The International Brass Band Summer School rounded off its 2104 course with an enjoyable concert played out to a packed audience at Swansea University.
The deliberate informality of the week had been underpinned with serious musical intent, and the results of the hard work (and plenty of play) were evident with a wide ranging selection of well executed repertoire.
Standing room only
At a time when even the various National Youth Brass Bands of the UK find it hard to find a concert audience, perhaps their administrators should give the Black Dyke MD a call - as it was standing room only for this event.
The conducting duties were split between Professor Childs, Paul Lovatt-Cooper and Ignatius Wang, who is currently completing his last year of study at the Royal Marines School of Music in Portsmouth, before returning to Singapore to take up a full time conducting post in the army.
Vibrant
With the introductions out of the way, the Prestige Band kicked things off with PLC’s vibrant ‘Excelsior’.
Malcolm Arnold’s bucolic ‘Little Suite No 2’ remains the perfect test of ensemble balance and style (enhanced on this occasion by some very tasteful solo playing around the stands), and was delivered with a real brio in the outer movements and a languid warmth in the lovely ‘Siciliano’.
Brett Baker led the way in the teasing ‘Sea Shells Waltz’, before the first half of the concert triptych was rounded off with a boldly played ‘Fire in the Blood’, which certainly had more than its fair share of biblical passion bubbling away in its hemoglobin.
Confidence
The Sovereign Band then took to the stage for another PLC fizz bomb opener (Paul was the featured composer during the week, giving delegates insight into his work) with ‘Home of Legends’ once again giving the opportunity for eager players to step into the solo spotlight with confidence.
Owen Farr gave fans eager to get their hands on his latest CD release a sneak preview with a virtuoso display of the title track, ‘A New Dawn’ by young composer Christopher Bond, whilst there was also something for those of a certain age to get equally excited about with ‘Blue Thunder’ by Dan Price - and memories of the famous Mallard train flying by in haze of azure streaked steam.
Substance
Being close to the home of Welsh composer Karl Jenkins, three movements from his ‘Stabat Mater’ proved to be a popular choice of substance to close, before the seating arrangements were quickly changed to accommodate the finale of the massed bands of close to 100 delegates.
This was show time stuff - with the band thoroughly enjoying themselves in ‘County Palatine’, ‘People’ (with Richard Marshall on belting Babs Streisand form), Peter Graham’s lovely arrangement of ‘Crimond’ (which featured some fine solo cameos) and the greatest walk on music for any bride to be, with ‘Procession to the Minster’ to close.
Scottish skip
With one eye still on the recent Commonwealth Games the encore of ‘Highland Cathedral’ brought the evening to a rousing conclusion - with delegates left with just enough time to enjoy a last evening of fun and the audience with a scottish skip in their step as they left for home.
Matthew Shaw
