Concert Reviews

To The Stars, Royal Albert Hall, 15 April 2007

Ensembles attending

• Youth Orchestra
• Second Orchestra
• Third Orchestra
• Fourth Orchestra
• Concert Band
• Third Band

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Photos from the Course

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Concert Band Course Report

HIGHLIGHTS	LOWLIGHTS
Meeting the Legend of Paul Nash (perc tutor to replace our darling Graham)	Having to listen to his triangle playing and northern accent. Also, the realisation that Graham is no longer with us
Playing Global Variations again	Realising how old we are now for remembering the last time we played it!
The testing and purchasing of a wobble board at Homebase	Snapping the wobble board in half during the dress rehearsal
The making of stamping stick(s). (There were due to be two, but we were suffering too severely after making the first one!)	Making the damn stamping stick and then having it fall apart on us every time we used it
Helping Heather McDonald celebrate her birthday	Heather enjoying herself a bit too much!
Interrupting the sax sectional (but it was their fault for using our room)	The sax’s not talking to us for the rest of the course – but is this REALLY a lowlight?.... Answers on a postcard…
"Stealing" the hi-hat clutch from 2nd Band. We sent two of our ELITE percussion crack commandos to reclaim what’s rightfully ours. (And so the war between 1st and 2nd continues…)	Being caught!!
The eating of £50 starters, pizza and deserts... between only FOUR guys (who wish to remain nameless…) So Phil, Bobby, Leo and Mikey-boy, what were you thinking when you took on this challenge??)	Feeling very sick throughout the entire concert. (Some might say serves you right… I am one of them!!)
The Royal Albert Hall!!	A long, but rewarding day
Phil, Leo and Em’s last course  :o(	Years spent in youth concert band: Phil = 4 years Leo = 4 ½ years Em = 5 ½ years And in that time, think of the £1000’s spent on course fees… SO, we have done our sums and seen what we could have spent this hard earned cash on instead… 2000 Pints OR, 3600 slices of Large Pizza ... Man, that would be a good night out! But we wouldn’t have changed it for the world!

And finally a poem to finish:

There once was a band from Beds,
whose brilliance had gone to their heads.
They turned up the first day, sent the conductor away ~
and followed the percussion instead.

So they followed the group called Team Hosker,
but the rehearsal was a bit of a shocker.
The percussion were spurned; so Chris he returned,
and their performance deserved them an Oscar.

-- The Band Report was written by Team Hosker + 1 (Phil)

P.S. This was NOT written in continuous prose, because as percussionists and trombonists – we are illiterate!

P.P.S. Leo, Phil and I will sadly miss Youth Band. The pilgrimage to Mark Rutherford and treading on that hallowed turf every holiday is a blessing – and one engrained on to our minds for life I think! But in all seriousness, we three have enjoyed playing with the Youth Concert Band, and indeed all the many bands and orchestras that we have had the pleasure to play for over the many years. These courses will be sadly missed, but we can’t wait to come back and visit in the future.

Poland, WATCH OUT......

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