Our first concert of the year was a great success. The weeks of rehearsal since the start of the year have clearly paid off! Membership of the band is continuing to improve, so nearly all parts in the band are now covered but we need trombones. Many thanks to Ros and Adriaan from Kirton Band for augmenting the back row cornets and bass section, respectively.

The concert was attended by an enthusiastic audience and the band were joined by the Holbeach Methodist Chimers (hand-bell ringers) who entertained the audience at the start of the second half.

INTERVAL

METHODIST CHIMERS

We returned, after 2 years, to the St John the Baptist Church in Whaplode Drove to perform a concert of Music Around the World. The church had asked us to perform a themed concert and we were pleased to oblige.

We had a good turnout but were assisted by Roger and Cecelia from Horncastle Band, Adriaan from Kirton Band and Deena and Eddie from Spalding Band. This caused a fee seating problems - the Church is quite small and there was insufficient room for us between the front pew and the Rood Screen. We had to set up in the choir stalls - not particularly comfortable for a 2 hour concert! The lights did not help - the basses, in particular found it difficult until the vicar lit candles on the hanging candelabra.

This was an ambitious programme with a number of pieces that strecthed our players, but they responded very well - in particular Journey Through America, Salamanca, Great Gate of Kiev and Glasnost.

Again young Steven captivated the audience with his rendition of the haunting cornet solo Smaoinich.

It was a very enjoyable concert and the audience clearly enjoyed it. The musical director explained the, sometimes tenuous, connection with each country; and he entertained the audience with snippets of information about each piece (see Programme Notes) such as Aces High was originally called the Luftwaffe March but had to be renamed because there was already a march of that name; Funiculi Finicula was written to commemorate the opening of the first funicular on Mount Vesuvius; the Backdraft theme tune is also the theme for a Japanese TV cooking programme.

This was a new event for us on a very hot day. We were a bit short of front row cornets, but put on a good performance.

We played incidental music on the back of a covered trailer - facing the sun!!

The tractors had an 18 mile drive around the countryside; they arrived 30 minutes late. As they entered the ground we played 'Those Magnificent Men in their flying Macines'

Note: This is two photographs joined together.

17 May 2007 - Donington Church

Our final Spring concert was at Donington Church. We had another good turnout but were assisted by Rosalind from Kirton Band and Deena and Eddie from Spalding Band.

The programme was a mixture of pieces from the last two concerts including solos from Steven and Adam both of whom played exceptionally well.