Winterborne Waytes

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Formed in the early 1970's by Dorset Music Teacher Roger Smith and his wife Margaret, in the Winterborne Valley, Dorset. The group consisted of 4/5 musicians playing renaissance instruments and giving concerts demonstrating and detailing the history behind both band and instruments. Over the years a fine collection of Crumhorns, Gemshorns, medieval recorders and other instruments was created. Concerts were performed throughout England, but concentrating mainly in Dorset and the Lake District. "Tours" abroad were also achieved using contacts in the Netherlands. In 1985 Roger and Margaret Smith Moved to The Isles Of Scilly to take up the post of Music Teacher to all the islands schools. Concerts continued, with pupils from the islands only Secondary School joining Roger and Margaret, to make up the Quartet. The shows themselves though still revolving round "The Instruments" developed an island theme and evolved, year on year, introducing slides and entertaining thousands of visitors. The tours also continued, funded solely through the sales of cassettes of the groups music (any entrance fee was donated to local charities).
In the early 1990's "The Waytes" turned into "Wayside Music", with Roger and Margaret continuing the Island/Medieval music tradition on their own. The Concerts continued right up to the early and sudden death of Roger on June 14th 2002.