The Shirley Band under conductor David Bishop-Rowe recently kicked off their Autumn Season of concerts with a feast for the senses to a 200 strong audience at Cradley Heath Salvation Army Hall.

Celebrations

Held for the Anniversary weekend celebrations of the branch’s Sunshine Club, the concert featured the band and local vocalist Hilary Crowhurst, and was attended by special guest leaders Major and Mrs Calder.

The band combined their performance with a backing of video links and slides, brilliantly crafted together by James Chamberlain and Chris Croft – a new innovation that drew many compliments.

Favs and soloists

Combining their recent Wychavon contest programme with items from the summer season repertoire, and traditional Last Night of the Proms favourites, the band included solos from solo trombone Richard Nield, principal cornet Rob Green together with a trombone trio featuring Richard together with Jack Bond and Andrew Yeomans.

It was principal euphonium Kevin Short, who produced the outstanding performance of the evening however, with a virtuoso rendition of the Erik Leidzen’s, ‘Song of the Brother’.

It was principal euphonium Kevin Short, who produced the outstanding performance of the evening however, with a virtuoso rendition of the Erik Leidzen’s, ‘Song of the Brother’4BR

Birthday surprise

Meanwhile, there was a surprise was in store for the MD’s mother Audrey, who was celebrating her 81st birthday, when the band struck up with not the traditional Happy Birthday, but the American Salvationist march ‘Roll Call’.

Quite what was said by mother to son afterwards remains unknown…