Celebrations to mark the 400th anniversary of Berwick Bridge continue with a very special concert this Saturday, October 5, featuring ‘an amazing selection of music, fanfare, theatre and singing’, say organisers.
New pieces were written especially for the anniversary year including a fanfare by Bob Bolton, former KOSB [King’s Own Scottish Borderers] band-member and organiser of Minden Day KOSB band reunions.
‘The fanfare trumpets we are playing were designed by Col Hector Adkins, the Senior Director of Music at Kneller Hall [formerly the Royal Military School of Music],’ explains Bob Bolton. ‘He felt the original design by Ricordi and made by Orsi (which had only one valve) was unbalanced when used by the Army with the weight of the banners attached. He designed a new more balanced trumpet with three valves which were made by Boosey & Hawkes (the general supplier to the British Army) and sold between 1930 and 1999.
‘The trumpets were purchased by The King’s Own Scottish Borderers Band in the late 30’s and were in regular use until the late ’70s. After this the bands were being reduced until eventually in 1994 the band, along with all of the Scottish Regiments Bands, was disbanded.
‘The instruments and music held by the KOSB were donated to The Maltings for the use of any band in the town of Berwick Upon Tweed. The fanfare trumpets were not used from the late ’70s until 2018 when I obtained them for the Great Song of The North.
‘It took eight weeks to clean them and service them and they were played magnificently on the day.
‘For this concert I have once again given the trumpets a service, (although this time it was easier having only been five years in storage!) and as requested composed two fanfares for the concerts. The first one, a more traditional fanfare to open the concert, and the second with a more modern feel for the second half. I hope you enjoy the fanfares and the evenings entertainment.’
This will be first of two concerts with the second one in November in Tweedmouth to be advertised in due course, all honouring this Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Monument.
Presenting:
New fanfare and Theatre, Baroque Players, Berwick Concert Band, Berwick Arts choir, Gary and Sam, Golden Square Singers, Janet Yuen, The Thursdays.
All profits raised to go back into the community for greater access to music for all.
Berwick Bridge 400 Anniversary Concert.
Date: Sat, Oct 5 • 7:00 PM
Location: Wallace Green, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 1EB
Buy your tickets here
Tickets also available on the door £15