Visit to Reading Central
On stage at Reading Central
The band were pleased to contribute to a building fund event at the Reading Corps with the support of the Reading Central Songsters.
The corps provided refreshments before the commencement of the Festival which included some well established numbers from the bands current repertoire.
After opening up with Kevin Norbury’s Orwell Park, we Breezed Down Broadway at an alarming pace, remembered Where (We ) Loved to Be and then drew breath while Caroline Seredynski brought us some exquisite Debussy on the piano. Reading Songsters gave two items before the band resumed with Whirlwind with Dave Thomas, Cornet and Capriccio Brilliante from Phil Fisher, Horn.
Vocalist Debbie Crane sings Bill Broughton's arrangement of 'Now I Belong to Jesus'.
Bill Broughton’s up beat “happy version” of Now I Belong to Jesus featured Reading’s Debbie Crane as vocalist. James Adcock brought the Stephen Bulla euphonium solo Commitment to us before he excelled further as principal euphonium in Canadian Folk Song Suite.
After the interval, the band exploded into Be a Clown, an Alan Fernie arrangement of this fun Cole Porter number. It is really quite difficult to play out of tune deliberately! The congregation joined in Zephaniah’s Song, a Bill Himes arrangement. Further solo items followed including Anthony Smith on baritone with Paul Lovatt-Coopers’ Donegal Bay. Anthony has joined us in recent weeks due to the indisposition of our principal baritone, Howard Bowes.
There followed further items from the Songsters and the Bible Reading and Comment from Major Graham Mizon.
David Catherwood’s song arrangement Come Home is one of those apparently easy three line fillers in the Red Book. Not quite so easy to play but we hope our efforts brought blessing to our listeners.
To conclude the programme George Marshalls’ Army of the Brave brought a variety of moods in this early (no.6) Festival Series composition.
After the Benediction and Blessing there was still time for another foot tapper in the form of Ray Bowes’ march, Valiant Warriors.
Bible Verse of the Day
If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.
