Concert Band’s Summer Update

Preparing for Autumn

After a well-earned summer break the band start their autumn events with an open rehearsal for brass and woodwind players on Friday September 18th at Heathlands.  This is a great opportunity for anyone who fancies giving the band a try to come along for the first time, alongside other new starters, to see what playing in a band is all about. Our Autumn 2015 programme is themed around “Stage and Screen” and will include music ranging from Miss Saigon, Grease and Wicked through to Rocky, Gabriel’s Oboe and The Blues Brothers.  The majority of this term’s music is brand new, so we’ll all be trying the music for the first time together.  After that we’ll be performing another of our popular workshops with local primary schools on October 10th, and a secondary schools workshop and concert on November 14th at Philip Morant school.   2015 marks 25 years since the band’s founder suddenly passed away, so it’s appropriate that we’re performing a concert at a school whose concert hall still contains a plaque commemorating the affection in which he was held.

Summer Activities

The band’s summer activities marked a milestone for our current conductor, with our concert at Marks Hall marking the 100th concert he has conducted as sole conductor, although that didn’t prevent him from leaving his baton in his car at the start, or prevent him from missing the significance of the concert.  Having decided not to risk the showers which were threatened but never arrived, the band performed a programme of recent favourites ranging from Mancini & John Williams through to Bon Jovi and Joseph inside a lovely atmospheric barn, which contributed to the relaxed atmosphere of the event.  Shortly after that we returned to Coggeshall’s St Peter ad Vincula Church for a wonderful concert featuring music from Rachmaninov and Gershwin through to James Horner and Les Miserables, with the concert highlights including a new percussion heavy arrangement of Africa by Toto, and the audience demanding an encore of our Neil Diamond medley.

Charity efforts

The band continues to raise thousands of pounds for charities, and have a fully booked calendar for 2016.  We also continue to welcome players of all ages and joining couldn’t be easier – there’s no audition, you can just pop along any Friday evening, and you don’t have to make every week.  We remain a fun and friendly bunch who help each other out, especially when the notes get tricky.  Everything you need to know about the band (including details of all our events and how to join us) is on our website, or you can call Graham on 01206 824157.