Friary Band recently made their long overdue return to concert action amid the most auspicious of surroundings

Led by MD, Chris King, the London & Southern Counties Area champion performed to an appreciative audience in the sunshine of the College Garden of Westminster Abbey, as part of their popular lunchtime concert series.

Wonderful return

It was a wonderful return to performance, and one enthusiastically appreciated by the audience, and which included the world premiere of composer Callum Au's new arrangement of 'What a Wonderful World', performed by principal cornet Richard Straker.

Apart from the warm applause and the occasional emergency vehicle siren in the middle of London, it proved to be a wonderful return for the band which will now look forward to returning to another iconic venue in the capital in October at the Royal Albert Hall.

we were delighted with the way it went, and the audience certainly appreciated having us back in this beautiful setting, overlooked by Westminster Abbey and the Palace of WestminsterFriary Band

Beautiful setting

"We can't deny being slightly apprehensive before the concert, bearing in mind the length of time since our last public engagement,"Band Chairman Nigel Stevens told 4BR.

"However, we were delighted with the way it went, and the audience certainly appreciated having us back in this beautiful setting, overlooked by Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster.

We're now looking forward to our evening Proms concert at Godalming Bandstand on Saturday 4th September and then ahead to our appearance at the Royal Albert Hall."