2006 European Championships - Gala Concert
3-May-2006The 2006 Europeans were rounded off by a fine Gala Concert which featured everything from Ben Hur to two Black Dyke lads trying out a bit of higgly piggildy Irish dancing. Great stuff...
European Gala Concert:
Black Dyke Band
Conductor: Dr Nicholas Childs
Featured Soloists: Richard Marshall and Brett Baker
Festival Brass
Conductor: Alan Corry
Featured Soloist: Ryan Gray
Bally Gowan Flute Band
Belfast Percussion Ensemble
Robert Watt and Emma Culbert
With two days of intense contesting out of the way, the emphasis was on entertainment at the Gala Concert with one of the world's finest brass bands teamed up with one of the finest ensembles associated with the home nation.
Black Dyke's star percussionist Ann Armstrong gives 4BR a smile!
The first half belonged to the reigning European Champions, Black Dyke, who signed off from their year as title holders with a performance that at times just took the breath away.
The focal-point of Dyke's programme was the World Premiere of Carl Vincent's ‘Chariot Race'; music that relates to the chariot scene from the black and white version of the film, ‘Ben Hur' (not the Charlton Heston epic complete with white mini car of the a few years later). Joined on stage by the European Youth Brass Band, the audience was engrossed in the scenes depicted on the huge screen behind the bands. This was a modern day touch of days gone by with the silent movie being accompanied by appropriate music - in this case capturing the mood perfectly with some fine playing from the joint ensembles.
Richard Marshall stepped forward to give an unbelievable interpretation of the Kenny Baker classic, ‘Virtuosity', that just oozed of class from the first note to the last. As with any top performer he made it sound and look so easy. Compere for the evening, Frank Renton, came back on stage afterwards and commented ‘I told you he (Richard) was outrageous'. Brett Baker was the other featured soloist in the first half, in the Arthur Pryor classic, ‘Annie Laurie' and he too gave a classy account of an old favourite.
Peter Graham's ‘Academic Fanfare' opened the concert itself, acknowledging the link Black Dyke now has with Leeds Metropolitan University and later performing another World premiere from the pen of Carl Davis entitled ‘Anthem'; both items appealing to the cosmopolitan audience and benefiting from some controlled playing.
Having performed the Weston Nicholl arrangement of the ‘Finale from the New World Symphony' with a real touch of panache, Dyke received a standing ovation from many of the audience after their spectacular encore of ‘Riverdance' that featured both Richard Marshall and John Doyle as soloists and Irish dancers – a choreographed moment that more made up for the fact there was no traditional Irish dancers in the concert itself (mind you, it may be stretching it a bit to describe the lads effort as truly auithentic!).
Traditional Irish fayre was served up in the second half and although it royally entertained the audience more thought should have been given to its overall content and construction. John McSherry on the uilleann pipes for example didn't get the opportunity to demonstrate his fine talent bar the opening number entitled ‘A Belfast Welcome' whereas the drum interludes and performances on pipes and accordion as impressive as they were left this reviewer wondering were they really necessary in the concert itself?
Awaiting their new home: The trophies wait to be collected by their new owners
Ballygowan Flute Band's are the current World Champions and the highlight in their short programme that included music from ‘William Tell' was the traditional ‘Irish Washerwoman'. Festival Brass a band originally formed in 1995 was in good form throughout performing selections of the easy listening variety with a blend of popular Irish tunes and familiar banding repertoire. These included Alford's march, ‘Voice of the Guns', Ryan Gray in fine form in ‘A Joy Untold', ‘Nicea' and ‘Stolen Kiss', ‘Breakout' and ‘Victory' from ‘Cry of the Celts'.
It's fair to say the level of performance throughout the concert was varied, but nevertheless entertaining, giving the audience their monies worth. It may have been a touch over long, but everyone lapped it up in a great atmosphere and with the climax being the announcement of the results, it all brought the 2006 European Championships to a great end.
Malcolm Wood
