News - July 2007
Foresters Brass 2000 has had a busy few months of summer concerts, proudly spreading the Foresters name to audiences around the country, The highlight from the players point of view was performing for the High Chief Ranger Mike Baker at Uppingham Theatre, in June. While the auditorium wasn't exactly packed to the rafters on this occassion, the enthusiastic audience thoroughly enjoyed a programme of well kown hits from stage and screen culminating in a Last Night of the Proms finale. The band is often asked by event organisers for this type of musical theme and our musical director Pete Collins always manages to find new pieces to keep the programme unpredictable and exciting for the players and audiences alike. In Uppingham Pete agreed to play a couple of solo numbers too which, as ever, went down exctremely well. He was given a spontaneous round of applause when the compere, Denny Orton, told the audience that Pete has set up a scheme in Rutland to make sure every primary school pupil in the county is offered a term of free brass tuition - a star of the present making sure any stars of the future don't slip through the net! Interstingly the compere has been a supporter of the band for many years and it was in fact Denny who, as a young Forester, spotted an appeal from a brass band in Leicester which had just lost its sponsor and suggested the Foresters should have their own band. More than fifty years on, it's great to still count on the support of friends like Denny and indeed High Chief Ranger Mike Baker who's charity we were raising funds for on this occassion.
As well as working closely with some of our longest standing friends at the Uppingham concert, the band was delighted to introduced a new friend: Opera singer Carrie Salmon brought an incredible presence to the evening, singing some beautiful solos accompanied by the band and helping the audience along in the Last Night of the Proms finale! Carrie has worked in some of Europe's finest opera houses and I'm sure we can all look forward to some exciting future collaborations with her.
Of course as a band, it's not all just rehearsals and performances, we do like to socialise occassionally too! And with a rare break in the weather (what is that large, warm yellow thing in the sky?!), a group of us pitched tents and enjoyed a summer barbeque. We're never totally off duty though and the weekend, dubbed 'bandcamp' included an improtu mini concert for our supporters, and the unsuspecting neighbours of the players who'd kindly volunteered their back garden for the event!
We're always delighted when a Foresters Court enquires about booking the band for a concert, and we always urge event organisers to book early to avoid disappointment. The team at Kings Lynn though has broken all records, asking the band to play in the town in April 2009... there really is nothing like a bit of first rate forward planning!
Bro. Dan Baker