News

Triumphant Return to feva

15st August 2010

At last year's FEVA, the Yorkshire Wind Orchestra gave a concert of film music, which was very well received. On Sunday 15th August, in Holy Trinity Church, they returned with a programme of "Music from the Stage".

The technical prowess of the orchestra is very high, coupled with great attack, fine tuning and, most-importantly, extremely musical phrasing. Keiron Anderson, the conductor, is a well-known figure and he brought out the inherent qualities of the various stage works. He clearly has an affinity with this type of music, as the passion, sadness and tenderness of Les Miserables showed. A man in the audience was observed to be in tears near the end of this selection of music from the show. Another highlight was the section from My Fair Lady, a personal favourite of mine. Most bands can manage loud and fast, but the expressivity lavished on On the street where you live, and the tender ache of I've grown accustomed to her face brought a lump to the throat.

The concert began with Sir Charles Mackerras' coupling together of tunes from Gilbert and Sullivan operas, Pineapple Poll. Mackerras died recently, and this ballet score had all the the joy one always associated with his music-making. The rythmical attack was superb here and set the tone for the rest of the concert. Some of the music made acute musical demands on the players, especially the music from West Side Story, by Bernstein. There was a hint of tension in the rhythms just occasionally, but this stirred the soul, everybody clearly enjoying themselves.

A special mention must go to the Principal Clarinet, whose virtuosity shone out in the Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor, by Borodin. At a strapping tempo, he produced a solo of clarity and cossack fire, very impressive!

The other works performed were a selection from Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera and Porgy and Bess. All gripped the attention and the enthusiastic response from the near-capacity audience was generous and obviously-heartfelt. British people don't often shout out "Bravo" after a piece, but there were a few "Bravos" shouted out today.

The concert was made more personal and friendly by the hilarious introductions from Keiron Anderson, who had the audience in stitches with his wit. One came away from the concert with a warm and satisfied glow, a couple of hours to treasure!

Review by Janet Bellamy

Symphony for Yorkshire

1st August 2010

Players from the Yorkshire Wind Orchestra have taken part in a recent BBC project, A Symphony for Yorkshire.

It involved the making of a short musical film by over 200 musicians from around the county following open auditions and a competition to write the lyrics to a new Yorkshire Anthem.

Composer and director, Benjamin Till, requested a small wind ensemble to feature in the symphony so the Yorkshire Wind Ensemble was formed from players of the orchestra.

The ensemble's contribution was recorded in Leeds and subsequently filmed at a wind farm on Ovenden Moor, Halifax. Yorkshire Wind Orchestra players who are also involved in other Yorkshire-based groups such as the Yorkshire Saxophone Choir, Shepherd Group Brass Band and Stannington Brass Band made an appearance in the film.

News of the symphony went national prior to its premiere broadcast on regional radio stations, with our players appearing on BBC Breakfast News both playing and being interviewed about our involvement in the project.

You can read more about the symphony on the BBC News website or view it in full on YouTube.

Great British Band Music

21st March 2010

The Yorkshire Wind Orchestra proudly presented a Sunday afternoon concert at The Riley Smith Hall in Tadcaster on Sunday 21st March at 4pm, in aid of Martin House Children's Hospice.

The orchestra delighted the audience with a magical musical journey across Britain. Vaughan Williams' English Folk Song Suite and Malcolm Arnold's Four Scottish Dances introduced the concert goers to a selection of traditional folk melodies from north and south of the border.

Finnegan's Wake, an Irish street ballad, followed and told the tale of the lovable rogue, Tim Finnegan, who, fond of a drop of whisky, falls off a ladder at work. While laid out before the funeral, a brawl breaks out during which whisky spills on the body of Finnegan, who rises up from the dead and joins in the brawl with his forceful Irish language!

After a reflective rendition of Irish Tune from County Derry, commonly known as Danny Boy, the musical tour continued into Lincolnshire with Percy Grainger's Lincolnshire Posy, a beautiful set of folk songs scored for wind band directly by the composer. His "bunch of musical wildflowers" is a dedication to the old folk singers who sang so sweetly to Grainger and forms one of the most important pieces in the wind band repertoire.

To make tribute to all the brave children that benefit from the important support that Martin House brings, the Yorkshire Wind Orchestra performed another of Grainger's works, Children's March. This carefree and delightful composition is entirely original, with a hearty, infectious melody and lively rhythms to match.

The concert came to a close with Cry of the Celts by Ronan Hardiman, best known for his music written for Michael Flatley's dance shows. This suite of movements featured music from Lord of The Dance and brought a rousing Celtic finish to what was an enjoyable way of spending a Sunday afternoon while raising £263.90 for an extremely important local charity.