Hathern Band Concert in Quorn
Aug. 16, 2015
Hathern Band – Concert on The Banks in Quorn on the 16th August – picture in the Echo!
Friends of Hathern Band
Aug. 11, 2015
Friends of Hathern Band
We already have Patrons of Hathern Band. Patrons donate at least £25 per year. However we have decided to also have a Friends organisation for supporters to keep in touch with the band organisation and become a part of the banding family. There is no cost in being a Friend and you will receive notification by email (preferred) or mail of forthcoming events and concerts for both Hathern Band and Concert Brass. Also you will receive the quarterly newsletter with news, information, profiles of players etc. Existing patrons will automatically receive the newsletter.
Why not sign up? Please contact secretary Lesley Bentley at lesley.bentley@dsl.pipex.com.
Your email address will not be passed on to any other organisation.
We'll Meet Again
July 4, 2015
On 4th July, Hathern Band teamed up with Christchurch Theatre Club to provide an evening celebrating 70 years since the end of World War II. And what an evening! Rousing pieces from the band contrasted with a range of nostalgic numbers from the talented Christchurch singers who were dressed in period costume. Hathern’s irrepressible Ben Hardy, a member of the Theatre Club acted as MC. Ben’s brother Jack played repiano cornet on the night, and there was a further family connection as Ben revealed to the audience that the idea for the event came from his father, Jeff.
Numbers by the Band included Colonel Bogey, The Dambusters March, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square and a Glenn Miller medley which sounded really authentic despite the absence of saxophones and clarinets. The Band reprised their acclaimed version of Nightfall in Camp – a clever arrangement of the hymn Eternal Father Strong to Save together with The Last Post. For this the front row cornets played at the other side of the church whose acoustics gives the piece such poignancy and feeling. The Band and singers combined for a medley from Carousel and Keep Smiling Through.
The Christchurch men gave us a Wartime Medley and Ben performed Who Do You Think You Are Kidding and Goodnight Sweetheart. Solos from the singers included Some Enchanted Evening by Lyndon Perry, Julie Easter with I Only Have Eyes for You and a moving rendition of I Vow to Thee My Country from Laura Barlow. Holly Easter sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow with the Band and Laura and Holly duetted with When You Wish Upon a Star. Then we had a trio when those of us old enough to remember the Andrews Sisters were given a treat as Laura, Julie and Anita Benson became Patty, Maxene and LaVerne and sang Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.
The finale gave us a flavour of The Last Night of the Proms as the band powered through Pomp and Circumstance and led by the Christchurch singers, we all gave a rousing rendition of Land of Hope and Glory followed by Jerusalem and God Save the Queen. The concert was aptly named, as we were all hoping that we would meet again at another joint concert between the Band and the Christchurch Theatre Club.
Dave Neville – Friends of Hathern Band
Concert Brass Annual Concert
June 20, 2015
The Concert Brass Annual Concert was held on a beautiful early summer evening and it seemed that the weather was a theme throughout the show. Included in the performance were Singing in the Rain, Adele’s Set Fire to the Rain and the Morecambe and Wise classic, Give Me Sunshine. Gardeners like a bit of sun and rain, though Andrea admitted to a total hatred of gardening. Nevertheless, Concert Brass played the theme to the TV programme, Ground Force and Andrea reminded us that the female presenter, Charlie Dimmock was particularly popular with male viewers. Whatever did she mean??
Andrea drew attention to the age range of the band, pointing out that the youngest was only 12. There was hearty applause when she thanked Hathern Band Musical Director Dave Newman for the work he puts into the Training Band which results in so many talented youngsters coming through to Concert Brass and then eventually to the Main Band.
Old rockers like me were delighted to hear Jackie Wilson’s Reet Petite performed by the flugel and horn section. Sadly I’m now too old to jive in the aisle. Other numbers included the jaunty Bandology, Gabriel’s Oboe from the film The Mission, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s With One Look and the rousing March of the Cobblers from Brassed Off.
The concert ended with Pharrell Williams’ Happy which summed up how we all felt. Another great performance from our outstanding Concert Brass.
Dave Neville – Friends of Hathern band