Conductor: Philip Harper
Soloists: Sheona White; Lode Violet
Bromsgrove School
Friday 26th July

The successful summer school musical elements of enthusiasm, endeavour and excellence were displayed in full by the 98 delegates that took to the stage for this engaging end of course concert.

Split into two bands – Broadheath and Aubade, the lead was taken by MD Philip Harper, who encouraged his players throughout on repertoire that included enjoyable world premieres (part of what is to be an ongoing commissioning policy) from Philip Sparke and Alan Fernie. 

Musical hat

The cleverness of each was marked – both tipping the metaphorical musical hat in homage to the grand old man of English pomp and splendour. 

Sparke used motifs from Elgar’s ‘First Symphony’ in his splendidly imperial ‘Broadheath’  march, packed with luscious middle band sounds. Meanwhile, Alan had great fun with ‘Aubade’,  which was like a fizzy 1970’s sit-com theme to accompany a time travelling Elgar teaching his music at Grange Hill school.

Alan had great fun with ‘Aubade’, which was like a fizzy 1970’s sit-com theme to accompany a time travelling Elgar teaching his music at Grange Hill school.

Elsewhere, the separate ensembles tackled challenging test-pieces with Gareth Wood’s atmospheric ‘Culloden Moor’  and Sparke’s colourful ‘Evolution: Five States of Change’  – both aided by fine individual and ensemble contributions.

Cross dressing hoovering

The Gilbert & Sullivan Savoy operetta ‘Yeoman of the Guard’  and the Carnegie Hall ‘Cute’  jazz of Neil Hefti were balanced by the swagger of Arnold Safroni’s ‘Imperial Echoes’  and the cross-dressing hoovering fun of Freddie Mercury and ‘I Want to Break Free’.

Plenty of these delegates will surely be booking their Elgar return. 

The featured soloists from the impressive tutor team came with Sheona White’s lyrical artistry on ‘The Beauty Within’  and Lode Violet with Terry Camsey’s ‘Zeldaresque’ ‘Life’s Pageant’, played with nonchalant finesse. The rousing sounds of ‘Pineapple Poll’  was the tasty encore to round things off. 

The concert was recorded for the Wobplay platform, with plans announced for the 2025 course as well as additional Winter Course. 

Plenty of these delegates will surely be booking their Elgar return. 

Iwan Fox