Loughborough Concert Band

Saturday 4th March 2017

Passion Concert, St Botolph’s Church, Shepshed.

This annual event is held to support Passion, the youth space in Shepshed that was the vision of the local Churches’ Together. This year the concert was honoured to have in the audience the Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow and his wife, the Mayor and Mayoress of Charnwood, Lord and Lady Crawshaw, the Chair of the Town Council, Claire Poole, and the local MP, Nicky Morgan. The programme for the evening included not only contributions from the Band but also choirs from different churches, so it was a full evening.

The title of the evening was The Magic of Music and the band’s programme featured film tunes and – in one notable case – a nostalgic reminder of a children’s favourite – Thunderbirds.  Superman, James Bond and The Pirates of the Caribbean made up the first part of the evening. We joined the children of St Botolph’s School and the young people from Passion in Highlights from Oliver! The second half of the evening opened with the evocative Braveheart, stirring feelings of clansmen running across the glen. We continued the Scottish theme with Highland Cathedral.

St Botolph’s Church Choir, resplendent in bright summer clothing, sang a selection of songs from Summer Holiday, with members of the band singing quietly along. The Methodist Church Choir sang songs from the 1970s and ‘80s including Bridge over Troubled Water and Morning has Broken. The Baptist Choir sang a selection from Mary Poppins, again used by the band as a discreet sing-along.

The whole evening was ended by music of Last Night of the Proms:  Fantasia on British Sea Songs, Jerusalem and Pomp and Circumstance.

The band was assisted by deps Paul Hillyer and Gary Newton and solos were performed by Kevin Massey, Paula Gardner, Wendy Miller and Zoë Felton. As always, St Botolph’s congregation proved the perfect host to the band, ensuring we were well looked after.