Flying High: All-Star Brass Band Raises Over £2600 for North West Air Ambulance

Some of Banding’s Finest Musicians Unite to Raise Money for the North West Air Ambulance 

Here’s a few not-so-fun facts for you - did you know:

• It takes £18 million a year to run the North West Air Ambulance Service?

• The service is not funded by either the government or the NHS?

Yes, the North West Air Ambulance who jumped into action to help those injured in the recent Liverpool car attack and who have saved countless lives over the years rely on donations to stay in action. 

I didn’t know that either until I attended an incredible All-Star Brass Band concert at the weekend in aid of the NW Air Ambulance service, where some of banding’s finest came together to raise money to support the amazing work of this organisation. 

A Story of Resilience

Keith Muggeridge who plays solo baritone for the Wingates Band, has first-hand experience of the vital work the Air Ambulance service provides. In 2015, Keith was involved in a life-threatening car accident that left him in a coma for over two weeks. Thanks to the heroic efforts and swift action of the Thames Valley Air Ambulance, he was able to receive life-saving treatment quickly and through grit and determination managed to make a full recovery and returned back to banding just two years after the accident. 

Now living in the North West, Keith is dedicated to raising money for the Air Ambulance service and organised a concert filled with friends, who just so happen to be some of the finest banders in our community, with representatives from:

• Tredegar Band

• Brighouse and Rastrick

• Fairey’s 

• Hammonds

• Foden’s 

• Longridge

• Wingates

Led by the ever-charismatic Mark Peacock, the audience were treated to a fantastically curated programme of brass band classics, modern works and outstanding solo contributions.

Review: All-Star Brass Band at St George’s Parish Church, Tyldesley

With Wings Like Eagles by Rodney Newton

The band opened the evening’s programme with a piece written for a previous charity concert organised by Keith in aid of the Air Ambulance from the pen of Rodney Newton called, ‘With Wings Like Eagles’. This is a triumphant, John Williams-esque opener, full of soaring melody lines, twinkling percussion and a decisive, determined feel underpinning it all. The bold dynamics harnessed by the top quality musicians around the stand created a rapturous sound that let the audience know exactly what they were in for.

Festive Overture by Shostakovich

Next up was the classic Shostakovich work, Festive Overture. This lively work demonstrated the technical dexterity of the band with light-footed, fleeting melodies that were executed with such attention to detail they shone through, despite the reverberant acoustic inside the church. It was when the band came together for the rousing chordal moments in this piece that you could truly hear the capability of this ensemble; a perfectly balanced sound that was warm, yet powerful. 

First Light by Ben Hollins, Performed by Andy Macdonald

It was time for our first solo of the night and the first of many moments I had to reach for the tissues. Ben Hollins’ ‘First Light’, was originally written for renowned cornet soloist, Kirsty Abbotts and the Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band. It’s a beautifully reflective work that features a lilting melody that’s passed from the soloist to the band before a glorious, cadenza-like moment thrusts us into the first rays of light at sunrise. 

There’s a reason why Wingates Band’s principal cornet,  Andy MacDonald, is one of the best Principal cornets around today and that reason was displayed during his rendition of this solo. The melody line was delivered with such heart; every note was placed with precision and care, every dynamic marking was used to full effect to create light and shade and every phrase was handled with controlled emotion. Just stunning. 

I’ll Walk with God by Nicholas Brodsky, arr. Goff Richards

One of my favourite arrangements of all time is Goff Richard’s version of ‘I’ll Walk with God’ from the film The Student Prince. This work is a masterclass in arrangement that captures the heart-wrenching emotion of the original song and (in my opinion) the sound of a top quality brass band in full flight performing this enhances the original score and is something of a religious experience - so it was fitting we were in a church during the All-Star Brass Band’s rendition of this glorious piece. 

My goodness - what a rendition it was! The quiet, poignant opening was handled with such control before it blossomed into a soul-stirring, full band sound that would make those with the coldest of hearts weep. It’s one of those moments where you whisper to yourself, ‘I bloody love banding’, in between sobs.

Dance of the Goblins by Antonio Bazzini

Well, before I was emotionally spent after those two moving works, it was time for the man of the hour, Keith Muggeridge, to step forward and offer the first of his two solo performances of the evening. Keith chose to play the fiendishly technical ‘Dance of the Goblins’. Let’s just say, if you were paying by the note, you’d have far more than your money’s worth! This piece is an adventure full of high flying technical acrobatics and swift technical passages. He stood as a testament to the work of the North West Air Ambulance, as well as his own determination. 

Finlandia by Sibelius

The band closed out their first half with an epic work from Sibelius. ‘Finlandia’ was composed as a covert protest against the increasing censorship from the Russian Empire. As you can expect, it’s quite a dark and turbulent affair for the most part, illustrating the struggles of the people of Finland, before a rousing, melodic section that was later used for the hymn, ‘Be Still My Soul’. It’s a piece that sadly isn’t performed that often (that I’ve seen anyway), so it was great to finally hear it live. I thought it was a very fitting choice for a concert that represents Keith’s story from trauma to triumph.

Punchinello by William Rimmer

After a brew, a biscuit and a run through the raffle, (have you really been to a brass band concert if there isn’t a raffle?) the band strode into the second half with the march that all of us who are attending Whit Friday next week will hear about 300 renditions of - Punchinello. Probably Rimmer’s most famous march, this jaunty little gem was the perfect start to another hour of incredible music. 

Brilliante by Peter Graham, Performed by Daniel Hohm and Luke Giri-Spence

Next up, it was the turn of Daniel Hohm (Solo Euphonium of Hammonds Band) and Luke Giri-Spence (Euphonium for Brighouse and Rastrick and Wellington Brass). The pair performed Peter Graham’s ‘Brilliante’, which is a fantasy on ‘Rule Britannia’ that was commissioned for the British Bandsman’s Centenary Concert in 1987. Although commonly performed as a solo these days, the original was composed as a duet for Robert and Nicholas Childs - so, you know it’s not going to be a simple slow melody! 

One thing you can always count on in a euphonium feature is virtuosic technical moments ending with a note so high it could induce vertigo - Brilliante is no exception and the talented duo handled it all with panache and skill. When the technical moments calmed into the beautiful, tango-esque, lyrical section their sounds blended absolutely perfectly. It was a spell-binding performance. 

The Lost Chord by Arthur Sullivan arr. by Gordon Langford

It was time to settle things down with another piece of classic brass band repertoire. The Lost Chord was written by Arthur Sullivan whilst sitting by the bedside of his brother, Fred, during his last illness before he sadly passed away in 1877. It is a simple yet gorgeous song, that was set to the poem ‘The Lost Chord’ by Adelaide Proctor and similarly to ‘I’ll Walk with God’ it lends itself beautifully to the warmth of the brass band sound. 

Share My Yoke by Joy Webb, arr. by Ivor Bosanko performed by John Squire-Evans

The next solo performance transported me with warm nostalgia back to my first ever solo at the age of 16. Joy Webb’s simple, yet wonderful Share My Yoke, is a tender hymn written in the 1960s that speaks of turning to the Lord in times of strife. The arrangement for brass band by Ivor Bosanko is respectful of the song’s beautiful simplicity with thin ensemble accompaniment that really allows the soloist to shine through. It was the flugel player for the Wingates Band, John Squires-Evans, who delivered the evening’s rendition of Share My Yoke and surrounded by the gorgeous architecture of St George’s Church, it really was a lovely moment of calm reflection. 

Love of My Life by Freddie Mercury, Arr. by Steven Booth

Well, as one of the planet’s biggest Queen fans, I was thrilled to see this lovely little number on the programme. Taken from the band’s most iconic album, ‘A Night at the Opera’, Freddie Mercury’s hymn-like ballad, Love of My Life, was dedicated to his then-girlfriend and life-long friend Mary Austin. In a similar vein, Keith dedicated his performance of this arrangement to his wonderful wife, Sarah, who not only was in attendance, but helped to organise the concert. Although, the concert’s conductor, friend and former roommate of Keith, Mark Peacock, seemed to be under the impression that the performance was dedicated to him…never mind, Mark. Jokes aside, it was so lovely to watch and hear stories of Mark and Keith’s friendship. 

An American Trilogy - Elvis, arr. by Goff Richards

This programme was turning out to be a live version of my brass band Spotify playlist as the band’s penultimate piece was an absolute banger and another one of my all-time favourites - it was one of the pieces I considered walking down the aisle to! The piece opened with a beautiful solo line from Luke Giri-Spence on euphonium and when the band grew into the full-bodied, Battle Hymn of the Republic section of the trilogy, it was enough to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Considering how hard-hitting this programme was, there wasn’t an ounce of fatigue around the stand! Glory, glory hallelujah indeed!

Procession to the Minster by Wagner, arr. by Howard Snell

Now you would think after such a heavy programme, the band would be treated to a bit of light relief to finish off the concert, like The Floral Dance or a pop arrangement. Nope! The concert ended with one final flourish in the form of Wagner’s ‘Procession to the Minster’. For those of you not familiar with this classic work - it’s essentially one massive crescendo, that builds and builds into a triumphant, rousing finish. This is a band that seemed to have endless stamina - as they grew into the finale, there wasn’t any half measures when it came to dynamics or strained tuning. From one ‘Flugeler’ to another, hats off to John Squires-Evans for that fiendish top Bb - not what you want at the end of a heavy concert!

Encore: Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines

Just as you can’t have a brass band concert without a raffle, you can’t have a brass band concert without an encore and we were treated to one final, very fitting tune to finish off the concert - Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines. Just before the band set off on their final piece, it was announced that the concert had raised over £2600 for the North West Air Ambulance - an amazing achievement. 

All in all, it was an outstanding concert for an incredible charity. Congratulations to Keith and well done to all of the fantastic musicians who donated their time and their talent to such a worthy cause. 

A very inspiring night - indeed!