Loughborough Concert Band

Owing to the pandemic and other, more local issues, this was the first concert for Passion the band has performed at for several years. And in that time Passion has continued to work and grow. For twelve years now, Passion has been providing a safe space for Shepshed young people of 11-18 years of age. There is a home work club and a hot drink in the morning for students on their way to Hind Leys or Iveshead School and drop ins throughout the week. The concert was a financial success as well as a musical one and raised £1020.

Musically, we were joined by the Caroline Sharpe Singers, featuring our own Dave Coble and   Yvonne Renouf. The Singers’ programme included One, When I fall in love and Tell me it’s not true. They always made quite a splash with their ties and scarves, this year the colours were Day-Glo orange and a rather shocking pink. These took all the attention until they came on in their masks! And these were not the masks we all wore during lockdown, these were full on Carnivale masks and colourful operatic masks. And an elephant mask. There’s always one!

The band played a selection that started with the Luftwaffe March and maintained its marshal theme with Star Wars and Symphonic Marches. Other pieces included Highlights from the Pink Panther and Skyfall.

Sadly it was the last concert for oboe player Rachel Gordon, who will look for other outlets for her talents in Dorset. She will certainly be missed.

We had some deps in to cover absentees, Alex Ramsey on trumpet, Frances Iveson on clarinet and Steve Boyles on tuba and we are grateful to them all for their playing.

The whole evening was rounded off with a karaoke rendition of Abba tunes with Thankyou for the music taking pride of place.