The Black Dyke Band, Cory Band & Grimethorpe Colliery band are recognised as three of the leading bands in the world at the moment and on Sunday 14 September they treated a packed Symphony Hall to a wonderful afternoon of brass at its best.

Interestingly all three bands featured their principal euphonium players and all three soloists had a tremendous impact on the audience.

Grimethorpe band kicked off the afternoon with real class featuring some beautiful lyrical playing in Percy Grainger'92s setting of Londonderry Air. However, it wasn'92t long before Michael Dodds took his position in front of the band to perform the traditional air with variations Rule Britannia. Performing one of Hartman'92s most popular solos, Michael'92s performance was described by the British Bandsman magazine as '93effortless'94 and with such a talent on display it is not surprising it found favour with the audience and critics alike.

Next up was the Cory Band who featured their star euphonium soloist David Childs in Paul Lovatt-Cooper'92s '91Neath Dublin Skies. Commissioned for David'92s latest CD release; '91Celtic Charm'92, David'92s performance brought a great ovation from the appreciative audience which on this occasion included the composer. The British Bandsman magazine wrote , '93The second euphonium soloist of the afternoon, David Childs, played Paul Lovatt-Cooper'92s Neath Dublin Skies, which gave him the opportunity to demonstrate not only his justly-famous lyrical tone, but also his extraordinarily clear articulation in the Irish jig passages.'94

Completing the euphonium trilogy was Black Dyke'92s principal euphonium, David Thornton who gave a superb account of himself in Simone Mantia'92s '91Fantasie Originale'92. '93Executed with great aplomb'94 David put his own stamp on this important virtuosic piece of euphonium repertoire.


Davids Thornton & Childs in full band uniform

After all three bands had given their own mini-concerts it was time for Black Dyke and Cory to join together for a massed band which saw both David Childs and David Thornton in the same section. Performing various items under the direction of both Nicholas Childs and Robert Childs, the two famous bands concluded their official programme with Robert Childs'92 arrangement of Tchaikovsky'92s Marche Slav, the climax of which fairly raised the roof. However, the bands had one more item in store '96 Sir Arthur Sullivan'92s The Lost Chord, which sounding especially sonorous with the combined bands sent the audience away with a feeling of peace and satisfaction after a very successful event.