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FROM DANCE HALL TO CONCERT HALL
 
SPECIAL GUESTS BALLYSHANNON BRASS AND REED BAND
 
CONCERT 8.30PM FEB THE 18TH
TICKETS €10 Cons students & OAP €7

Fermanagh Concert Band is now in its eleventh year as a fully independent, self-supporting musical organisation. It has a membership of some thirty wind, reed, brass and percussion players under the musical directorship of David Baxter and has recently set up its own training and ‘feeder’ group, The Elastic Band.

Fermanagh Concert Band’s musicians are drawn from many walks of life, with an astonishing number of occupations (and ages!) represented, as well as students from several of Enniskillen’s schools. At present the band also has something of an international flavour, having welcomed musicians from Lithuania and Poland into its wind and reed sections. New members are always actively sought and most warmly integrated into the band: the website has full details.

The Elastic Band has been established with the help of a seeding grant from the Joan Trimble Award Scheme. It is what its name suggests: flexible, adaptable, able to adjust to any number of players; and is for anyone who, for whatever reason, isn’t quite ready for membership of the main band. The Elastic Band works at the same repertoire as the main band, but concentrates on the less demanding pieces. Then, but only they feel ready to make the move, its members transfer their membership over to full participation in the main band.

Fermanagh Concert Band sees itself as a resource for its local community and as such does its best to make itself available whenever it is asked to play for local promoters. It plays regularly for Fermanagh District Council and The National Trust and has given many one-off performances at a large variety of events and venues. Last year it was featured on prime-time television, playing the theme tune for ‘Match of the Day’.

In recent years the band has moved increasingly into the area of self-promoted concerts. Highlights have included a Jazz Supper Night, Twelfth Night Concerts at Castle Coole House, a Candelmas Concert in Portora Royal School, plus collaborations with Ardee Concert Band in Co. Louth and the Star of the North concert band from Minneapolis in the USA.

The band is proud and honoured that two of today’s most respected and eminent professional musicians serve as its patrons. Sir James Galway must surely be the most famous musical son of Belfast and who better than ‘the man with the golden flute’ for the wind players to look up to. John Wallace, now principal of the Royal Conservatory of Scotland, had an illustrious playing career as principal trumpet of the Philharmonia Orchestra in London and during his time as leader of the brass group The Wallace Collection collaborated with the brass players of the band on several occasions in workshops.

Mention should also be made of Fermanagh Concert Band’s sponsors. Under its ‘Musical Chairs’ scheme, many local businesses in Enniskillen have joined in partnership with the band. Their support has been a tremendous boost and has given the band security and the chance to plan ahead with confidence. All the sponsors are listed on the band’s website.

Forthcoming playing engagements include performances in the Tesco store in Enniskillen; a fund-raising charity event; a self-promoted concert featuring smaller ensembles from within the band; various ‘al fresco’ occasions during the spring and summer; and an exciting project scheduled for the Enniskillen Arts Festival next October, during which the band will work with the Dylan Quinn Dance Theatre to provide the music for a themed evening of music and dance at Enniskillen Castle. ‘Gangsters’ will be the name of the game, during which the audience (who will be encouraged to wear appropriate costume) will be able to dance along to some seriously edgy and cool big band numbers.

For full details of Fermanagh Concert Band, The Elastic Band, patrons, sponsors, members, past events, upcoming concerts, repertoire and photo gallery, check the band’s website at www.fermanaghconcertband.com. The website also has full details of how to join the band, how to engage it for a performance, how to contact it and how to join its email mailing list.

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