Concert Reviews

Into The Millenium

Royal Albert Hall, 11 April 1999

About 1200 students of music from within the County of Bedfordshire and the towns of Luton and Milton Keynes took part in a charity concert that featured four orchestras, three concert bands, a jazz orchestra, massed choirs, steel pans and a percussion ensemble.

The pre and post concert entertainment was by Grange School Steel Pans and the Combined Steel Pans of Biddenham Upper School, Bedford, Hastingsbury Upper School, Kempston and Challney Girls School in Luton.

The County Youth Orchestra opened the concert playing two pieces with a Spanish feel - Chabrier's Espana and a selection of music from The Three Cornered Hat by de Falla.

To hear the Second Band play Queen in Concert, click here.

The two charities which benefited from the evening's concert were:

The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation
British Council for the Prevention of Blindness

The Compere -
Kevin Whately

Kevin is one of British television's best known faces. His first appearance was as Fletcher in A Murder is Announced, but he is probably best known for his roles as the Geordie chippie Neville in Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Sergeant Lewis in Inspector Morse, Dr Jack Kerruish in Peak Practice, and Jimmy Griffin in The Broker's Man. His film credits include Return of the Soldier, and as Sergeant Hardy in The English Patient.

They were followed by the County Third Concert Band, who played a selection of more modern music, including James Horner's Titanic.

The County Fourth Orchestra played William Byrd's John Come Kiss me Now, which was arranged by their conductor Dafydd Billinghurst.

The County Second Orchestra played Rodgers' Carousel Waltz before accompanying the Massed Choirs, who sang a selection of songs including Time for Evermore, written especially for this concert by Ken Storry.

During the interval, BYJO entertained the audience.

The Second Concert Band opened the second half, playing among other items the very popular Queen in Concert, an arrangement of the rock band's many hits, by Jay Bocook.

They were followed by the Percussion Ensemble, a relatively new group. They impressively played John Beck's Jazz Varients.

The County Third Orchestra played a number of pieces including Chabrier's Joyeuse March.

The last group on the concert platform was the County Concert Band, who, conducted by Chris Robinson, played (among other items) Walton's Crown Imperial, before joining the massed choirs in a grand finale of Elgar's Pomp & Circumstance March No. 1 ('Land of Hope and Glory').