Silver Success

On Sunday 21st November, Repton School Concert embarked on an epic musical journey to Northampton to participate in the National Concert Band Festival. It is the highlight of all British Wind Ensembles diaries each year and attracts bands of all ages and standards. Northampton is a regional festival and if groups are successful they are invited to the national final in April 2011. In past years the final has been held at the Sage, Gateshead, Glasgow, Birmingham Conservatoire and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.

The Repton Concert Band played after an ensemble from Telford. The first piece they played was Ancient Air and Dance by Elliott Del Borgo and was played with a great deal of sensitivity at the beginning and strident rhythms at the end. The adjudication piece for the band was a composition called Pulsation. The band really made use of the raw driving energy that this music exhibits especially the percussion section. Joseph Jankinson (L) subsequently played a beautiful rendition of Gabriel’s Oboe from the 1980’s blockbuster film, The Mission. The band rounded up their set with a medley of John Williams film scores.

The Concert band played very well indeed and deserved a very creditable Silver Award on this occasion. They are a band of immense potential and with their commitment and dedication they will achieve much more in the coming years.