Children and adults enjoyed a spellbinding concert given by low brass stars – Katrina Marzella and Les Neish, at Alderley Edge Methodist Church on July 10th. The concert was held to raise funds for Brass Band Aid, and also as a farewell to local girl and promising euphonium player, Mimi Nicholson, before she takes up a place at Chetham’s School of Music in September.
The audience were treated to numerous solos from Katrina and Les, which included original compositions and arrangements for baritone and tuba. The first half of the concert also saw Mimi take to the stage and perform a mature performance of Curnow’s Rhapsody for Euphonium, which was well received by the capacity audience. All soloists were accompanied on the piano by Malcolm Forbes Peckham, who played with panache and great understanding of the music.
The second half saw Katrina and Les joined by Matthew White, brass finalist in this year’s BBC Young Musician of the Year, and Chris Doran, principal Eb tuba of the Leyland Band. They performed original compositions and arrangements for tuba quartet, including a stunning performance of J.S. Bach’s Contrapunctus IX. For the finale the quartet were joined by Mimi to play Sousa’s Stars and Stripes to bring the concert to a highly successful conclusion.
The concert raised over £300 for Brass Band Aid; BBA Trustee Katrina was ‘delighted that the concert raised much needed funds for the charity and hopes this concert becomes an annual event’
