Chalford Band

Conductor: Steve Tubb
Christmas Concert
Stroud Subscription Rooms
Stroud
19th December 2004

Take sixty brass players, well prepare them in a good mixture of music, and add some seasonal confections, spoonfuls of humour and a few surprises.

These were musical director Steve Tubb's ingredients for another bumper Christmas concert served up to 400 well-satisfied customers at Chalford Band's Christmas concert in Stroud Subscription Rooms. If the ballroom had been 50 per cent larger they could have filled that, too, such was the demand for tickets for the band's yearly treat. Not many village brass bands can run three ensembles- senior, training and youth -  which when combined for the second half could have filled a vast arena with sound if all the stops had been pulled out.

The evening got off to a rousing start with the senior band's own spot, including 'The Wonder of Christmas' by Peter Graham and Goff Richards' version of 'Mack the Knife'. A highlight was Philip Harper's arrangement of Jim Henson's 'The Muppet Show' music, humorously illustrated by the famous puppets including Miss Piggy (percussionist Helen Acock) getting amorous with Kermit the Frog (the conductor providing Kermit's voice). During the piece Chris Jones, with orange hair and a red nose, played a cornet break from the balcony.

As a tribute to his supportive wife Denise, conductor Steve presented the first performance of his own splendid arrangement of her favourite song, 'Bring Him Home' from the musical 'Les Miserables', immaculately performed by principal euphonium player, Martin Clissold. Chalford Training Band then took the audience to the interval with 'Christmas Rossini Style', Cole Porter's 'Anything Goes' and 'Christmas At Last'.

After the break it was time for the Youth Band, with the youngsters proudly wearing the new jade-coloured polo shirts with Chalford Band logo, generously donated by president John Hemming.  They served up some 'Christmas Spirit', 'Cruella De Ville' from '101 Dalmatians' and a swinging version of 'Mary's Boy Child'. The young players, who won a silver medal in the 2004 youth championships, were in great form.

There was plenty more festive music from the combined bands but no-one will forget the cabaret spot by I Quatri Maestri whose version of 'I am the Music Man'  was clever and hilarious. They started with three  (Rob Wills, Steve Tubb and  Derrick Wittts) but the late-arriving replacement maestro for fourth place was Austin Maestro the car mechanic (Bill Williamson) who brought his bag of tools instead of  musical instruments. For example, while they played bells he struck a bottle of Bell's whisky and some notes on the bottom string of a violin were followed by him stretching a different G-string. All good fun.

Every year the conductor chooses the Young Player of the Year. This time he thought two were equally deserving - percussionist Max Ireland and nine-year-old Simon Holmes, who plays Eb bass for the youth band and is Chalford's youngest principal player. Simon received a trophy but Max was unable to attend because of asthma. To round off an enjoyable evening the combined bands presented 'A Disney Fantasy' finale followed by Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' as an encore.

Ron Gardiner

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