2017 Annual Concert for LOROS
Jan. 14, 2017
Hathern Band started 2017 in fine style with a charity concert (14 January) held in Hathern Parish Church in aid of LOROS, the Leicestershire and Rutland Hospice. The Charity has particular significance to the band as three members of the organisation have been cared for by LOROS in recent years.
The Band was certainly on top form and together with Musical Director, Dave Newman, treated the audience to a lively programme in a variety of musical styles which illustrated extremely well the diversity of music played by brass bands. We were treated to a trip to the movies with music from Ben-Hur and then came hurtling down the slopes to the Ski Sunday TV theme tune. Next we were given a Ticket to Ride, with an arrangement of the Lennon and McCartney number which evoked travel on a steam train most effectively, all very appropriate with nearby Loughborough being home to the Great Central Steam Railway. Long distance travel was next and to mark the first anniversary of the death of David Bowie, the Band gave a powerful performance of his composition, Life on Mars.
The pace was slowed by Simon Baum’s lovely rendition on trombone of the Hoagy Carmichael number, Stardust and all without the aid of music! Euphonium player Graham Rix whisked us off to Italy with his fine playing of the Neapolitan song Catari, Catari which had us all thinking of warmer, sunnier days.
Hathern Band is proud of its long tradition of teaching youngsters and has thriving Training and Youth Bands within its organisation. Two youngsters who have progressed through to the Senior Band (George Baum and Edward Hefferman) gave a sparkling performance of the xylophone duet, The Two Imps, which was very well received by the audience. The Band is extremely grateful to the members of Hathern Church for the free use of their wonderful building for the concert and the finale, Hymns of Praise, was a fitting conclusion to the concert.
The concert was a great success and raised £2040.38 for the Leicestershire Hospice including a donation of £750 from Barclays Bank under their match funding scheme. The cheque was accepted by Derek Horsfall of LOROS who thanked everyone for achieving such a fantastic amount. He was pleased to report that the extension work at the Hospice was well underway with the new Professional Development Centre due to be completed this summer and the Therapy Unit is set to be finished by the middle of 2018.
Louise Haworth