Cory Band

Conductor: Dr Robert Childs
Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre
Thursday 24th June

Strange to think that its very nearly ten years to the day since Dr Robert Childs made, what seemed at first glance, to be a fleeting conducting visit to take Cory at a local Welsh grading contest here at Ebbw Vale.

At the time rumours circulated that the newly sponsored band was on the look out for a conductor - but by all accounts the Black Dyke euphonium player wasn’t in the picture.

Legend

In fact, it was either going to be his brother (who had declined the opportunity to take Cory at the contest) or Frank Renton (who, if legend is correct, had come to town to put pen to contract paper with the band sponsors in a back room of the hall).

By the end of the day though (and after a slightly fortuitous win) – Bob Childs was the man in charge  – and there was to be nothing fortuitous about any of the major triumphs that were to follow in the next decade.

Highly polished

It was quite appropriate therefore that the MD took time, during a highly polished and thoroughly entertaining concert by the current World, European and British Open champion, to reflect on that date with destiny.

Although it wasn’t an evening for dewy eyed memories, the MD also reflected on what might have been if he had decided a few years earlier to remain as a worker in the huge Ebbw Vale steel making plant instead of heading north with euph in hand to try his luck as a player.

Bessemer process

Steelmaking’s loss to the Bessemer process was to be banding’s gain – first as that breathtaking performer and then as that record-breaking conductor.

You had the feeling that despite his genuine love for his homeland, he had no regrets - doubly so given that the works has since been closed and flattened to make way for a new hospital, and in a months time, the site for the 2010 National Eisteddfod of Wales.

With a receptive audience on hand, the MD led Cory through an easy listening programme in support of the local fund raising cause of bringing Wales’s premier cultural event back to Ebbw Vale for the first time in over 50 years (and over £22,000 has been raised so far).

Hot and humid

It may have been hot and humid both in and outside the sports hall, but there was cool professionalism about Cory’s work all night – right from the opening ‘Enter the Galaxies’ to the final encore of ‘Toccata in D Minor’.

In between there was the chance to enjoy three high quality soloists in Tom Hutchinson (who is growing with increasing maturity into his role as principal cornet with a showy Harry James ‘Carnival’), Chris Thomas (with a white knuckle ‘Blue Bells of Scotland') and Owen Farr (with a breathtaking ‘Finale' from the 'Haydn Cello Concerto').

Sheen of care and attention

Some well chosen old lollipop favourites were also played with a sheen of care and attention too: from the high speed ‘Capriccio Espagnol’ and charging ‘Light Cavalry’ overture, to some lovely, warm toned reflections in ‘Abide with Me’, ‘Sunrise over Blue Ridge’, ‘The Lost Chord’ and the ‘Elegy' from ‘A Downland Suite’, which was played as a tribute to local banding stalwart Ron Probyn.

Pick me up

Ron is now seriously ill, but was allowed to come to the concert by his doctors as a ‘pick me up’ – and given the way in which he manfully made his way to the stage to shake the hand of Bob Childs in thanks at the end of the piece, it was a priceless ‘pick me up’ too.

After rounding off the first half with a powerful rendition of  ‘Turris Fortissima’, the second half also showcased a neat bit of sensible re-branding work in ‘Tribute to Glen Miller’ (no longer the misplaced ‘King of Swing’ item) and a ‘scorchio’ whip through ‘Summon the Dragon’.

Relatives

All that was left was the all conquering ‘1812 Overture’, before a reminder of the band’s technical prowess on ‘Mr Lear’s Carnival’ and that bit of Welsh Bach (with a surname like that he most probably had relatives in Ebbw Vale) and that upbeat ‘Toccata’ of his.

The standing ovation was mandatory and thoroughly well deserved for a very classy night of brass band entertainment.  

It has been an interesting, as well as very successful decade for the MD of the Cory Band.

And to think, it all started here.

Iwan Fox

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