Friary Brass has been busy over the Summer period ensuring that they are ready for the resumption of the second half of the 2024 contest year — one that sees them return to the Royal Albert Hall National Final in October.

Informal approach

The London & Southern Counties band recently gave a well-received midweek summer concert at its rehearsal venue, Chertsey Hall — one which thanks to its deliberately informal approach attracted new listeners to hear them perform.

They were able to enjoy a varied programme that ranged from Piazzolla's 'Oblivion' to Lionel Ritchie's 'All Night Long', with a Harry Potter medley, a couple of circus marches, 'Rockall' from their 2023 Brass in Concert programme and Bach's 'Toccata in D minor' amongst the musical goodies.

Delighted

Chairperson David Wicks told 4BR that everyone was delighted by the response. "It was a good way to link with new people and we were encouraged that they wanted to find out more their local brass band.

Attracting new audiences is always a challenge for bands, but we now know more local people now want to be engaged with us in some way."