Well, the big day is almost here! With only six more ‘sleeps’ to go before our appearance at the National Finals in Cheltenham on Sunday 15th September, we will be rehearsing almost every night this week to put the finishing touches to the wonderful test piece, ‘Occasion’, by Edward Gregson. The band have very much enjoyed working on this music under our Musical Director, Carl Whiteoak. ‘Occasion’ is, coincidentally, the same piece we played at our last outing to the National Finals in 1989. Exactly thirty years later, eight band members who played then, are still in the band today.
Carl has been working us extremely hard over the past few months, but we are delighted to welcome Major Paul Norley MA (Class Stud), BA (Mus), LRSM, LDBBA, CNCB, MCGI to take Tuesday’s rehearsal, at Carl’s invitation. Major Norley has recently been appointed Director of Music of the Band of the Coldstream Guards and has a wealth of experience as a player, conductor and adjudicator, and we are eager to see what his expertise brings to the rehearsal room.
Hopefully we will be celebrating this time next week!