Ahead of their forthcoming concert appearance at the Brass in Concert Championship this weekend, Black Dyke ensured that the 'sold out' signs were on display in Shirebrook as part of a full day of music making provided by the European champion.

Workshop

Star players under the command of Director of Music Prof Nicholas Childs started the day with a series of workshops with 43 youngsters at Shirebrook Academy School. Richard Marshall, Jonathan Bates, Chris Binns, Gary Curtin and Keith Britcliffe coached the players to an amazing standard that was later showcased in two massed band items with Black Dyke at the evening concert.

Overwhelmed

Carole Hirst of Bolsover District Council told 4BR: "We have been overwhelmed with comments and compliments from the workshops and are pleased to report that both the workshops and concert were a resounding success."

The evening concert held at Shirebrook Leisure Centre had in fact been sold out two weeks prior to the event, with Carol fielding numerous requests to see if there were any spare tickets almost up to the first note being played!

Special commission

Organised by Bolsover District Council in collaboration with Shirebrook Town Council and funded by Arts Council England's 'Grant for the Arts' funding through the Arts Council's National Lottery programme, the concert also featured a specially commissioned work from composer Philip Sparke to commemorate the centenary of the First World War, entitled 'In Memoriam — To the Fallen'.

The piece, based on the famous Binyon poem 'To the Fallen' used each year at Remembrance Parades was narrated by BBC Presenter, Frank Renton.

We have been overwhelmed with comments and compliments from the workshops and are pleased to report that both the workshops and concert were a resounding successCarole Hirst, Bolsover District Council

Concert repertoire

The concert also included popular 'Proms' music and featured soprano singer Sarah Ogden who led on 'Rule Britannia', 'Jerusalem' and 'Pomp & Circumstance No.1' (Land of Hope and Glory).

Also included by the band was '633 Squadron', 'March' from the 'Pines of Rome', 'The Dam Busters March' and 'Black Dyke Big Band Set' as well as soloists Richard Marshall, Jonathan Bates, Gary Curtin, Chris Binns and Andrea Price.