Heroes Concert Supports Poppy Appeal

The United Reformed Church was again the venue for Michelmersh Silver Band’s third annual Remembrance Day concert in support of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. The large audience included Sandra Gidley, MP; the Deputy Mayor of Test Valley, Councillor Chris Lyn; and the Mayor and Mayoress of Romsey, Councillor and Mrs John Ray.

The tone of the concert was set from the start by the reading of From a Soldier to the People, a poem written by a serving soldier in Afghanistan earlier this year, to herald the band’s first piece, Summon the Heroes by John Williams. With the theme of ‘heroes’ being set, the first half of the concert featured old favourites including Gershwin’s Someone to Watch Over Me, The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company ‘B’, and a sing-along feature of wartime favourites for the audience to join in with. Alongside these, more contemporary numbers were played in recognition of the current involvement in Afghanistan - including You Raise Me Up, the inspirational song made famous by boy band Westlife which was particularly well received by the audience.

The second half of the concert began with the Standards of the Royal British Legion and the Army Air Corps being paraded in to the strains of the Royal British Legion March as the mood was changed in preparation for the Act of Remembrance. A poignant rendition of Bring Him Home from the musical Les Miserables by soprano cornet player Matt Chiverton began a tribute to the troops in Helmand Province. This was continued in a moving feature in which the band played an arrangement of I Vow to Thee My Country as Sunset Vigil, a poem written in Helmand Province by Staff Sergeant Andy McFarlane as he heard of the loss of his eighth comrade in 24 hours, was read by Mat Robinson. Heroes of the two World Wars were not forgotten as Highland Laddie, the regimental march of the Canadian Cape Breton Highlanders, stationed in the MIchelmersh area in 1943, and the soldier’s favourite Nightfall in Camp were played before the singing of the hymn Eternal Father Strong to Save.

Compere James Montgomery read the Act of Remembrance with the observation of the two minutes silence being punctuated by the playing of Last Post and Reveille by cornet player Michael Topp. The Reverend Terry Hinks led the audience in a short prayer before the concert was completed by the playing of the National Anthem and a reprise of the Royal British Legion March as the standards were marched out.

It is hoped that the concert has raised approximately £1000 to be divided between band funds and the RBL Poppy Appeal 2009.