Greater Gwent Youth Band and Dalewool Auckland Band

Soloist: Russell Gray
Saturday 31st July,
Holy Trinity Church, Parnell, Auckland
New Zealand

On a bitterly cold winter's evening a dazzling array of talent warmed the souls of the appreciative audience in the beautiful Holy Trinity Church which is just a mere couple of miles from the hustle and bustle of Auckland city centre.
 
Dalewool Auckland Band who were crowned New Zealand Champions for the second year in a row last month, invited special guests Greater Gwent Youth Band and the globe trotting cornet soloist, Russell Gray to take part in a very special concert at the outset of the youth band's tour 'down under'.
 
Dalewool were the first to take to the stage and were conducted by Nigel Weeks, who has just celebrated ten years in New Zealand after emigrating from Wales. They started in tremendous fashion with The Waltonian, by Sousa. It was a real scorcher of a tempo and the soprano player excelled. In complete contrast, they followed this with Philip Wilby's moving arrangement of 'The Day thou Gavest'. Riki McDonnell played his heart out at the beginning of the piece and there were some lovely moments from the middle of the band. Dalewool are indeed a talented band and it is testament to this that just two weeks after lifting the NZ crown, playing a set test piece, own choice, hymn and a street march that they could put on such a great event as this. The cornets were then given a chance to shine, in Goff Richard's arrangement of Hora Staccato, which showed all round good technique in the cornets from principal to third cornet. To finish their short slot, they romped through Karl Friedmann's Slavonic Rhapsody No.2, which showed class throughout especially in the basses however there were a few moments of intonation in the high cornets. Nigel Weeks was extremely dynamic and often would leave his rostrum to summon even more from his players. I'm sure on this showing that Dalewool Auckland will do New Zealand proud at the British Open.
 
After a brief reorganising of stands and chairs, it was Greater Gwent Youth Band conducted by Andrew Jones who took to the stage with beaming smiles, which is very impressive seeing as they has only been in New Zealand for two days after a very arduous journey. They started with Fanfare and Flourishes, which is a tough piece to make it sound convincing, but they sure did. The band is made up of about fifty players, and the sound that they produced was immense. The young lady on soprano was outstanding in this first piece, to play over the band and not to force the sound was extremely impressive.
 
Gareth Ritter, who in addition to being solo euphonium at the Greater Gwent Youth Band is second baritone at Buy as You View Band, was soloist in the very popular Benedictus from Carl Jenkin's The Armed Man. He really showed off his wonderful full tone and his breath control was impeccable. Rondo from Malcolm Arnold's Little Suite No.1 was next and again it is a piece that is very easy to make it sound average, but yet again the young band were terrific and this is testament to the work of their conductor Andrew Jones, the little nuances he brought out of the score and the great attention to rythhmic accuracy and basic musical discipline was refreshing. It is so frustrating to hear bands play with little care to the basics, but that certainly wasn't the case here.
 
Russell Gray is the man of the moment, he is not only an extremely talented conductor but also as a soloist and clinician. Russell taught me when I was thirteen and the first solo that he taught me to play was Cavatine di Beatrice de Tenda, which is the first solo in the Arban Cornet Method, so it was a delight when I found out that Russell would be playing this to open his first 'solo spot'. The first thing you notice about Russell is his attire. He looked extremely dapper in dinner jacket, waistcoat and tartan bow-tie (of course tartan!). Then you notice how relaxed he is, before he played a note he spent several minutes explaining his repetoire and also showing off the famous Courtois cornet as played by JP Arban himself. Russell explained everything very clearly without sounding patronising.

The other lovely thing about this solo which was especially arranged for Russell's CD of the Arban solos is that is was arranged by my husband Simon Kerwin! Russell's playing was superb, his attention to detail and I mean rythmic nuances was excellent. He has a wonderful sound, which exudes warmth and clarity. The band was tremendous in their accompanying, which is not an easy task when there is so many in the band and the cornet that Russell played on does not project as well as modern day cornets. He continued with another Arban solo, this time 'Le Cornet Polka' once again arranged by Simon Kerwin and this time conducted by Alun Williams. These arrangements are designed to give a refreshing lift to the solo line and to challenge the accompanying band. Russell's tempo's were very well chosen and were consistent in the air varie to the theme. Russell was faultless and he really communicates with an audience through his playing which of course enhances his stage presence.
 
The band continued with a Welsh tribute in All Through the Night, arranged by Gordon Langford, this once again highlighted the talents of the Gareth Ritter on solo euphonium and his colleagues. They then went on to Sospan Fach which, Andrew Jones informed us is a rugby song. This is a terrific arrangement by Gareth Wood.
 
It was time for Russell to be welcomed back on stage looking suspicously like an Irn Bru bottle in an orange suit and bright blue shirt which brought much merriment to the audience. Russell was now back on his trusty Yamaha cornet to play Children of Sanchez together with the Greater Gwent Youth Band's cornets stood on each flank. Russell certainly enjoyed the laid back feel of the music and the arrangement did work well on cornet as opposed to flugelhorn. To finish his solo work for the evening, Russell played Posthorn Galop where Russell sauntered through the audience. This was showmanship coupled with great controlled playing.
 
Greater Gwent Youth Band then still in formation of basses on the solo cornet bench and the cornets to either side of the band stood up to deliver their final spot. Andrew Jones was back at the helm to start the band off in musical world tour, commencing in Amazonia, with Peter Graham's Windows of the World, with some dazzling playing in this technically challenging piece, then three young men (one of them from the bass section) stood at the front with African drums thumping out different motifs and then into Kongolela by Jan Magne Forde (a Norwegian composer) which asked the band to dance and sing.

There were also featured jazz riffs by a trumpet player, solo trombone and a baritone of which was nearly straightened with the volume! The only criticism I had of this was that as convincing as the playing and dancing etc. was, I did feel that the players could have looked happier, it's a tough ask I know, but if you smile, even if you are cringing with embarassment inside, it fools the audience into thinking that you love it! But that was it, the only criticism. Without wanting to sound patronising, the young band were excellent and as Riki McDonnell said after the concert, 'if banding is in the hands of youngsters like that, then the movement is sure to be safe'.
 
The climax of the concert was a massed bands performance of the Finale from 'Suite Gothique', and the rousing Welsh National Anthem.
 
Full marks to Dalewool Auckland for not only organising this concert but for also hosting the youngsters in their homes. Good luck to the Greater Gwent Youth Band who are embarking on a memorable tour and congratulations to Russell Gray who has already just completed a gruelling tour of Japan and Australia and of course once more, best wishes to Dalewool Auckland Band in their quest for the British Open title.
 
Alexandra Kerwin

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