This enjoyable concert celebrated the notable achievements of a trio of highly respected educators, with students past and present, colleagues and friends, making their way to Peel Hall to pay their personal tribute to Jackie Spry, Dr Mick Wilson and Professor Peter Graham.

Imprint

They have left an indelible imprint on the Salford campus and beyond during their tenures, leading a number of influential courses that have inspired literally thousands of students in their combined 80 plus years of tutoring. 

The current undergraduates from the Salford University Brass Band conducted by Dr Howard Evans led the music tributes in what was one of their final concerts of the academic year.  

The ensemble contains a number of young players who are already marking their musical careers with some of the UKs leading bands, and with Dr Evans making a return to the podium to conduct for the first time in over eighteen months, they produced some fine playing throughout.

Breezy seque

The choreographed ‘Brass Presentation’ opener from Swiss composer Bertrand Moren was a timely nod in the direction of the newly crowned European champion, Brass Band Bürgermusik Luzern and provided a breezy segue into an excellent performance of Verdi's 'Dies Irae'.

Principal cornet Ryan Broad delivered a tasteful rendition of 'She Moves Through the Fair', before the band performed the beautiful 'Lux Aurumque' by Eric Whitacre with tenderness and warmth.

Highlights

One of the highlights came when pianist, Laurayna Sableviciute performed William Himes' sadly neglected arrangement of the ‘Third Movement’ of Rachmaninov's ‘Piano Concerto No 2’.

Full of poise, tension and excitement, the band blended superbly with the soloist, with Dr Evans ensuring that neither over-powered each other.  It did make you wonder why bands don't have the courage to perform something like this more often at concerts.

Award winner

With the announcement that Ian Weng Ho had become the latest recipient of the Kirklees Composition Award, the audience listened intently to her oriental inspired, 'Wo Men De Gu Shi' ('Our Story') before Brett Baker stepped forward to deliver a polished account of the 'Iona Boat Song'.

Graham prelude

The audience then had the opportunity to enjoy a selection box of Peter Graham compositions courtesy of a cleverly conceived concert work entitled 'Prelude to Peter', before the warm tributes and accolades were made to the deserving trio.

Peter Graham’s, 'Renaissance', composed as a sequel to the delightful 'Shine as the Light' around the time of new millennium was a classy reminder of the composer’s innate musicality, before finally, at the invitation of Dr Evans, Peter conducted  his New Zealand Maori hymn 'Hine e Hine', beautifully enhanced by a cultured flugel horn lead.

It brought to an end not just an enjoyable night, but one that acknowledged the lasting legacies of three Salford stalwarts.

Malcolm Wood