Festival a runaway success!
Festival a runaway success! |
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Over 500 local musicians and singers took part in the concerts, the bands in the park and the Riverside 'Fringe' events. The ages of participants ranged through the 2 - 3 year olds who took part in the Riverside, the 7 - 8 year olds who sang there, the youngest brass band player of 10 years of age, all the schoolchildren from Middle and High Schools in Evesham at the 'Schools Together' concert and the wonderfully professional young people playing with the Worcester Youth Orchestras - through to the adult participants whose upper age limit is - well, limitless.
More than 1000 people heard the music as well as those who passed through the Riverside Shopping Centre on Saturday or came to Abbey Park to hear the massed Brass Bands on the Sunday afternoon.
Each concert was a sell-out and each audience reacted rapturously to the programmes of music they heard. Even dancing in the aisles at the end of the 'Brass and Voices' concert at the Methodist Church and joining in with 'Land of Hope & Glory' and 'Jerusalem' whilst waving flags and clapping at the final 'Gala Night' concert.
People are already asking when the next Festival of Music will be held!!
Thanks have to be given to Roger Paine, the Musical Director of the Festival, who brought together and enthused such a diversity of talent and managed such a varied programme of music to suit all tastes and ages. Diana Raphael, as Festival Committee Chairman for her wholehearted support and finally, without the fund raising, support, commitment and sheer hard work of Rotarian Peter Wisbey, President Jan Harris and members of the Rotary Club of Evesham who promoted and managed the whole event no Festival would have taken place.
The Festival started on Wednesday evening with a service of blessing at St Lawrence Church (pictures)followed by the first concert to commemorate the life of John Martin and the work of the John Martin Charity in the town (pictures). There was a wide variety of music from Prince Henry's School Jazz Group, Avonbank Brass Band, Evesham United Churches Choir and soloist Andrew Parkes.
A wonderful start to the Festival
Wednesday * Thursday * Friday * Saturday * Sunday
On Thursday evening the Arts Centre rang to the sounds of a choir made up from the Middle and High Schools of the area which contained nearly 90 pupils - all perfectly in tune and on time and in key despite limited rehearsal time! (pictures) They were conducted by Phill Bullas, Head of Music at Prince Henry's and his own enthusiasm shone through and communicated itself to all the children. Andy Johnson of Evesham High also conducted various musical items as did both Kate Fardon and Sue Hirons of Bredon Hill and Simon de Montfort Middle Schools. The groups performing were Prince Henry's Symphony Orchestra and the Joint Middle Schools Orchestra and the Evesham High Soul/Jazz Group (Silhouette) which featured the beautiful voice of Mary Franz Sampan. We were also privileged to hear the Evesham High Rock Band (BackLight) who will soon become famous, we're sure! Bredon Ensemble played and the Joint Middle Schools Choir sang. Among the numbers which entertained the full audience were numbers from Grease, Paul Simon, John Williams and Elton John. Lennon & McCartney music featured together with a medley from 007 and another from Miss Saigon. The whole evening was a joy and many happy memories will have been taken away from the event. It was so good to hear the combined sounds of the 4 schools and the obvious enjoyment they had from working together to produce such a stunning programme. The Heads of Music at the participating schools are to be thanked and congratulated on presenting such a fantastic programme - it looked so effortless it must have been very, very hard work! (pictures)
Wednesday * Thursday * Friday * Saturday * Sunday
On Friday evening at the 'Brass & Voices' concert the audience were entertained royally by the combined talents of the Celebration Reed & Brass, Evesham Singers, Vale Harmony, Vale Connection and Harmony Connection. (pictures) You would think these were all professional performers they were so very good and the selection of items they had chosen to play was varied and lively. Numbers played by Celebration included 'In the King's Hall' and the 'Peer Gynt Suite' by Edvard Grieg as well as 2 pieces by Elgar - the 'Pomp & Circumstance' March and 'Chanson de Matin' together with the 'Theme from Spider Man' and a wonderful euphonium solo 'She's out of mylife'. The Evesham Singers sang a delightful selection of numbers such as 'I know him so well' - 'The wind beneath my wings'- 'Where the gentle Avon flows' and 'The rose of Allendale'. Vale Harmony entertained us with 'Mary Lou' - 'Georgia' and 'When I'm Sixty-four'. All toe tapping numbers! The ladies of Vale Connection sang a popular programme featuring Lennon & McCartney's 'Yesterday' as well as 'What would I do without my music' a Brian Wilson number and finishing on a stunning rendition of 'New York' which left the audience clapping and cheering. When Vale Harmony and Connection sang together the result was just wonderful and the audience thoroughly enjoyed both 'Lullaby of Broadway' and the ABBA number 'Thank you for the music'.
As Celebration took centre stage to end the evening their final medley of ABBA Gold had the audience waving and stamping and demanding 'More' very loudly!! The band duly obliged and the event ended with clapping, cheering and dancing in the aisles to 'Is this the way to Amarillo?' You could say it was a Musical Riot! And such wonderful fun brought about by very talented and dedicated singers and musicians. (pictures)
Wednesday * Thursday * Friday * Saturday * Sunday
Saturday: From 10 am until 4 pm the Riverside Shopping Centre in Bridge Street just rang with music! (pictures)
The U3A musicians 'Playing for Pleasure' opened the proceedings with some very lively numbers which had passers by stopping to listen on their way to the next shop! Very toe-tapping music and excellently played by these U3A members who so obviously enjoy their music. (pictures)
Other 'musical acts' to follow included a 'Jo Jingles' group playing music with toddlers which attracted many, many young mums with small children who were all encouraged to join in. A great success and definitely a part of the Festival aimed at the very youngest!
Music Teacher Gareth Robertshaw brought an organ and a group of 30 young schoolchildren, probably aged 6 - 8 years, who sang delightfully and brought the odd tear to the eyes of their audience with their very serious commitment to their performance and their teacher. It was really lovely to hear them.
Two young lady flautists, together with a young lady violinist, played a gentler programme of music to please and showed their obvious talent. There must have been those who heard them who would feel sure a musical career beckoned for these Prince Henry students.
The very professional and lively Jazz Group from Prince Henry's, who played following the girls, received cheers and 'whoops' of pleasure from their audience (and BB's coffee sales went up as a result of their entertainment being placed outside their establishment!). They were all such confident young people with fantastic talent and flair.
The final offering of the day was the 'Vale Connection' ladies' barbershop group who had sung at the Friday evening concert and they, again, captivated their audience and brought a lively atmosphere to the shopping centre.
All of these groups gave up their time to provide this day of free entertainment for shoppers. (pictures)
While this was going on, there was the Wind Band training workshop for aspiring young musicians at the Working Men's Club, Merstow Green, from 10 am to 4.30 pm
Musicians gathered there to learn to play some Wind Band music. As well as the children there were some adults learning new instruments or returning to play having stopped when they left school. The youngest musicians were only 8 years old and had been playing for about a year. The line up included cornets, trumpets, flutes (picture), clarinets, saxophones, horns, euphoniums, trombones and percussion.
The event was organised by Keith Davies (Wychavon Student Wind Band), ably assisted on the day by Jonathan Earle (Musical Director of Stratford Wind Band), Roger Wyatt (Celebration Reed and Brass Band), Stephen and Gordon Lane (Avonbank Brass Band).
Keith Davies commented “The aim of the day was for every-one to enjoy themselves as well as learn something.” The tutors’ collective expertise playing the full range of instruments allowed some individual assistance, working in small groups as well as in the full band.
The day ended with an informal 30 minute concert mainly attended by parents, friends and relatives. The programme included “Highlights from Fiddler on the Roof”, the well known Beatles song “Yesterday”, Handel’s Largo, “Spring” from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and ended with a collection of marches entitled “Sounds of Sousa”. (picture)
At noon on Saturday, St Mary's Church was packed for a Recital by virtuoso pianist Marcel Zidani and the Madrigal Group 'Musyck Anon'. (pictures) A totally different musical offering with Marcel playing a varied programme which included Rachmaninov, Chopin and Beethoven as well as one of his own compositions. We were so fortunate to hear such a talented pianist playing this music and lucky to have him in the Evesham area. The two pieces by Chopin with which he concluded the event were truly beautiful. Musyck Anon sing capella expertly and the medieval love songs to which the audience were treated were superb. At the conclusion of the recital the audience clapped and cheered and went on their way exhilarated. (pictures)
On Saturday evening members of the Worcester Youth Music Wind Orchestra and Chamber Strings groups played at St Peter's Church at Bengeworth, again to a capacity audience. (pictures) By now word had got around about the quality of the performances being given in the Festival and excellence and quality of performance was very much what this evening's audience expected and received! Their programme included Percy Fletcher's 'Folk tune and fiddle dance' and a John Rutter 'Suite for strings' - which was played with no conductor by the supremely confident Chamber Strings! who also played movements by Britten. The Youth Wind Orchestra performed 'The Earl of Oxford's March' by William Byrd with great aplomb together with 'Emerald Breeze' a more modern piece, and Whirligig by Kenneth Hesketh.
Songs for the evening were performed by Evesham Arts Centre Choir and they sang a varied programme including selections from 'Oliver' and 'Showboat' as well as hits from 'Oklahoma', 'The King and I' and 'South Pacific'. All wonderful songs from very popular shows. The Youth Wind Orchestra ended the evening with a selection from 'Disney at the Movies' and finally brought the house down with a fantastic performance of 'Peanut Vendor'.
Again the audience was on its feet with rapturous applause. Everyone left feeling privileged to have heard these truly professional young musicians perform. (pictures)
Wednesday * Thursday * Friday * Saturday * Sunday
SUNDAY: (pictures) Considering the amount of rain that was forecast and falling at lunchtime on Sunday it was nothing short of a miracle that the Massed Brass Bands concert in Abbey Park was played in almost entirely dry and sunny conditions!! Such good fortune. Alcester Band, Celebration Reed & Brass, Shipston Town, Tewkesbury Town and Worcester Victoria Band all played their own 'set' and then came together to bring the fabulous sound of over 120 musicians to the audience of some 300 stalwarts and the surrounding area. What a unique, mind blowing experience! And thoroughly enjoyed by all the bandsmen taking part. (pictures)
The final concert of the Festival was the 'Gala Night' held in the Parish Church of All Saints on Sunday Evening. (pictures)
Everyone was anticipating a rip-roaring 'Last Night of the Proms' occasion and so it was! The soloists Marcel Zidani, piano - Victoria Kane, mezzo-soprano and Andrew Parkes, baritone all gave spectacular performances and joined the 'Festival Chorus' for all the big numbers.
The 'Festival Chorus', which was brought together from members of the many choirs taking part in the Festival during the 5 days, gave a superb rendition of Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus' which brought everyone to their feet and ended the first half of the concert.
The Avonbank Band played their hearts out and gave an outstanding performance which had everyone singing along and clapping to the sea shanties and finally joining in with 'Land of Hope and Glory'and 'Jerusalem' with gusto - and frantic flag waving.
Roger Paine, the Musical Director of the Festival took a moment to thank all the many people who had made the Festival not just possible but a reality and then everyone stood to sing the 'National Anthem' before going home stimulated, excited and absolutely drained! What a memorable evening at the end of a truly memorable Festival. (pictures)
Sylvia Wisbey, Festival Secretary
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