Visit to Cornwall by THE CORPS OF ARMY MUSIC

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Bands from The Army Corps of Music marched into Cornwall last weekend to entertain the public and coach the County?s young musician in a groundbreaking initiative, following an invitation by The Cornwall Youth Brass Band who organised the occasion. The visit started on Friday 27th February when the Band of The Royal Signals gave Master Classes for forty young brass, wind and percussion players at Penryn College in conjunction with the Cornwall Music Service. This was followed by an evening public Concert conducted by Warrant Officer 1 Bandmaster Colin Hales, who also led the Band in two marching displays and Concerts before a large and appreciative audience on the Piazza in Truro the following morning.

On Saturday evening it was the turn of The British Army Brass Band to give a Concert before a packed Hall for Cornwall in Truro. The Band, which is made up of thirty five brass musicians chosen from the twenty two Army Regimental Bands, was formed as a showcase for the exceptional talents within the Corps of Army Music and did not disappoint. The Concert included arrangements and pieces by their two conductors, Captain David Barringer and Warrant Officer 1 Bandmaster Chris King. The varied items included a Flugel Solo, Ave Maria, by Cornish musician Lance Corporal Gareth Lancaster, who is a member of The Band of The Coldstream Guards.

Gareth is also a former member of The Cornwall Youth Brass Band whose sixty five young musicians joined The British Army Brass Band for a spectacular Finale to the Concert. The first of their three joint pieces, Dragons Rise by Matthew Hall, was conducted in the presence of the Composer by Brian Minear, the Music Co-ordinator of The Cornwall Youth Brass Band. The visit ended on Sunday morning when the members of The British Army Brass Band joined the monthly rehearsal of The Cornwall Youth Brass Band, coaching the young musicians on their respective instruments and sitting in with them on a joint rehearsal taken by Captain Barringer. All in all this was a memorable weekend for the young Cornish musicians involved and for the many admirers of military and brass music in Cornwall.