National Childrens Band of Great Britain

Conductor: Dr Nicholas Childs
Soloist: David Thornton
Wardle Junior Band, Littleborough Junior School Band, St. James Primary School Band, Smithy Bridge Junior School Band.
Conductor: Lee Rigg
Bridgewater Hall
Saturday 5th September

A highly enjoyable afternoon concert provided the audience with plenty of good music making, delivered with the type of infectious musical enthusiasm that warms the cockles of the stoniest hearts.

Dusted off

The National Children’s Band met up for the first time since their recent Summer Course and dusted off the cobwebs right from the start of their set under the direction of Dr Nicholas Childs.

The Osterling march ‘Thundercrest’ was bright and breezy and certainly made sure that any tired performers (one playing member had made the trip from Northern Ireland starting out at 5.30am) were woken from any post lunch slumber.

Warm

A warmly portrayed ‘Suite in Eb’ by Gustav Holst was delivered with a touch of maturity to follow, with excellent bass led foundation and some neat solo work from cornet, soprano, flugel and euphonium, and there was a lovely sense of flow to the final section that never became over excitable.

David Thornton was the featured soloist on ‘Neath Dublin Skies’ and the mix of cod Irishness and mystic make believe was polished off as quickly as a pint of Guinness by a thirsty navvy.

Impressive

A selection from the musical menagerie of Saint Saens ‘Carnival of the Animals’ followed with the basses in particular showing a dextrous sense of adventure throughout. There was also more impressive solo work on show too, with the principal cornet Illiam Quane a lovely counterpoint to David Thornton in the sublime ‘Swan’.

That just left their final item and a rip through ‘Gaelforce’, which featured some super euphonium twiddling in the finale and a lovely plaintive flugel in ‘The Minstral Boy’ interlude. Not even an odd moment of unease could stop the band either, as the MD raised an authoritative eyebrow to bring things back in line, before any mayhem could occur. 

Encore

With the audience enjoying every minute of it, the encore was pure schmaltz and a romp through ‘Hello Dolly’ complete with high pitched vocals and a cracking bit of bass trombone riffing. 

Youthful endeavour

With a quick break to put out even more chairs (although one was missing for one unfortunate trombonist before teacher came to the rescue), the combined forces of North West youthful endeavour hit the stage with all guns blazing under the direction of Lee Rigg.

A cracking little set that featured ‘Circus Parade’ and ‘Eye of the Tiger’ (a flyweight rather than heavyweight version of the Rocky theme given the size of the kids), also saw some great cornet playing in ‘Have fingers will Travel’ (a bit like the choral item ‘Rhythm of Life’ for cornet players) and trombone slidework in ‘Foolin’ Around’ (which sounded like a mix of ‘The Acrobat’ meets ‘Harry Enfield’).

Played their part

Every young performer played their part to the full – including quite a few that couldn’t touch the floor sat in their chairs.

Everyone had a great time (excellently conducted by the ever encouraging Lee Rigg at the helm) so by the finale and a musical trip to Russia with, ‘Czardas’, even the audience were clapping along with unbridled enthusiasm and misplaced rhythmic accuracy.  

You couldn’t have asked for anything more.

Iwan Fox

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