ALTHOUGH I retired from teaching at Smithills School two years ago and have had no input whatsoever into its leadership, management or teaching since that time, it remains my absolute honour to this day to conduct and rehearse all of the many award-winning bands and community ensembles at the school on a daily basis, as I have done for the past 26 years.

Anyone who came to watch our most recent, packed Victoria Hall concert on Saturday December 17th or who has seen the Senior Brass Band and I perform every Saturday and Sunday throughout December in the town centre, as we have done every year since 1990, knows at first hand the exceptional presentation, attitude and musical standard of our amazing musicians and singers. I have never been more proud of my Smithills players than the past three days of performing non-stop Christmas music and bag packing all day long with me at Morrison’s Atlas Mills store and the constant compliments and good wishes of the customers and Bolton public have continued to be flattering beyond words.

May I take this opportunity to thank everyone who has bought a ticket to watch Smithills musicians perform in our superb concerts throughout 2016 or who has supported the bands and myself in anyway at all once again this past year. Above all, may I take this opportunity to thank our exceptionally talented, dedicated and fine young musicians, their parents and carers who continue to represent both the school and myself in the finest possible way. They are all an absolute credit to Smithills School, to Bolton, to their families and to myself and I cannot wait until the next time we take to the stage together in 2017.

Chris Wormald

Musical Director

Smithills School