Charity Concert in aid of McMillan Nurses by Milnrow Band

Milnrow Band

A charity concert at Rochdale Golf Club organised by the Newhey and Milnrow Committee for McMillan Nurses raised £1,000.

Local Champion Section Milnrow Band under conductor for the evening Mr Andrew White and led on solo cornet by Andy McDonald provided a variation of superb brass music to the obvious delight of a packed audience.

The band commenced the concert with a typical march “Gladiators Farewell” followed by “Mid all the Traffic” (a piece owing much to the traditional American song “Shenandoah”.

Items from the bands' current repertoire followed, and two of the bands prominent soloists stepped into the lime light. “Concerto de Aranjuez” featured Karina on Flugel Horn and “Concerto for Bass” was played on Ebb tuba by Mike Morris.

Several new programme items were to be given an airing in this part of the concert, namely “633 Squadron” (from the 1964 film of the same name), “Love changes everything “(from Phantom of the Opera) and “Innuendo” (a Queen favourite from the 1970s ).

After a short interval the band further impressed the crowd with its versatility and exuberance by playing several up beat items in the swing ideom.

“Light Walk” (by Salvationist Barry Gott), “Singing in the Rain”(from the film of the same name), then ”Somewhere Over the Rainbow” featured the luscious and rounded tones of the trombone in a solo played by Principal Trombonist Chris Binns .

”Bring Back that Little Leroy Brown” (a Queen number) and ”Swing when You`re Winning”(Robbie Williams) which featured a compilation of favourites. “Have you met Miss Jones”, “Mack the Knife”, “Something Stupid”, “Funny `bout things” and “Beyond the Sea”.

At this juncture the band took a second break during which the compere, ably assisted by the club Lady Captain and young Olivia Fitton, conducted the very well supported raffle, a first prize of a huge hamper (generously donated by the Co-operative) and numerous other donated prizes were well distributed throughout the audience and the Lady Captain thanked all participants and explained that someone close to her had been supported by McMillan Nurses thus the organisation was her favoured charity in her year as Lady Club Captain.

The final section of the programme took the form of Last Night at the Proms. Such favourites of the genre as “Rule Britannia”, ”Variation on British Sea Songs” and finally Elgar's “Pomp and Circumstance”, with the mandatory singing, flag waving, foot stomping and cheering, brought this very enjoyable evening to a close, except for the required curtain call item, “Radetsky March”, in which the band (to much amusement) treated a surprised audience to its own choral accompaniment.

The compere thanked the band for an excellent performance and said that owing to not now being “a supported band”, Milnrow was in need of sponsorship for its upkeep as it now relied entirely on its concert engagements for its livelihood. He urged those present to consider taking up sponsorship of the band.

The band, Newhey and Milnrow Committee and organisers whole heartedly thank the Rochdale Golf Club for use of its facilities and to everyone who gave support to this event.