Archbishop Sumner Primary School & Cambridge Heath Brass

Conductor: Roy Terry
St Peters Church
Vauxhall
Monday 5th July

Cambridge Heath Brass (Roy Terry) renewed their links with the Archbishop Sumner Primary School as they returned to St Peter’s, Vauxhall for a second partnership festival.

Contemporary Dance

Three groups from the school took part, commencing with the ABStract Dance Ensemble, who presented an item entitled ‘Homeless’, to the music of ‘Run’ (Leona Lewis), ‘Nightmare Scene’ and ‘I got a feeling’ (Black Eyed Peas).

From Africa and the USA

Cambridge Heath Brass followed this with three items in contrast, Don Osgood’s march ‘Motondo’ (written for an international Scouts gathering), William Himes’ setting of  ‘Nicaea’ and Bruce Broughton’s vigorous arrangement of ‘The Good Old Way’.

Lively choral singing

The items by the school choir represented one of the highlights of the evening, as they sang with great verve and gusto, and not a trace of nerves, including solo contributions and effective choreography.

’You raise me up’ was followed by ‘Freedom Medley’, featuring ‘Redemption Song’,  ‘Oh Freedom’, the traditional South African melody ‘Freedom’ and finally a return to Bob Marley with ‘One Love’.

Prelude & fugue

For the benefit of the young people and the assembled audience of parents and friends, Roy Terry explained the background to Dean Goffin’s ‘Prelude and Fugue: Arise, my soul, arise’, pointing out that many would associate the melody ‘Darwalls’ with the hymn ‘Ye holy angels bright’.

Enthusiastic brass

The school’s band is at the root of the link between the two organisations, Roy having encountered them in his professional capacity.

The group consisted of 12 cornets, 4 tenor horns, 8 trombones, 1 euphonium and 2 small basses, together with three enthusiastic percussionists.

It was encouraging to see the progress made since the previous visit, as their unbounded energy and commitment was tempered by a little more subtlety and dynamic contrast.

Their solo items were ‘Oh when the Saints’, ‘The Great Escape’ and the traditional South African melody ‘Siya Hamba’  (‘Walking in the light of God’). They were then joined by Cambridge Heath Brass in an arrangement of ‘Pastime with Good Company’.

Positive response

Percussionist John Nkounkou was featured with Cambridge Heath Brass in Barrie Gott’s lively setting of  ‘Daniel’, which received the warmest applause of the evening.

After David Thornett’s march ‘Youth Undaunted’ the ABS choir and the audience joined the band in the traditional chorus ‘Give me joy in my heart’. The band closed with ‘The Lord bless thee and keep thee’, with the school choir joining in.

The evening was a great success all round, and the smiling faces were a reminder that the brass band can still play a valuable role in community life.

Peter Bale

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