Monday
No lie-in this morning. Today we have a joint concert with the Central Band
of the Royal British Legion in Croydon, so an early start so I could do my kit
before catching the coach at ten o'clock. Once on the coach everyone was in
high spirits even though we have a long day ahead of us (we are not due to get
back to Portsmouth until one o'clock on Sunday morning). We arrive at the Fairfield
Hall at one thirty. The brass section quickly unload the van of instruments
and other electrical gear which is needed for the concert so the woodwind section
can set up the stage. The rehearsal with the RBL Band started at two thirty.
We had a full run through of all the music with both conductors, ex-Royal Marines
Captain Ted Wheeling and Major Best Director of Music Training at the Royal
Marines School of Music. The programme of music was varied, from In the Miller
Mood to Peter and The Wolf to Amazing Grace performed by Sgt Eddie Bean on the
bagpipes.
At half five the band were served a hearty meal of roast chicken and apple crumble
upstairs in the bar - just what we needed to keep us going.
After the meal everyone checked that their shoes and belt brasses were shiny
and that their uniforms were dust free. At half past seven it was time to go
onto the stage. We started off with a minute silence in recognition of the train
bombs which went off in Madrid on March 11 th. We started with the National
Anthem with a full fanfare team followed by a march and Festive Overture. Highlights
of the concert were Riverdance with the Royal Marines Celeidh Team starring
Carolynne Hall on Soprano sax, Georgina Dawkins on violin and Kim Long on flute;
Can't Help Loving Dat Man, performed by Gloria Wheeling, Songs of World War
2, which the audience participated in; Clarinet Candy, and Land of Hope and
Glory (there was a sea of union jacks at this point!)
After a truly successful concert we quickly got changed and cleared our kit
away, before going up to the bar to socialise with RBL Band members.
Once on the coach, most people fell asleep, apart from Scottie Burton who was
as loud as ever! We got back to the School of Music at quarter to one. Once
the van had been unloaded we could finally go to bed and I definitely wasn't
going to get up till at least lunch time!