SAFB Charity Concert at Alton

On Friday, 26 June 2009, the Solent Area Fellowship Band (Bandmaster Chris Kennett) presented a Charity Concert at Alton Salvation Army Corps. Proceeds from the event were used towards the Salvation Army’s local community work and the Tujisaidie Nursery School at Kayole, Nairobi, Kenya.

Bandmaster Kennett conducted the band in an opening march, Spirit of Joy (Herbert Rive). After a congregational song and prayer, Major Neil Woollacott, commanding officer of Alton Corps, welcomed the band and congregation to the event. This was followed by Barrie Gott’s festival arrangement Let There Be Praise.

The next item was an item from the Fellowship Band’s principal tenor horn, Callam Carter, who played Derek Jordan’s arrangement of the Rondo from Mozart’s fourth horn concerto. The guest vocal soloist for the evening was Songster Ruth Unwin, who sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Howard Arlen/E. Y. Harburg).

Next, the Fellowship Band played the fourth movement of The Haslemere Suite (Peter Graham), followed by another soloist, Laurie Findlay (pianoforte) who presented Polonaise in C# minor (Chopin). Bryan Norman and Tony Unwin played the euphonium duet Calon Lam (arr. Eric Ball). This was followed by Robert Redhead’s suite Shout Salvation.

Following an appeal and presentation about the Alton Corps community work and the Tujisaidie School, the Fellowship Band concluded the first half of the program by playing the song setting ’Mid All the Traffic (Leonard Ballantine).

After a brief interval, the Fellowship Band started the second half with Dudley Bright’s march Assignment. Further items from the band included the song arrangement Knowing You (Graham Kendrick, arr. Trevor Davis) and the tone poem Faith Reborn (Leslie Condon). Songster Ruth Unwin returned to sing Share My Yoke (Joy Webb) and Major Derek Smith read verses of Scripture.

The concert raised over £300 and brought to a close the Solent Area Fellowship Band’s 13th season since its inception. Major Woollacott thanked the band, soloists and congregation.