A terrific Trinity Concert Band performed their much-loved Christmas concert to large numbers at Reading Minster.
Four o’clock seemed an appropriate time for a Christmas concert and mulled wine as a large audience assembled at the historic Reading Minster for this enjoyable family occasion. A snug buzz was in the air as everyone settled in for a festive set of holiday tunes.
First Half
The award-winning band opened the concert with Santa’s Journey, a film-score-style composition by Roy W. Kaighin, followed by a medley of tunes from John Williams’ magical score from Home Alone. Next came music from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet, which contains some of the most enchanting storytelling music ever composed. TCB’s conductor of 10 years, Paul Speed, chose Jim Curnow’s arrangement of the suite for wind band – a superb symphonic treatment of the best-known movements from the ballet. Not only does Jim Curnow capture the spirit of the orchestral version, but he has transformed the work into a setting that lets the modern concert band sound its best. Morten Lauridsen’s Sure on this Shining Night was wonderfully atmospheric as the church lights were turned off, leaving the 50-strong band performing with nothing more than the stand lights above their music. A festive first half concluded with a musical performance of The Night Before Christmas, with TCB trumpeter, George Huxford, narrating the well-loved poem. At the same time, the band provided a wonderfully cinematic accompaniment.
Interval
Jade from The Table gf provided some fantastic gluten-free cakes for the interval. These went down a treat with the audience and band members alike! Jade has very kindly donated 10% of her takings to TCB’s chosen charity for 2023, Thrive. Reading-based Thrive use gardening to bring about positive changes in the lives of people living with disabilities or ill health, or who are isolated, disadvantaged or vulnerable.
Second Half
Highlights of the second half of the Christmas concert were a further two festive Hollywood favourites, Miracle on 34th Street and The Polar Express, which received as much enthusiastic applause from the adults as it did from the children! As the end of the concert approached, TCB’s members donned their finest and funniest Christmas hats for an exhilarating performance of Sleigh Ride (well, it wouldn’t be Christmas without it!).
Paul led the band through this ambitious and varied programme of music with consummate ease. The audience were all sent cheerfully on their way with Leroy Anderson’s full-on festive medley, A Christmas Festival – an excellent conclusion to a wonderful Christmas concert!
Newcomers’ Scheme
Proving as popular as ever, TCB’s Newcomers’ Scheme has encouraged a new audience to experience what the Reading-based band has to offer. All of the newcomers surveyed at the end of the evening said they would be both likely to return to future concerts and would recommend the scheme to their friends and family. One newcomer said, “I went to the Trinity Band Christmas concert on 10th December at Reading Minster. It was thoroughly enjoyable. The band are very talented, and we really enjoyed the well-known Christmas music as well as lesser-known pieces. I would definitely go again!”
Huge Sum Donated to Thrive
Profits from the raffle, cakes and donations bucket totalled £291, all of which will be donated to Thrive.
Trinity Concert Band will return to Reading and Wokingham in 2023, starting with their ‘flight’ themed concert in the spring. More details will be published on our website in due course.
Notes to Editors
ABOUT TRINITY CONCERT BAND
Founded in 2001, the award-winning Trinity Concert Band is a non-professional community wind band based in Earley, Berkshire. Its name comes from its home and rehearsal venue, Trinity Church. Michael Steele formed the band to enable musicians of all ages to pursue their passion for making music and share the joy of live music with the local community.
TCB’s 45 members range in ability, from talented amateurs to professional musicians. The high quality of their concerts is a testament to their enthusiasm and dedication.
We have also formed several smaller ensembles that perform at locally organised events and private functions.
Being a full symphonic wind band, Trinity Concert Band can play music from a wide variety of genres. Our repertoire includes:
- Classical transcriptions.
- Original concert band compositions.
- Music from stage and screen.
- Light popular music.
This broad spectrum of styles provides enormous scope for producing the rich and varied programmes our audiences love so much.
We perform up to five formal concerts a year throughout Reading and Wokingham. Recent venues include:
- Reading University Great Hall
- Leighton Park School, Reading
- All Saints Church, Wokingham
- Reading Minster
Of course, summer provides the opportunity to present free concerts at bandstands across the area.
In recent years the band has attended the National Concert Band Festival. During this day-long music festival, judges grade each band on their performance. We have received several Gold Awards and three Platinum Awards. In April 2018, the band travelled to Manchester to participate in the national finals. They were thrilled to be only one of two community bands to receive the coveted Platinum Award.
Our annual workshops aim to challenge the band with unfamiliar music under the direction of a guest conductor. At the end of a long day of rehearsing (and eating cake!), we perform everything we’ve worked on to the public in a free mini-concert.
ABOUT PAUL SPEED – MUSIC DIRECTOR
Paul started playing the trumpet aged ten and went on to get a degree in Music from Goldsmiths University. He is now a highly-respected music teacher at various schools. These include Wellington College, St Swithun’s School, Pangbourne College, the Royal Grammar School and The Abbey School.
Paul has played for many orchestras as a freelance trumpeter, including the Hong Kong Philharmonic, London Concert Orchestra, New London Sinfonia, and the Philharmonie der Nationen in Germany. He recently played live on radio with the Italian chamber orchestra Musica Saeculorum, performing on period instruments. Paul currently plays with the Chiltern Brass Quintet and the Brazilian ensemble, Polcas e Boas.
Paul started conducting at college, helping with various chamber ensembles. He also took wind and brass sectionals for the University of London Orchestra and the University of Exeter Orchestra. Not only is he the musical director for Trinity Concert Band, but also a brass band, an additional wind band and the annually formed Big & Brassy event. Paul is also co-conductor of the Brass for Africa Brass Band.
Locally-based charity Brass for Africa is a cause close to Paul’s heart. He is proud to have helped develop and deliver a teacher training programme for orphanages in the slums of Uganda and Liberia. His time in both countries is something that will stay with him forever.
WHAT IS A WIND BAND?
Wind bands (also known as concert bands) are made up of various instruments and are evolved from military bands. The woodwind section comprises flutes, oboes, clarinets, saxophones, bassoons, etc. The brass section includes trumpets, french horns, trombones, tubas, etc. Finally, the percussion section utilises drums, xylophones, etc. You can think of them either as an orchestra without strings or a brass band with woodwind! This range of instrumentation allows access to a wide range of musical repertoire, from pop to classical, swing to folk, film and show music, and original compositions in different styles.