Black Dyke & Hayley Westenra

Conductor: Dr Nicholas Childs
Featuring: Hayley Westenra
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Saturday 23rd May

The Black Dyke Band and Hayley Westenra shared the billing for a fundraising concert for The Govan Corps of The Salvation Army.

Launch

The band used the occasion to launch a new CD of Salvation Army marches and opened the concert with George Marshall’s classic, 'Mighty To Save'. 

It was immediately apparent that the band was on sparkling form. The band then featured numbers that provided opportunity to demonstrate the players complete mastery of their instruments with wonderful musicianship demonstrated all round the band, notably from Principal Cornet Richard Marshall.

Wonderful moment

The band then closed their first set with Paul Lovatt-Coopers wonderful 'Vitae Aeternum', and again produced a spine tingling performance of the highest calibre, particulary during the middle movement which features the song 'His Provision'. A wonderful moment. 

World wide reputation

The band then left the stage to Hayley Westenra, and it was immediately apparent why she enjoys a world wide reputation not only as a musician, but as an entertainer. Hayley's set left that Royal Concert Hall audience delighted with the range and her choice of music, starting with 'Prayer' and all delivered with consummate ease, accompanied by her Musical Director Tim Evans and violinist Kerenza Peacock. Particular highlights being the very lovely renditions of 'Songbird' and 'Shenandoah'.

Wonderful display

The Black Dyke Band opened the second half of the concert with 'Under Two Flags' before Principal Euphonium, David Thornton, provide an awesome display of technique and musicianship in Paul Lovat - Cooper's 'Neath Dublin Skies' before again thrilling the audience with a wonderful display of technical brilliance coupled with musicianship from all round the stands. 

The band closed their set with the finale from Saint Saens 'Organ' Symphony, and what a way to close - with the bands bass section in overdrive, they provided a wonderful foundation for the band to produce a thrilling reading of this work. 

Buzz

A buzz of expectation then descended as Hayley again took to the stage with her accompanists, and produced sublime and soulful renditions of 'Amazing Grace', and 'Po Kare Kare Ana' and again a particularly highlight would have been 'Sonny' which Hayley performed on the piano to a dramatic effect under a spotlight on a darkened stage. 

The visual impact of this alone was quite enchanting and really enhanced the lonely mood of the piece.

Wistful

Hayley’s wistful vocals were delicate and yet powerful - they emanated straight from her soul, again thrilling the audience who had travelled the length and breadth of the country to be present and witness Hayley and the Black Dyke band combining and complementing each other so beautifully to provide an evenings music of the highest calibre. 

Thanks

The Black Dyke Band then closed the concert with a sparkling rendition of 'Walking With Heroes' which provided a wonderful conclusion to a great evening.

Govan Songsters thanked all 1,349 members of the audience who supported the event, but particularly their guests, Hayley Westenra and Black Dyke Band for joining them for the concert which, although final amounts have still to be confirmed, will raise several thousand of pounds for the Corps community work. 

Colin McFarlane
Govan Salvation Army

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