The Fourth joint Brass Band Concert linking Pembroke Borough Silver Band and Posaunenchor Grossenritte, from Baunatal, Germany took place at Pennar Community Church Bethany on Wednesday (August 1).

The concert had been arranged as part of Bethany’s 200th anniversary celebrations, and the united bands were joined by members of the renowned Pembrokeshire based female vocal group Bella Voce under their musical director Sarah Benbow to produce a memorable evening of excellent musical entertainment.

The band was conducted and compared by Mr Alan Bourne BMus (Wales) ARCM a Pembroke Borough Silver Band ‘old boy’ and the musical director of RAF St. Athan Voluntary Band. Alan selected pieces of music which demonstrated the versatility of brass bands to give a well balanced and entertaining programme

The joint bands opened the concert with the dramatic ‘Prismatic Light’, by Scottish composer Alan Fernie, which set the tone for the rest of the evening. The band then went on to entertain the large audience playing a repertoire that appealed to all tastes with Jimmy Webb’s ‘McArthur Park’, ‘Make You Feel My Love’ – a Bob Dylan song, more recently sung by Adele, and played by Dawn Marsden on Tenor Horn. Bella Voce started their repertoire with Jerome Kern’s ‘Can’t Help Loving Dat Man’, Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley’s ‘ Pure Imagination’ from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Amanda McBroom’s ‘The Rose’, made famous by Bette Middler, which gave everyone a flavour of their range and versatility.

The band followed this with the traditional ‘Let it Shine’ and Ben Hollings’ ‘First Light’ - a beautiful cornet solo played by Cindy Hissey the principle cornet player with Pembroke Band. This was followed by Bella Voce ‘s beautiful renditions of the Civilla D. Martin and Charles H. Gabriel’s gospel hymn ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow’ and Duke Ellington’s ‘It Don’t Mean a Thing (if you ain’t got that Swing).

The bands’ next piece was Evelyn Glennie’s ‘A Little Prayer’ and to finish the first half a rousing rendition of a medley of themes by Klaus Badelt from the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ films.

After a short interval the band opened the second half with the exciting ‘ Home of Legends’ by Paul Lovatt Cooper followed by ‘Mid all the Traffic’, which is better known as ‘Shenandoah’, then to change the tone a little, a version of the jazz number, ‘ Get Happy!’

Once again Bella Voce took to the stage with Bill Wither’s ‘Lean on Me’, ‘Home’ made famous in the UK by Michael Buble and the Carpenter’s ‘Close to You’ performed in their very own individual style and much appreciated by the audience.

Next came the ‘March of the Cobblers’ featuring Mr Ronnie Noakes, the band’s oldest and longest serving member, who gave a creditable performance on the cymbals which ended with enthusiastic applause from the audience. After the Carpenter’s ‘Yesterday Once More’ and a lively performance of ‘Buglers Holiday’ featuring three cornet players, Cindy Hissey, Christian Fussling and Catrin Marsden, Bella Voce returned to the stage for their final two songs, Yazoo’s ‘Only You’ made famous by the Flying Pickets and Labi Siffre’s ‘(Something Inside) So Strong’.

To bring proceedings to a close the bands performed a firm favourite with our German guests, ‘Bandology’ by Eric Osterling and a version of Nicholas Brodsky’s ‘I’ll Walk with God’, made famous by Mario Lanza.

As well as rehearsing the guest band and their families from Germany were entertained though the week bus trips to show off our beautiful Pembrokeshire at various locations including Tenby, Stack Rocks, St Govans, Freshwater west, Milford Haven Marina, Newgale and St Davids.

They were also provided with a tradition Welsh meal of cawl bara brith and welsh cakes kindly prepared and provided by Mrs Tina Shanklin. Meals at local eating places The Helm, The Cove, Milton Brewery and The Cricketers and our friends from Germany were very impressed by the hospitality at the venues and the high standard and service of all the meals provided.

Pembroke Borough Silver Band is a self funding organisation and all of the costs of the trip were met from our band funds and band members.

Pembroke Borough band are always ready to welcome new players. Anyone requiring further information contact Phil Marsden on 01646687561.