On Saturday 21st April, Otterbourne Brass performed a concert at St Andrew’s Church, Eastleigh to an appreciative audience with a varied programme to suit all tastes both young and old. The band was conducted and compered for the first time by Gareth Pritchard.

Starting in traditional fashion with the march “The Black Knight”, followed by the classic overture “L’Italian’A in Algeri”. The featured solos on the night were “Shepherds Song” beautifully played by the band’s principal cornet Hugh Cameron and “Over the Rainbow” lyrically played by the band’s Solo Horn, Helen Davis, who was later joined by the rest of her section to perform “The Elvira Madigan Theme from Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21”.

The second half solo was Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust”. This was given a super rendition by Neil Brownless, who was playing his first solo with the band.

The Concert concluded with the 3rd movement of “Cross Patonce”, the piece which the band played at Torquay recently, earning them a place at the National finals in Cheltenham in September.