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The band received a rapturous welcome at the Victoria Hall in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, when they presented a programme of music, along with a massed male voice choir drawn from two local Male Voice Choirs, namely Audley and Biddulph.
In this, the centenary year of Rotary International, Rotarians everywhere are encouraged to celebrate Rotary. This occasion was the Rotary Festival of Music to celebrate 'A Century of Service - A New Century of Success'. It was a joint fundraising project by six local Rotary Clubs: Audley, Blackfriars, Etruria, Kidsgrove, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Wolstanton. Their target in this centenary year is to raise funds for new minibuses for the three special schools in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
The event was a total sell out and the capacity audience were treated to a feast of good music. Feedback is vital to the success of a programme and this evening's audience clearly demonstrated their appreciation by their spontaneous applause following every item. It felt as though the participants and the listeners were as one.
Following the National Anthem, the choir commenced the proceeding with the rousing Soldiers' Chorus (Faust). They presented a balanced programme of well-known male voice classics including Speed Your Journey, The Lost Chord, Two Little Boys, Take Me Home and Gwahoddiad.
Solo items from the band included the cornet trio The Heralds and a xylophone duet The Two Imps. The other two solo items were Count Your Blessings and Green Hill. Whilst the most obvious words to associate with Green Hill are My Love is Like a Red, Red, Rose, the Bandmaster used the opportunity to remind the listeners of the words that Salvationists associate with the tune: There is a Green Hill Far Away. Other contributions from the band included Love Changes Everything with the Bandmaster making a clear link to the love of Jesus, Les Toreadors, Collage of Contemporary Gospel Praise and the march Rosehill.
A wonderful evening of music-making and a very worthwhile witness.
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Words: David McKee
Pictures: Gordon McKee
