Brass Festival for St. Christophers

The Upper Norwood church of St. John the Evangelist was the venue for a brass concert in benefit of St. Christopher's Hospice. The concert, held on 21 May 2004, featured the South London Fellowship Band, under the direction of Major George Whittingham. Over £900 for the work of the hospice was raised through a freewill offering.

The first portion of the program was in a traditional concert format, with familiar items such as Semper Fidelis, Floral Dance, and The Blue Danube. The major work presented in the first half was Ray Steadman-Allen's classical medley, Melodies of Dvorak. Solo items included the second and third movement of Haydn's Trumpet Concerto, played by Douglas Minter, and two vocal solos sung by Leslie Swift, Love Changes Everything and Bless This House

Following the interval, during which family members were invited to light candles in memory of lost loved ones, the concert changed to a "Last Night of the Proms" format, with the march Mountain Camp, Seventy-six Trombones from the musical "The Music Man", and another vocal solo, There Will Be God, again sung by Leslie Swift. The audience participated enthusiastically, clapping through the Radetzky March and singing "Rule Britannia", "Land of Hope and Glory", and "Jerusalem". Following the collection of funds for the hospice, the band formed a male chorus, concluding the festival with the classic Malotte setting of The Lord's Prayer.

Sources:
South London Fellowship Band
St. John the Evangelist Church
St. Christopher's Hospice

Posted by Webmaster 22 June 2004 20:01:45