 pm).  The band practices at Steeples Elementary School.

When the current members were asked about their time in Bugle Band, there was lots of different responses, like "it is fun", "we have lots of adventures such as going zip lining, holding owls, going to the zoo, through corn mazes, even a reptile museum."

"It is like having another family and we have so much fun on our trips, I'm really going to miss it when I graduate,"  said Jessika Hartman who is going into her 7th year.  Some of the members stated that playing the bugle was easier then some instruments as we play by ear (no sheet music to learn) and teach each other.

Calgary is a favorite trip of lots of the band members as we always go to the Stampede grounds in the evening and you  get to meet and mingle with other bands from all over the world as well as go shopping.

One of the newest members tells us she joined bugle band as she loves to play instruments, but she is finding it lots of fun and is looking forward to band camp and all of the trips planned for this year.  Another new member is following in the footsteps of her great-grandmother, her mom and other family members.  She loves Bugle Band, making new friends, learning new dances and is also looking forward to the upcoming trips which includes a six-day trip. Another senior member, Lydia is "looking forward to another great year".

Projected performances/trips for 2015 include shows throughout the Kootenays, Spokane, Coleman,  Calgary, Quesnel, Penticton and more.  Unfortunately, we have to decline may invitations as they overlap with other dates.

Come and join us for a great opportunity to represent Cranbrook, make new friends, travel and have lots of fun. At $15 a month Bugle Band is affordable to most people.

For more information, please contact Miss Pat at 250-489-0086 in the evening or by emailing cbkbugleband@shaw.ca