Buy As You View Cory Band

Conductor: Robert Childs
Guest Soloist: David Childs

Cliff Town Church, Southend on Sea
9th June 2001

British Open and National Champions, Buy as you View Cory Band made a 250 mile journey to Southend on the 9th June to make their first appearance at Cliff Town Church. The concert was organised by the Estuary Concert Series on behalf of Rayleigh Brass Training band and funds were also in aid of Imperial Cancer Research, British Heart Foundation and other charities.

Cory opened the evening performance with Struass's "Fest Musik der Stadt Wien" and went on to give a meticulous rendition of the march "The President". The technical ability of the band was evident in Peter Graham's "Gaelforce" and this piece was also enhanced by the visual effect of two harnessed tenor drums being played with precision on the Church dais.

David Childs played two contrasting pieces in the first half, and he accounted himself well with "Carnival of Venice" with the fine acoustics of the building contributing to the audiences appreciation. His father arranged Evelyn Glennie's "Little Prayer" as a 17th birthday present to David and he played the piece with feeling and sincerity.

Cory's principal percussionist, David Mitchell, featured in "Sing, Sing, Sing" and Langford's "Men of Harlech" was played with panache and fervour. Although the Church was moderately filled for the occasion the audience were knowledgeable of their brass band repertoire and appreciated the splendour of "Pines of Rome" as the bands finale to the first half.

Rayleigh Brass Training Band opened the second half and they played four numbers that they had rehearsed during the day with Robert and David Childs and members of Cory Band. Some of members were as young as six but their stage discipline and concentration was admirable with Robert Childs conducting with style and sympathy. Robert Childs thanked the training bands usual conductor, Helen Godden, for the work she had done in training the youngsters at normal rehearsals.

Cory continued the concert with another Graham piece this time it was the turn of "Prelude on Tallis" followed by another stirring march, Powell's "Contestor". These days it seems no concert is complete without an Alan Fernie arrangement but on this occasion we heard his arrangement of "Pastime with Good Company".

David Childs reappeared and again dazzled the audience, this time with another Graham piece, " Brilliante" and then "Varied Mood". With a few words of acknowledgement to his father and Cory Band, David Childs played, as an encore, his own arrangement of "My Grandfathers Clock".

Cory had no intention hiding their heritage and the next piece was the stirring Gareth Woods arrangement of "Sospan Fach" . Robert Childs had insisted to the concert organisers that the training band had to be included in the finale and with some squeezing and manoeuvring the two bands were assembled. Cory launched into Pomp & Circumstance March and were joined at the trio by the Training Band. It was a very well appreciated initiative, giving the youngsters the opportunity to perform with the band.

Buy as you View Cory Band made a lot of friends and gained enormous respect from the thriving South Essex brass band community. They carry the mantle of "Double Champions" with pride and when Robert Childs made the comment with regard the "responsibility to give something back" both the players and management of the band had obviously taken this seriously. Estuary Concert Series anticipate that the event will be moderately successful financially but in real terms the benefit to the training band and invited youngsters on the day was immeasurable.

Review by Keith Williams

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