Concert: Foden's Band - Isle of Man

‘Simply world-class’! Just one of the many descriptions to be heard from audience members who departed the Villa Marina in the Isle of Man on a high. That was after being blown away by the Foden’s Band, which received a standing ovation from a delighted and appreciative large crowd in the Royal Hall.

The band produced a wonderful spectacle under the baton of charismatic musical director, Michael Fowles, impressing from the moment the first note of D’Adonna’s Grand Fanfare opened proceedings.

From that moment, Foden’s moved stylishly through numbers including music by Lionel Ritchie, Dmitri Shostakovich, Fauré and Leonard Bernstein, concluding the opening half in sonorous fashion with Eric Ball’s timeless masterpiece, The Kingdom Triumphant.

In-between that came expertly delivered solos by the ever-impressive principal cornet, Mark Wilkinson (Charivari) and solo baritone, Sarah Lenton (Film by Andy Scott).
The influential Howard Snell said Foden’s continually takes the listener to places few other ensembles rarely even approach and the second half proved just that with a fabulous Flamenco start. The vibrant showmanship of the band was at its absolute best in an arrangement of Cuban composer, Ernesto Lecuona’s Malaguena.


After the Andalusian music, the pace changed dramatically with flugel horn soloist Melanie Whyle’s rendition of The Seal Lullaby before solo horn, Jonathan Bates, performed Mangione’s The Children of Sanchez superbly. With versatile trombonist John Barber (Someone Like You, from the musical Jekyll n’ Hyde) also soaring the heights, it was left to solo euphonium, Gary Curtin, to perform the sixth and final solo of the evening with Eire Time, weaving together three traditional Irish folk tunes in a lively and virtuosic celebration of all things Irish.

As a truly enjoyable evening reached a climax with Farewell to Arms,
it was easy to reflect upon 24 hours in which a number of world-class musicians (led by Mike Fowles, Jonny Bates, Gary Curtin, Darren Lea, Luke Pallister, Ryan O'Grady and Shaun Farrington) gave up their time free-of-charge to lead workshops and provide tuition to island players of all ages.

If events such as these can’t inspire and introduce audiences to a new musical language, then nothing ever will. Thank you Foden’s.


JAMES DAVIS

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