National Youth Brass Band of New Zealand

National Youth Brass Band of New Zealand
Wednesday January 24, 2007
Marlborough Centre, Blenheim
Guest Soloist Mike Ford
Conductor Kevin Moseley

Would he be able to keep his emotions in check was the question I asked myself, well maybe it wasn't quite as eloquently put as that, I asked in my mind, will he blub tonight? Kevin Moseley, the strong, manly panel beater from Blenheim has a habit of getting a wee bit emotional at concerts and with tonight being such a huge event in his home town and it no doubt being a huge honour for him to conduct the National Youth Band, it was going to be a real tug at the heart strings for everyone involved.

Enough......thank you!

The people of Blenheim are so proud of Kevin to be appointed conductor of this group of elite youth players. I am delighted too; Kevin has so much experience and such a way of connecting to people from all walks of life. He also has the skill of being able to communicate to young and old, and to delight all who meet him.

The Marlborough Centre seats 460 people and it was very pleasing to see it about two thirds full. The local paper (who are my employers) have given a lot of news coverage to the band not only because one of Blenheim's sons is the conductor but because there are also four members of Marlborough Districts Brass Band in the Youth Band line-up.

Nicola Moseley, Kevin's eldest daughter and previous horn player in the Youth Band, was appointed compere for the evening. Dressed in a very fetching floral number Nicola did a fine job throughout the night.

The band opening up with Joe Cook's Keighley Moor (although it was mispronounced by the lovely Nicola), Keighley is in West Yorkshire and is pronounced ‘Keathley', I don't why but it is, so there! Anyway, the band spread their wings in this march although not without a few stray notes from the upper cornet ranks. Percussion and basses did their job with aplomb.

Maybe a dangerous choice for a second number, I thought as Adagio for Strings was announced, it takes real skill and control, maybe the nerves were still of on show, however, my fears were unfounded, the delivery and space of this was admirable with some lovely work from the flugel horns. Intonation on the whole was very good, just the odd note momentarily off the ricter scale.

What an impressive group of players Woolston have in their ranks and with youth on their side. Anthony Smith has held the position of principal cornet of the National Youth Band for the last three years; there is no one better as an alround cornet player and with the right attitude and respect for his role as leader. Anthony was featured in Alan Morrison's arrangement of Ciribiribin. With a clear sound, and wonderful style Anthony gave an excellent delivery and without music too. The band got a little too strident towards the end of the solo and just about obliterated the poor soloist.

The major work of the course was Tallis Variations by Philip Sparke. Written for the European Championships in Birmingham in 2000 it has won many fans from both players and audience alike. It is easy to underestimate this piece however; it provides many challenges for the players in not only technical areas but also of phrasing and lyricism. Kevin announced this one and he tried ever so hard not to let his voice wobble with emotion.

As soon as the band started it was evident that a lot of work had been done on this piece and it was one that everyone relished. There was so much attention to detail, with dynamics, musical nuances and the like. The flugel solo was played with a lot of style and control. The cadenzas were all flawless. And Anthony Smith played the slow section very beautifully on cornet. Oh dear, the wheels nearly came off when the basses decided that the tempo wasn't quick enough for them, but Kevin gave them a trade-mark glare and it was all brought back under control until Kevin's baton flies through the air (quite impressive actually) and a near calamity is avoided, just by everyone watching and playing as a team.

Mike Ford is not just the best horn player in New Zealand but he also ranks as one of the best in the world, his sound is like oozing melted chocolate like they show in the adverts. Mike dressed in a ‘Jack Sparrow' pirate shirt gave a moving rendition of Somewhere over the Rainbow then it was onto the World Premiere of Airborne by Simon Kerwin. Mike is a pilot for Air New Zealand hence the name of the piece. (Clever, eh?). The piece opens up atmospherically, slow and with a lone tuba, various players interject with the soloist until a furious rhythmic section bursts to life. Mike was on sizzling form, and the band were very sensitive and attentive in their accompanying. The audience was delighted with Mike's playing (and his shirt) and it was a wonderful piece of writing from Mr. Kerwin. Simon's father passed away last week so he had to fly back to the UK and miss the concert.

Simon Kerwin's arranging skills were utilized now in the wonderful ‘Gee Officer Krupke' and before the interval we heard Scheherezade, and a romp through Cartoon Music.

After the interval, the band were revealed onstage with colourful shirts and ties instead of the Ringmaster type jackets, I'm not sure about Rhys McDonnell's shirt, I don't know where he got it from. (He had to borrow it from Kevin!). The band also changed position with kit at the front of the band, solo cornets and sop at the back, back row cornets, euphs baris and trombones staying in original positions, horns where the solo cornets would be Aimee Beaumont a treasured and talented member of Marlborough Brass and Ben Garland a rising percussion star were featured in Toccata in D Minor and then again in Russky Percussky. Both players technically gifted and with a real sense of stage presence. It was a joy to hear and watch these two.

The horns were featured next in Winter from the Four Seasons, not every apt as Blenheim has been sweltering these last few days, but excellent playing especially from Roseanna Dale, who performed well all night. More could have been made of the cornet parts I felt, the articulation got swallowed up in the mutes and from the back of the band.

Mike Ford was featured again in another commission from Simon Kerwin, entitled Grand Master it really is a tour de force for the horn. From bottom G's right up to top D's it really is a test. You can only use superlatives for Mike Ford's performance of this solo; it was jaw droppingly good, flawless, just superb. I wish Simon had been able to hear it.

What is also good about Kevin, is that he tends to ‘look outside the box' when it comes to programming. It was his idea about changing uniform and stage setting for the second half and making it more entertaining. Caroline Blackmore swanned onto the stage in a LBD (little black dress) and attempted to launch into And All that Jazz, however the mic was not on. Some conductors would have just ploughed on but ah, not Kevin. He stopped the band and shouted up to the sound desk, that we needed the sound. A jobsworth at the back, shouted back, you've got sound. And then he realized that there wasn't and there was a very loud bang as the mic was finally on. Well done to Kevin for doing the right thing. Poor Caroline had to stand there and start again. It was stunning stuff though, very stylish.

The baton, sorry mic was then handed to David Moseley (Kevin's nephew) who is also a star on the horizon not only for his cornet playing but he has a wonderful singing voice. He oozed his way through Sway, and then the trombones gave a jazzy performance of Simon Kerwin's arrangement of Night Train. Ruby Tuesday lost a little bit of steam towards the end, not surprising, as the Youth Band have been practicing nine hours a day for the last four days. The finale was another arrangement from Simon Kerwin, a big band version of Favourite Things from Sound of Music, superb stuff and which deservedly earned the band a standing ovation from the very appreciative audience. Both the band and Kevin were visibly moved by this show of admiration from the crowd.
The band weren't allowed to leave the stage until the had performed two encores, Goff Richard's, Armenian Fire Dance and finally, New York, New York.

On a baking hot night, the Youth Band had given a tremendous concert, not blemish free but full of youthful exuberance and energy. What was very heart warming to see were the faces of the players and Kevin, smiling, dancing along and willing to enter the spirit of the occasion. We have tutors (I was one this year) to teach the players at the course but you know what, I think we can all learn something from them too.

Alexandra Kerwin
2007 

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