Christmas Concert 2019
Another great show
Sharing the programme once again with the Barberettes, Waltham Band's Christmas Concert on 15th December was a great success, with an audience of over 100 at the Loddon Hall in Twyford joining in for several seasonal favourites. The early start at 5.30 p.m. made for a family-friendly event. Both sets of performers were on very good form, as you can see and hear if you look at the YouTube videos (see link below).
The band opened with Leroy Anderson's classic Christmas Festival, featuring the first appearance of Jingle Bells. This was followed by audience participation in the Frank Bernaerts arrangement of It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas, then Infant Holy, as featured in the New Christmas Collection and another Leroy Anderson piece, Sleigh Ride. The first set by the Barberettes included Carol of the Bells and the second appearance of Jingle Bells. The band's second set included the Philip Sparke arrangement of Howard Blake's The Snowman, together with Barberettes leader Emma Lelliot singing Walking in the Air. The first half closed with Jingle Bells again, this time in the guise of Jingle Bell Rock.
The second half opened with Eric Leidzen's march Christmas Joy (including Jingle Bells quote), followed by Sandy Smith's fun piece Santaclaustrophobia. Jingle Bells contrived to get an echo in the closing bars of The Christmas Song, followed by Derek Ashmore's arrangement of none other than Jingle Bells, closing the band's first set. The Barberetttes' second-half set included the Boar's Head Carol, Winter Wonderland and Feliz Navidad, and had sections of the audience up and down to participate in The Twelve Days of Christmas. The band were awarded the prize for best section for their consistently sonorous rendering of "five gold rings".
The band's second set opened with Goff Richards's Disney Fantasy, followed by White Christmas with the audience singing along. The concert closed with everyone playing or singing We Wish You a Merry Christmas.
The evening was a great all-round success, and we look forward to our next concert, the Spring Concert on 23rd May 2020.
Click here to view the videos on the band's YouTube channel.