Guest Conductors
The summer months are typically a very busy time for the band with many outdoor concerts. It is always good to see the audiences filled with holiday makers as well as the locals but just as many of the audience are on holiday we often find ourselves without key players (or conductors) as they themselves are away.
The brass band world is lucky enough to have many people who don’t mind helping a neighbouring band during these periods, and so it was at renchley Gardens in Maidstone this year. We were lucky enough to have several guests including Andy Ralph, the Solo Horn player from the BAE systems band who took over the conductors baton while Ian was away. Not only did Andy do a sterling job and conduct a very good concert but his jokes were better than Ians.
Our thanks to all the guests who have helped out throughout the summer.
When the Conductor is away, the trombones will play !
Trombone players are difficult to control at the best of times and ours will take any opportunity to stand up and show off, so when an unsuspecting guest conductor naively agrees to a Trombone solo he had better have hits wits about him.
Playing “The Acrobat”, a piece for which he is notorious for wandering into the audience and giving an unlucky few some “special” attention, Colin Batt gave another virtuoso performance much to the amusement of the band and on-lookers.
Well done Andy for keeping up with him !