NCBB Celebrates
The Children’s Band of the NYBBGB took to the stage at the Martin Harris Centre in Manchester to perform it’s end of course concert on Friday 2nd August. This performance, which was themed around ‘Celebration’ was a spectacular way to mark the twentieth anniversary of this fabulous ensemble. 55 young musicians, aged 10-15, not only performed with a maturity well beyond their tender years, but also showcased their true joy at making music together for a very appreciative audience. It was fitting that the band was led by Lynda Nicholson, who was also the MD for the inaugural course in 2004, and the way in which the young players responded to her throughout the concert was a testament to her expertise and talents.
The band members arrived at the concert hall following a fantastic week at Stonyhurst, where they benefitted not only from world-class music tutors, but were also entertained and cared for by a team of wonderful pastoral staff. For two members of staff, the concert provided a fabulous bookend to their twenty years heading up the house staff team, and both band and audience were very vocal in their thanks to Monica and Gary Walczak for their incredible service to the NCBB. The players of the band also had the opportunity to learn from the fine role models that the mentors from within the band provided, in addition to visiting expertise from the British Army.
The programme began in rousing fashion with ‘Festmusik der Stadt Wein’ before jumping ahead in time for ‘The Mandalorian’. This was followed by a beautiful performance of Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen's ‘Nocturne’, the exquisite final chord of which drew a kiss blown from the MD to the trombone section, and was later revealed as being one of the highlights of the week. It was then the turn of the guest soloist, Daniel Marsh to join the band for a blistering performance of ‘Capriccio Brilliante’. Daniel was an inspired and inspiring choice of soloist, himself a former member of the National Youth Band and last year’s winner of the Harry Mortimer Solo Competition. At the tender age of 20, Daniel was so relatable for the young musicians around the stands and his talent was astonishing. This was followed by the fun and funky ‘Bhangra Dance’ before the first half concluded with Philip Sparke’s ‘The Pioneers’, a piece which was commissioned by the Children’s Band and given its premiere in the 2004 inaugural concert.
Not to be outdone the current band also included a world premiere performance and after the second half opener of ‘The King’s March’, we were treated to the first ever performance of Charlotte McGregor-Graham's ‘Mega-Mix’. The recent RWCMD graduate took us on a musical journey through the pop influences of the past 20 years. It was an absolute hit with everyone in the hall, with the smiles of the percussion section in particular attesting to how popular the piece was with the band. The band then showcased their vocal talents as they sang ‘Celebration’, before completely changing the mood for the reflective ‘Mid All the Traffic’. Daniel Marsh then came back to the stage and got the band and audience swinging with his assured performance of ‘Autumn Leaves’ before being joined by the band’s horn section for a beautiful ensemble version of ‘Greensleeves’. The final programmed item was Bill Geldard’s arrangement of ‘Opus One’ that really allowed the band to let its hair down, which it continued to do the encore of ‘Swing Low’ that the near capacity audience demanded.
The afternoon was a tremendous display of music making that shone a spotlight on the very best qualities of young people, that seem to be so rarely showcased in today’s society. The Children’s Band has a proud history to celebrate, but as the ensemble continues to develop and progress, the future is undoubtedly bright too.
2024 Principals of the Children's Band
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