Rejoice in Birmingham

The Birmingham Citadel Band (Bandmaster Graham Lamplough) took part in this year’s “Rejoice” Christmas concert on Sunday, 13 December, at Birmingham’s magnificent Symphony Hall.

For both performances, there was a buzz of excitement as people gathered. The band started the program with Donald Osgood’s Noel, which also included vocal soloist Susanne Dymott (Guildhall School of Music) and the Birmingham Citadel Songsters. The band also played the familiar Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson), enhanced by a timbrel display.

Television presenter Nick Owen was featured in the next item, Philip Lane’s descriptive music for The Night Before Christmas. Owen’s presentation of the opening lines of the famous poem set the tone and the band’s sensitive and colorful performance captured the mood perfectly. The presentation was further enhanced by a creative dance which beautifully portrayed Owen’s excellent narration.

Birmingham Citadel Band’s major work for the concert was Paul Lovatt-Cooper’s exciting A Christmas Finale. The band provided a powerful and energetic interpretation of the composer’s music, in which he weaves a selection of familiar carols. The beautiful center section featured principal cornet Gavin Lamplough and principal euphonium David Taylor in an expertly scored arrangement of “Away in a Manger”. The full sound of the band filled Symphony Hall in the closing section and the final note was met with enthusiatic applause from the audience.

The concert ended with a fanfare and the congregation singing “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (arr. David Willcocks) and the festive march The Wonder of Christmas (Peter Graham). The event proved to be very popular once again, with excellent numbers in the audience.