The London Citadel Band (Bandmaster John Lam) began the season with some personnel changes to accommodate various needs.

Deborah Dawe has stepped out of the band temporarily as she takes on a new teaching challenge in the local school system. Dawe has been a faithful member of the band and fine flügelhorn player for ten years, and the LCB wishes here the best in her teaching carerr and looks forward to her rejoining the band when her teaching load improves.

To fill the flügelhorn chair, Ron Gilbert has moved from solo cornet. This gives an opportunity for younger players to move up the bench and take on more responsibility. Serena Doars is now second chair and Andrew Virtue is sitting third chair. Tommy Wilson continues to provide consistency and stability in the fourth chair.

Fred Curtis has decided to retire from a playing position in the band, thus vacating his seat on E-flat bass. Curtis has dedicated more than 60 years to banding, both as a bass player and a percussionist. Most of his service has been with the London Citadel Band, but he also played with Dovercourt Citadel and Tottenham Citadel bands. He has been a consistent and faithful member of the band and has been one of the driving forces behind the band’s success through the years, in that he regularly assumed many “behind the scenes” roles. The band wishes Curtis the best in his retirement from playing but looks forward to his continued work with the band in a more administrative capacity.

Source:
London Citadel Band web site