Brass band enthusiasts in Lincolnshire were treated to an evening of musical excellence as the Foss Dyke Band delivered a highly enjoyable concert featuring Black Dyke euphonium star Gary Curtin.

It followed a masterclass earlier in the day delivered by Gary, with musicians of a range of abilities; one that proved both popular and informative. 

40th anniversary

Foss Dyke provided a varied programme to an audience which included the newly elected Mayor of Lincoln - opening with a march followed by the overture, ‘The Lincoln Imp’, which featured an accompanying video taking them through the history of the band, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this year.

Throughout the night a range of ensemble pieces, from the haunting melodic ‘O Magnum Mysterium’ to the much more upbeat ‘Gaelforce’ and ‘Caravan’, were punctuated by a set of fantastic solos delivered by the Black Dyke star. 

Duet

In the first half Curtin performed the beautiful ‘Little Prayer’ and ‘Eire Time’ before joining the Foss Dyke solo euphonium Ami Petch for the classic duet ‘Softly as I Leave You’.

After the interval Gary once again captivated with a rendition of ‘Solitary Prayer’, before rounding off his superb contribution with a thrilling ‘Carnival of Venus’, which certainly showcased the huge array of musical skills in his arsenal.

Meanwhile, the band’s outstanding contribution ended with the ‘March’ from ‘Pines of Rome’, before the upbeat encore of ‘Come Follow the Band’. 

Celebratory occasion

It rounded off an excellent celebratory occasion - not only to mark Foss Dyke’s 40th anniversary, but also acknowledging their latest contesting success, which will see the band compete in the Third Section National Finals in Cheltenham in September before gaining promotion to the Second Section in 2016.

Milestone

That was something MD Simon Oates, later acknowledged: “The day marked a fantastic milestone as we celebrated 40 years of music making. We cannot thank Gary enough - firstly for a terrific masterclass, and then for providing a thoroughly entertaining selection of solos. 

Concerts like this provide something for our players to aspire to as we look forward to our next huge occasion and the National Finals.”