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After receiving a warm welcome we were provided with an excellent buffet meal. Despite there being nearly 100 hungry people to feed, there was more than enough to go around.
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The concert itself was a Rotarian sponsored event in aid of The Sparrow Village of Hope for Orphaned Children in Africa and Rotary Foundation Charities. Both the band and the songsters made the evening one to remember with a well rehearsed programme and plenty of audience participation.
Birmingham Citadel Band started off the evening with the bright number Praise Party followed by Chelmsford Songsters singing Shine on Us. The popular Love Changes Everything by the band preceded an excellent rendition of the cornet solo Song of Exultation and a beautiful vocal duet rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Pie Jesu. A feature of the evening was a Bible presentation by the songsters titled Jesus Victorious.
After the interval in which everyone had the opportunity to share in refreshments, the second half commenced with the band playing Let there be Praise and the songsters singing Count your Blessings whilst moving to their seats. Then it was the turn of the Birmingham Citadel Timbrels who played to the march Goldcrest. Again, the high quality of the soloists was evident in the vocal solo Somebody's Prayin' and the tenor horn solo Green Hill. Other items included Christ Calls, The Last Amen, When the Saints, The King of Love and Jubilee.
By any standard the evening was judged a success, but the presentation of a cheque for over a £1,000 to the charity in Africa made the whole venture really worthwhile.
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Words: Gordon McKee
Photos: Gordon McKee
