The 2019 Bolsover International Summer School came to an end with this enjoyable concert led by Steven Mead and David Hirst.  

Throughout the week the delegates had been working hard on wide ranging, challenging concert repertoire, with the players from afar afield as the USA, Canada and even France via Nottinghamshire enjoying the music making which also included an open air concert at Hardwick Hall, the elegant 16th century country pile just a few miles down the M1 motorway.

Admirable

The hard graft certainly paid off with a confident ensemble delivering admirable performances of works as stylistically contrasting as ‘Festmusik der Stadt Wien’ to ‘Li’l Darlin’ as well as major items such as the dramatic ‘The Forces Unleashed’ by Paul Lovatt-Cooper and Philip Sparke’s colourful ‘The Saga of Haakon the Good’, complete with multi-lingual  Nordic war chants.

Steven’s inclusive musical approach also saw fine renditions of ‘Intrepid Overture’ by William Himes, Philip Sparke’s ‘Mountain Song’, and the quirky march, ‘Praise’ by Wilfred Heaton - all aided by tasteful solo leads and warm ensemble sounds.

The most poignant moment of the evening though came with the world premiere of the concert march ‘Bolsover Castle’, which will now become the course signature tune. 

Poignant

The MD handed over the baton to senior tutor David Hirst for tutor Mark Wilkinson’s beautifully phrased ‘I’d Rather Have Jesus’, whilst Steven also enjoyed himself with ‘Rule Britannia’ - played at a much quicker speed than the current Brexit negotiations - and the tender ‘Song of the Birds’.  

The most poignant moment of the evening though came with the world premiere of the concert march ‘Bolsover Castle’, which will now become the course signature tune. 

Written in memory of David Morris, a stalwart supporter and active participant in the Bolsover Summer School and Festival of Brass, it was an upbeat reminder (with a witty nod to his favourite pop song ‘Mr Blue Sky’) of a musician and friend greatly missed.

Kevin Hughes