Last weekend Windcorp Brass Band in Sweden concluded their 2008 activities with three local St. Lucia concerts.

The events took place at Artisten in Gothenburg and involved the band, a gospel choir 'Caleido', a St. Lucia procession choir and cornet star Richard Marshall.

Diverse programme

In three concerts, all of them with no less than 300 in the audience the band delivered a diverse programme. Richard Marshall was on top form with James Curnow's 'Concert Piece for Cornet' and there were several gospel as well as three new brass band pieces from Swedish composers and arrangers.

These included 'O Magna Mysterium' — a choir piece arranged for brass band by principal cornet David Glänneskog, 'Christmastime' — a jazzy arrangement by Andreas Holmström, bandmaster at the Salvation Army Vasa Corps in Stockholm, and 'World of Wonders' — an epic piece by salvationist Anders Beijer which was performed with additional pictures selected by the composer to fit the music.

Windcorp Brass Band has had the opportunity to work with two of the greatest in the banding movement today — Garry Cutt and Richard Marshall — and this has definitely made us improve and boosted our effortsWindcorp Brass BAND

House down

On the Friday afternoon Richard Marshall held a masterclass where he shared his thoughts about practicing, musicianship and banding in general, before he brought the house down in the concerts with his accounts of 'People' from the musical 'Funny Girl' and Saint Saen's 'Softly Awakes My Heart'.

Generous and positive

Henrik Glänneskog, Secretary of the band, told 4BR: "This was an experience we will never forget. Richard was very generous and positive, showing a great charisma. Although a superstar in his own field and invited as a guest soloist, he had no problem with sitting in with the solo cornet section on one of the rehearsals."

Boosted

Henrik added: "We can conclude that during 2008, Windcorp Brass Band has had the opportunity to work with two of the greatest in the banding movement today — Garry Cutt and Richard Marshall — and this has definitely made us improve and boosted our efforts."