On Friday, 13 June 2014, the Solent Fellowship Band (Bandmaster John Bird) presented a charity concert at the Holy Trinity Church, Fareham. The concert was in aid of the “High Time” project at the church, which aims to restore the iconic landmark clock and tower.

The concert commenced with a march, South Coast, composed by the band’s principal cornet, Martyn Thomas. This was followed by a contrasting item, A Little Prayer (Evelyn Glennie, arr. Robert Childs).

Following words of welcome from Reverend Sally Davenport, a congregational song and prayer, the band played Jubilation! (James Curnow). The cornet section was featured in Double Trumpet Concerto (Antonio Vivaldi, arr. Simon Kerwin), which was conducted by assistant conductor David Samuels.

Several of the band’s soloists were featured during the concert. Callam Carter (tenor horn) played Derek Jordan’s arrangement of the Rondo from Mozart’s fourth horn concerto. Steve Jones (trombone) presented Count Your Blessings (Brindley Boon) and Adrian Griffiths sang He Took My Place (Vernon Post).

Other items from the band included selected excerpts from Treasures from Tchaikovsky (arr. Bramwell Coles), Tritsch-Tratsch (Johann Strauss, arr. Alan Fernie), Round-Up (Martin Cordner) and a band song, When Jesus Looked o’er Galilee (Catherine Baird/Ernest Fewster, arr. Leslie Condon).

Following an appeal by Reverend Davenport, The Liberty Bell (John Philip Sousa) and Come, Follow the Band (Cy Coleman, arr. Dan Price), from the musical “Barnum”, were presented on either side of the interval. David Samuels then led the band in Myfanwy (Joseph Parry, arr. Kenneth Downie).

Included in a time of reflection were words of Scripture and comments by the band’s executive officer, Major Granville Myers (Southern Divisional Headquarters). The band played Wilfred Heaton’s meditation Just As I Am.

The concert raised nearly £700 towards the “High Time” project at Fareham Holy Trinity Church. This project aims to restore the iconic landmark clock and tower, as well as improving the church’s interior for community events. Reverend Davenport expressed her appreciation for the evening’s activities.

Following the Radetsky March (Johann Strauss, arr. Pat Ryan), the band played, as a benediction, the second movement of Eric Ball’s suite The Pilgrim Way – “God be in my head, and in my understanding”. Finally, Bandmaster Bird, who had introduced each item to an appreciative audience, concluded the concert with a foot-tapping rendition of the finale from the William Tell Overture (Rossini, arr. Dean Goffin).

Source:
Report submitted by Tony Unwin, Solent Fellowship Band press officer