Perth Concert Hall
NYBBS senior band, NYBBS Reserve Band
Conductors: Ian Porthouse, John Boax

Over 170 youngsters took part on the NYBBS course this year, with the evening concert given over to the older performers of the Reserve and Senior Bands.

The Reserve Band, 61-strong, opened under its long-serving MD, John Boax  ‘Tribute’  by James Curnow, played with a poise and attention to detail in what was an ensemble of considerable size. 

Principal cornet Isla Gillespie took centre stage in ‘Apex’,  demonstrating composure and maturity in equal measure. The accompaniment was sympathetic, with Isla demonstrating a fine sense of lyricism.

Purposeful

Christopher Bond’s evocative ‘Corineus’  was one of the major works that challenged the band during the week, alongside  equally characterful ‘Music for Jock Tamson’  by Alan Fernie – both played with a sense of purposeful definition. 

Christopher Bond’s evocative ‘Corineus’  was one of the major works that challenged the band during the week, alongside the equally characterful ‘Music for Jock Tamson’  by Alan Fernie – both played with a sense of purposeful definition. 

Peter Graham’s ‘Phoenix’, from ‘War of the Worlds’,  bristled with excitement, with a more visceral sense of danger coming with ‘Barbarian Horde’  from the film epic ‘Gladiator’ that emerged from the mists with increasing drama. ‘Bring Me Sunshine’  drew a varied and engaging programme to an upbeat close.

Mature 

After the interval, the Senior Band burst into life with Paul Lovett-Cooper’s ‘Enter the Galaxies’  – again boosted by super solo spots and driven ensemble. That was continued with a mature performance of Philip Sparke’s ‘A London Overture’  – the series of demanding cadenzas with classy aplomb and followed by the band.

That was continued with a mature performance of Philip Sparke’s ‘A London Overture’  – the series of demanding cadenzas played with classy aplomb and followed by the band.

‘I Know Thou Art Mine’,  was warmly lyrical, before Tamsin Cook’s ‘A Spark Forgotten’  burst into life with its myriad rhythmic lines backed by the excellent percussion section.

NYBBS’ relationship with the late Richard Evans was marked with Alan Fernie’s ‘A Twinkle in his Eye’,  whilst ‘Keep on Dancing’  arranged by tutor Iona Crosby once again shone the spotlight on the impressive percussion team.

Authoritative

Elgar Howarth’s ‘Pel Mel’  was fast and furious, before ‘Breezin’ Down Broadway’, was brought to life with vigour.

‘Spectrum’ saw NYBBS occupy a totally different sound world in Gilbert Vinter’s musical melting pot of colour and texture, played with an authoritative sense of contrasting styles, before the encore premiere of ‘From the Mountains to the Skies’  by Paul Lovatt-Cooper, who had visited NYBBS earlier in the week brought things to a fine close. 

Mark Good