Music all the way from the USA

Photo: Laura Wild

The concert started with a piece played in the audience

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Heywood Civic Centre came alive this evening (Saturday 1 May 2010) with a performance from the Wartburg Wind Band who travelled from Iowa in the United States of America.

The 59 member wind band is on a tour of Europe and, thanks to the Bamford Chapel United Reformed Church, they included a concert for Rochdale.

Church Elder Auriel Atkins said: “We have built up a great relationship with Wartburg over the years and I am so pleased that they are here again they are such a lovely group of people.”

The band are staying in the borough for two nights and are being hosted by members and friends of the Chapel.

The concert began with “Fanfare and Flourishes,” the band came out and performed on the floor in and around the audience to give a fantastic opening.

The performance also featured pieces old and new, European and American, such as “Light Cavalry Overture” by von Suppe, “America the Beautiful” by Ward, a tribute to Louis Armstrong by Hautvast, “Amazing Grace” by Himes, “Musetta’s Waltz” from “La Boheme” by Puccini, “Lyric Waltz” by Shostakovich and John Philip Sousa marches.

The ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Craig A. Hancock, associate professor of music and director of bands, will also be visiting London, Liverpool, Amsterdam, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg and Iceland.

Mr Hancock said: “I hope everyone enjoyed the introduction, which gave a very different start to the evening.

“We have come across the pond seeking to be educated and to educate. We want to learn about European culture and how people live, if that is different to us or the same as us.

“This is a fantastic group of young people and they are all playing from their hearts.”

The concert was delightful and certainly filled the civic centre with beautiful music which was applauded by the audience at every possible chance.

The group tours the United States each spring and every third year it travels abroad for a month-long series of May Term concerts. Beginning in 1973, the trips were to Europe and the group toured Japan on their last tour in 2007.