Nether Stowe High School in Lichfield was the venue for the latest concert in Birmingham Citadel Band’s Pre-Tour programme.  A large audience greeted the band as they presented a concert which opened with “Dance of the Comedians”.  The ‘helter skelter’ cornet and euphonium lines, originally written for violins and cellos of course, ensured the concert started with a ‘bang’ before the band presented the march “the Ambassadors”. 

 

The band featured three soloists throughout the night with principal cornet Gavin Lamplough starting the proceedings with “Song of Exultation”, before Neil Blessett’s beautiful sound reverberated around the hall with “Demelza” and Mark Sharman adopted the big band style in Camsey’s “This I Know”.

 

The band’s programme concluded with Ponsford’s “Kerygma” which was met with rapturous applause although, during the thanks, it was said that the highlight for the audience was the singing of “Were You There?” which was the centrepiece of a time of reflection.  The fact that such descriptive music (by Eric Ball) that describes the whole purpose of our Christian faith was the highlight for our audience, meant that the band left with a feeling of “job done”! 

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Photographs: Graham Daff

 

 

Programme

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Dance of the Comedians (Smetana; trans. Rayner)

The Ambassadors (Peter Graham)

Cornet Solo: Song of Exultation (Norman Bearcroft)

Soloist: Gavin Lamplough

Horn Solo: Demelza (Hugh Nash)

Soloist: Neil Blessett

Psalm of Thanks (Paul Sharman)

El es el senor (Dean Jones)

 

Just a Closer Walk (arr. Alan Fernie)

Trombone Solo: This I Know (Terry Camsey)

Soloist: Mark Sharman

Three Kings Swing (William Himes)

The Power of the Cross (Paul Sharman)

Band Song: Were You There?

Kerygma (Stephen Ponsford)

Irish Blessing (Stephen Bradnum)