Loughborough Concert Band

An audience of music lovers flocked to All Saints Church Thorpe Acre to hear a concert in aid of Lions Charities. Amongst the audience were Mayor and Mayoress of Charnwood, Councillor Pauline Ransom and her consort, husband Trevor, and Lion President Ann Parsons.  MP Nicky Morgan, having been called urgently to London, following the general election, sent apologies. Members of the John Storer House blind group were transported to the concert by Lions members.

 The concert was set to include last night of the proms favourites but the programme that lead up to this included many pieces that were enthusiastically received. Amongst these, Oklahoma! had toes tapping and was given a rousing round of applause. And who knows, perhaps people sang along quietly to such numbers as Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ and The Surrey with a Fringe on Top!

 Stand out pieces from the programme included Share My Yoke featuring Kevin Massey on trumpet, Romance from The Gadfly featuring Wendy Miller on alto saxophone (like a clarinet but more bendy as compere, Eddie Pearson informed the audience,) and the Theme from Schindler’s List with solos taken by Zoe Felton on alto saxophone, Paula Gardner on oboe and Yvonne Renouf on flute.

 The culmination of the evening, however, was The Fantasia on British Sea Songs, Jerusalem and Pomp and Circumstance. The audience sang their hearts out, waved their flags and stamped their feet. At the end of a week of political upheaval, it was just what they needed!