Co-operative Funeralcare Band

Conductor: Michael Fowles
St John's Episcopal Church
Greenock
Friday 12th February

The Co-operative Funeralcare Band's enjoyable concert at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Greenock was in aid of the Salvation Army.

Conducted by Michael Fowles, the band’s Musical Director, they provided a fine evening's entertainment through a wide variety of music, much to the enjoyment of the large audience which had turned out to hear one of Scotland’s leading bands just a few weeks before they defended their Regional title in Glenrothes.

From the first strains of the opening march 'The Contester' by T.J.Powell, it was evident that this was to be a night, not only for the connoisseurs of brass band music but for anyone who appreciated good music generally.

Spectacular

The overture 'Le Corsair' by Berlioz followed and showed off the band in all its technical glory in a spectacular rendering of this Berlioz masterpiece.

During the course of the evening, the band’s three soloists gave fine performances of completely different styles of music.

Jim Hayes, the band’s principal cornet player thrilled the audience with a sparkling performance of 'Charivari' by John Iveson, while principal trombonist Paul Kiernan played Dewhurst’s 'Brasilia'.

Finally, principal euphonium player, Alison Bonnar, played John Golland’s 'Peace',  and this performance was dedicated by Michael Fowles to the memory of those who had died in the recent Haiti earthquake and to those people in the area who were still suffering the after effects of the disaster.

The programme ended with a powerful performance of Ravel’s 'Bolero', arranged by Howard Snell.  However, the audience demanded an encore, which they got (and participated in by clapping to the music) in the form of Julius Fucik’s march 'Entry Of The Gladiators'.

This brought the evening to a most satisfying conclusion for all concerned.

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