(Report by Russell)
A long day - the summer solstice, and
a big day - a long-in-the-planning nationwide initiative to get as many school
children as possible playing an instrument, singing in a choir or in some other
way participating in making music. Durham Music Service embraced the idea to
the extent that across County Durham and Darlington no fewer than, wait for it...17,500
kids took part!
Darlington Market Square basked in
welcome sunshine as several ensembles performed to an appreciative shirt sleeve
order audience. Two sets caught the eye (ear) from BSH's point of view. County
Durham Youth Big Band conducted by Shaune Eland presented a short closing
programme at the end of a long day.
From Mais Que Nada to Inside
Out to the now familiar commissioned piece by Matt Roberts titled Steam
Punk (that's the one with the train whistle effects!), the stars of
tomorrow did themselves proud. Several members of the band will be well aware
of local lad, trumpeter Matt Roberts and his rise to fame living and working in
London. Perhaps one day some of them will follow in his footsteps.
Earlier, Durham Music Service's
junior jazz ensemble - the Little Big Band (including no fewer than twenty
reeds!) - was put through its paces presenting a balanced set of pop and rock
numbers alongside a jazz standard or two. Stevie Wonder's Living for
the City, Chicago's 25 or 6 to 4 (a challenging piece, the
boys and girls of the orchestra certainly impressed the early evening crowd)
and, one for the jazz fans, Just Friends.
BSH readers know only too well that
some of the young - and not so young! - musicians working across the region and
beyond honed their skills at music colleges and conservatoires but the
preparatory work begins at school and today's Make Music Day demonstrated that
despite the damaging effects of austerity measures dedicated teachers can, and
do, make a difference.
Russell
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