There was a special dedication at Chalford Band's recent sell out Christmas concert at Stroud Subscription Rooms, where memories of the great Pat Etherton, who died last month aged 81 were recalled.

Memory

‘Auld Lang Syne’ was added to the programme as a tribute to the bass trombonist who played with Chalford for 44 years and Wotton-under-Edge for the last 11.

The packed hall enjoyed a fantastic evening of seasonal music which featured the organisation’s massed ranks of 70 players squeezing onto the stage for joint items under MD, Steve Tubb.

Superb

The top section Senior Band included performances of ‘Glen Miller Christmas’ medley, and a superb euphonium solo from Les Pearse on ‘Be My Love’, whilst the promising Junior Band were led by Bev Godwin, who was later presented with the ‘Player of the Year’ Award.

Cornet player Freddie Owens won the ‘Junior Player of the Year’ Award, whilst the ‘Young Player of the Year’ was claimed by 11-year-old soprano player George Hill.

National champions

The Academy Band's welcome spot featured the trombone section in, ‘I Will Follow Him’, whilst the National title winning Youth Band showed just why they won is such style in Manchester with some fabulous playing that also featured Lucy Foster on flugel horn and Freya Damsell on solo trombone, performing ‘Baby it's Cold Outside’.

After the interval came the eagerly awaited comedy sketch ‘A Night at the Movies in Glorious 4D’ by the band’s fledgling film production company Cheapskate Productions – featuring Bill Williamson, Amy Tubb, Steve Tubb and Derrick Witts, which very nearly brought the house down!

The conductor's own arrangement of The Pogues' ‘Fairytale of New York’ was a highlight from the combined bands4BR

Fairytale finish

The conductor's own arrangement of The Pogues' ‘Fairytale of New York’ was a highlight from the combined bands that played ‘Breezin' down Broadway’ as a finale and an encore of ‘Rocking around the Christmas Tree’.