Just wanted to share some good news with the good folks round here!

[mistersynth]

Hi everyone,

I know this is off topic, but I wanted to share my news with you.:cool:

Two weeks ago tonight, I was inaugurated as the Civic Mayor of Tameside here in the North West of England. My wife, Francoise is now the Mayoress.
It's a position that is only held for a year, unlike the European and US models, which are for considerably longer and which come with quite a degree of power.

The Civic Mayoralty, as the title perhaps suggests, is much more concerned with tradition and ceremony, and involves a heavy schedule of events and visits. We have already attended lots of functions, the best ones being those that celebrate the work and achievements of local "unsung heroes", and giving them a 'pat on the back' for the fantastic work that they do. We also attend functions which allow us to interact and mix with dignitaries from other authorities and even from foreign shores. Tonight we've been to a function in Manchester hosted by the Italian Consul - who we got on with very well, along with other Consuls and Honorary Consuls. Effectively, we stand in locally for the Queen. All in all we expect to attend upwards of 600 engagements in the year.

I don't know whether I'll have time to write much music this year, but I do intend to use my musical background to raise money for my Charity Fund -which will be dedicated to a number of local worthy causes. If I get the chance I may try to do a CD (or downloadable selection of pieces) which if people will pay a small amount for, will also go to my Charity.

If you're interested in finding out a little more, then you can have a look at the following link (and surf the associated links on that page).

http://www.tameside.gov.uk/mayor

from there, there's a link to a video of the Inauguration Ceremony in our Council Chamber - but I wouldn't expect anyone to sit watching that! It lasts for ages!

Lastly, please don't think I'm in any way showing off about this. Of course I'm very proud to take on this incredible role, but only in so far as it gives me the power to make those 'unsung heroes' feel good about themselves, and it gives me the opportunity to raise funds for some very worthy causes.

Best wishes to everyone,

John.

[fred Holmes]

Congratulations John,
Looks like an interesting year ahead for you
We'll wave to you in Sept as we take the train from Manchester to Skipton to walk Lady Anne's Way through the Yorkshire Dales.

I see there's a Whit Friday Brass Band Contest. I do love British Bands and am so glad that Garritan's C&MB has a BB multi.

Anyway, good luck in the coming year!
Fred

[mistersynth]

Thank you for your good wishes Fred.

You've chosen an incredibly beautiful part of our little island to visit, - the Yorkshire Dales - I'm sure you'll love it, especially if the weather's half as nice as it's been recently - a far cry from what people expect round here!

The Whit Friday band Contest is an annual Pilgrimage for many. It's a fantastic occasion with many of the best bands in the land playing superbly for their share of the incredibly generous prize money. I've a busy day on Friday. Early morning I'm with the Whit Friday walks in small local town. Afterwards I'll be at the funeral of a dear colleague and friend who sadly died recently, and then from about 5pm to 11:15pm I'll be visiting the Whit Friday Band contest venues - each in turn. Fortunately it's one of those occasions where we're driven there in an official car - so no need to worry about finding parking places!

I have Garritan C & MB too and it's wonderful to be able to do mock ups of bands with it.

If you're in Manchester in September, you are most welcome to come and spend an hour or so with me in the Mayor's Parlour in the Town Hall. We're only 20 minutes away from Manchester, so depending on your schedule, it should be perfectly feasible. PM or email me with any possible dates/times you'd be available and we'll sort something out. It would be my pleasure.

Best wishes,

John

PS If you can't make it, have a wonderful trip to Skipton and the Yorkshire Dales!




Congratulations John,
Looks like an interesting year ahead for you
We'll wave to you in Sept as we take the train from Manchester to Skipton to walk Lady Anne's Way through the Yorkshire Dales.

I see there's a Whit Friday Brass Band Contest. I do love British Bands and am so glad that Garritan's C&MB has a BB multi.

Anyway, good luck in the coming year!
Fred

[rbowser-]

What a fantastic thing, John - ! Thanks so much for letting us in on this unusual honor you and your wife have received. Just think of all these interesting "unsung heroes" you'll be meeting and giving a touch of joy to. It's just the greatest!

Randy

[Tom_Davis]

Congratulations on your new position - albeit for just a year. I think the whole concept is absolutely wonderful!

[snorlax]

Congratulations!

A look at your photo shows a noble and dignified man who will fulfil(l) his duties with all appropriate good humor, pomp, and circumstance!

OF COURSE, Your Honor will do EVERYTHING in his considerable power to promote the two great hobbies of Brass Banding and Amateur Radio )(~

What a superb honor!!

Jim N9EJR

[Styxx]

Holy carp! That's awesome! Congrats!


It's a position that is only held for a year, unlike the European and US models, which are for considerably longer and which come with quite a degree of power. Yeah, like the power to tax the tax that the tax was taxed before the new tax for paying tax on taxes that no one has money to pay a tax on! ~|
Our NYS mayor has a new name ... Sheriff of Nottingham. :D

Well, whatever ... Very happy for you and may God bless you in your new position. )(~

[etLux]

Congratulations, Mr. Mayor!

Best,



David
-----
David Sosnowski
www.DavidSosnowski.com

[Garritan]

A hearty CONGRATULATIONS Mayor! )(~ That is quite an honor and undoubtedly well-deserved. What a dream job - just partying with dignitaries all the time.

We will ask the admins if they can give you the title of "Mayor" on the forum.

All the best,

Gary

[Reegs]

Many congratulations, John! Have you kissed any babies yet? Is there a quota you'll have to fill? )(~

Best,
Reegs

[NickMilner]

Wow, small world!

I was born and raised in Stalybridge, a town in Tameside, and all my family still live there!

Hope you do a great job for everyone. :) Congratulations!

Nick

[AlanPerkins]

Congratulations on the appointment and everything you plan to do.

Six hundred Meetings! :wow:

[Pingu]

Congratulations John!
Do your mayoral powers extend to having people 'vanished?' My boss is principal trombone with Fodens; it would be a dreadful shame if he met with a nasty accident at the Whit marches - wink, wink!

[BenNichols]

600 events? Thats nearly 2 shindigs a day, every day! Hope you're not a light-weight... :p

Congratulations tho. Hope you do more worthwhile work than the mayor (+wife) down here in Christchurch (near Bournemouth). They certainly don't do 600 events a year...maybe 6...

[mistersynth]

Thanks everyone for your kind comments and your encouragement!

Randy,
It really is an honour and a privilege, and I thought this forum, with all the great characters in it, was a pretty good place to share the news. I really mean it about the unsung heroes. We've just been to share an evening with many of the volunteers in our Borough and given certificates of achievement and special awards to them - it's truly great stuff. I know many of the people that were there, but it's only when you see them in such numbers together that you realise how much good will there is out there and how much help people give those in need, and without any thought of self.

Tom,
Thank you for your congratulations. Yes it's only for a year, but I understand that you're ready for a good rest at the end of it!:wow:

Jim,
Thanks for your lovely comments - of course brass bands and ham radio will be high on the agenda during my year. I'm hoping to get a special callsign at some point in the year and maybe we can have a qso or two when that happens. (I haven't forgotten about that Euphonium piece by the way - I'm just flagging a bit at the moment because of the change of pace! - It will be ready as soon as possible! To complicate matters I started learning Sibelius and I haven't finished leaning Finale yet! Talk about biting off more than I can chew!):confused:

Styxx,
Thank you too!
I couldn't possibly comment on the tax raising Mayors of the other variety - I'm just glad that I get the good stuff to do! You could always become a latter day Robin Hood! although I think you may become a little conspicuous running around NYS in green tights :o and pointing a bow and arrow at the Mayor!:samurai: Thanks again Styxx!


David,
Always nice to hear from you - thanks for your congratulations! You can still call me John though....when I'm not wearing the chain!:p

Gary,

I'm indeed very honoured, not only to be blessed with such a wonderful role, but to receive congratulations from a true stateside Dignitary - i.e yourself! It means a lot.
Mmm if they rename me to "Mayor" I may never want to be called mistersynth again!!:(

Reegs,

Thanks to you too. I haven't kissed any babies yet, and I'm not aware of any quotas either!
Seriously though, it's a funny world these days - One of my first engagements was to receive 91 10/11 year old children into the Parlour and of course there were the obligatory photos - with me in the middle of them all. My 1st instinct was to put my hands on the shoulders of the 2 closest ones - but no sooner than I moved to do so, the voice of one of my attendants boomed out that it was perhaps better not to. Immediately it struck me why - it could be miscontrued and I could end up in trouble!! :eek:I find that a bit sad really - but I'd rather not take the chance - so no kissing babies, only handshakes and big beaming smiles!

Nick,
Absolutely - what a small world! So you're from Staly-Vegas!!)(~:|::D And your family are still there. (where are you now?)
I'll have lots of engagements there - so tell your family to make themselves known to me when I'm out and about and maybe we can have a photo taken - I'll post it here!!
Thanks for your congratulations!

Alan,
Thanks so much for your good wishes! I know... 600 (or more!!!) it doesn't bear thinking about does it?~|

Pingu (David),
Thanks for your congratulations! I guess you're not too far away from us but I can't guess just where! Hmmm... vanishing powers... I wish! I'm not sure about your Boss though. I'll tell you what - I'm going to visit all the Tameside Whit Friday Contest venues on Friday and I'll make a special point of trying to get to hear Fodens. If I do, I'll listen very carefully to the Solo trombone and if there's the slightest intonation problem, or mistake of any kind, I'll make his trombone disappear instead! (But then I'll tell him who issued the contract!:n:);)

Ben,
Thanks to you too. I'm not sure I'd call them 'shindigs*()'... maybe the odd one or two, but most engagements are simple affairs, just giving recognition to the hundreds of people and organisations that work away day in, day out for little or nothing!
I'm sure the Mayor in your area must do a lot more than you get to see - there's probably some website that you can check on.

Thanks again to all of you!

Best regards,

John

[NickMilner]

Thanks everyone for your kind comments and your encouragement!

Nick,
Absolutely - what a small world! So you're from Staly-Vegas!!)(~:|::D And your family are still there. (where are you now?)
I'll have lots of engagements there - so tell your family to make themselves known to me when I'm out and about and maybe we can have a photo taken - I'll post it here!!
Thanks for your congratulations!


I haven't moved far, just to Stretford. Perhaps we'll catch you at one of the events!

[mistersynth]

I haven't moved far, just to Stretford. Perhaps we'll catch you at one of the events!

Stretford? - just down the road! - & I thought you were in the States for some reason!!

It would be great to bump into you at one of the local events - please do come and say hello if you see me at one and we'll make sure a photo gets posted here.

John

[mistersynth]

Congratulations John!
Do your mayoral powers extend to having people 'vanished?' My boss is principal trombone with Fodens; it would be a dreadful shame if he met with a nasty accident at the Whit marches - wink, wink!

You're not going to believe this David... until Monday when you're back in work and your boss tells you that he came face to face with 'the Mayor of Tameside'!!

The first location I visited was in Droylsden at about 5pm and I discovered that Foden's had played there already at about 4pm. (It was bucketing down with rain!) So I thought I'd never catch up with them. But much later on, in Stalybridge Celtic's Football ground, I saw a man with FODEN'S on his blazer - so I asked him where the Principal Trombone player was. He took me straight to him, and it was kind of fun to start feeding him bits of info about this 'David' guy who works under him and who I'd communicated with on the Garritan Forum!
I'm afraid I didn't vanish him or his trombone - because 1) I didn't stay long enough to hear them play, and 2) He said you were a very good pianist and composer - and I thought it would be a) unfair & b) illegal to liquidate either him or his trombone!

I didn't reveal your (wink wink) request though!

John

[mistersynth]

A hearty CONGRATULATIONS Mayor! )(~ That is quite an honor and undoubtedly well-deserved. What a dream job - just partying with dignitaries all the time.

We will ask the admins if they can give you the title of "Mayor" on the forum.

All the best,

Gary

Wow Gary!!! You meant it.... I've just noticed.... I'm marked as "Mayor" and my simple, humble 'mistersynth' alias is still there too. How superb! :D

Thanks so much! )(~)(~

Regards,

John

[DPDAN]

CONGRATULATIONS JOHN,

I hope you get some great stuff accomplished !
Dan

[trentpmcd]

Congratulations! You even became mayor of the forum - now there's a feat!

Some of the mayors in the States may have more power but they sure don't get to wear such snazzy outfits. On the other hand, most mayors here really don't hold all that much power. There is no mayor were I live now and the mayor of the town I grew up in was, for many years, a teacher in the high school.

600 events in a year.... I'm not sure I'd be able to handle that....

[Pingu]

You're not going to believe this David... until Monday when you're back in work and your boss tells you that he came face to face with 'the Mayor of Tameside'!!

The first location I visited was in Droylsden at about 5pm and I discovered that Foden's had played there already at about 4pm. (It was bucketing down with rain!) So I thought I'd never catch up with them. But much later on, in Stalybridge Celtic's Football ground, I saw a man with FODEN'S on his blazer - so I asked him where the Principal Trombone player was. He took me straight to him, and it was kind of fun to start feeding him bits of info about this 'David' guy who works under him and who I'd communicated with on the Garritan Forum!
I'm afraid I didn't vanish him or his trombone - because 1) I didn't stay long enough to hear them play, and 2) He said you were a very good pianist and composer - and I thought it would be a) unfair & b) illegal to liquidate either him or his trombone!

I didn't reveal your (wink wink) request though!

John

Aw shucks! Oh well!

I actually told him myself - I told him I had a contract out on him, and that he wouldn't see it coming. I don't suppose anyone here is actually Fat Tony?!

Well thanks anyway John, and the best of luck with the next 599 engagements!

[mistersynth]

CONGRATULATIONS JOHN,

I hope you get some great stuff accomplished !
Dan

Dan, thank you so much. I'll certainly try - it's a great privilege!

Best,

John

[mistersynth]

Congratulations! You even became mayor of the forum - now there's a feat!

Some of the mayors in the States may have more power but they sure don't get to wear such snazzy outfits. On the other hand, most mayors here really don't hold all that much power. There is no mayor were I live now and the mayor of the town I grew up in was, for many years, a teacher in the high school.

600 events in a year.... I'm not sure I'd be able to handle that....

Thanks very much Trent. Yes - Mayor of the Forum, that must be a first!
If you're referring to the Red (fur lined - not real by the way) Robe etc. as a snazzy outfit, it's got it's downside - it's unbelievably heavy and hot! I've got to wear it at the Mayoral Procession and Churching of the Mayor Service in July yet, and that's likely to be hard going!
As far as the 600+ events are concerned, - I knew that was the case before I accepted the position - I'll be in need of a good rest at the end of the year I'm quite sure.

The chain is certainly 'snazzy' - as is the Morning Suit I usually wear with it, and I certainly feel very proud when I'm wearing it.

Thanks again for your congratulations.

Best wishes,

John

[mistersynth]

Aw shucks! Oh well!

I actually told him myself - I told him I had a contract out on him, and that he wouldn't see it coming. I don't suppose anyone here is actually Fat Tony?!

Well thanks anyway John, and the best of luck with the next 599 engagements!

Not to worry - any dodgy intonation round here, by him or anyone else, and they're likely to feel a swipe round the cranium with my chain - as long as the Mayoral attendant is looking the other way!

Hey - Tony's not fat really!

Cheers,

John

[Garritan]

Congratulations again Mr. Mayor!

Best,

Gary