An excellent evening was had by all who attended the band’s 30th Anniversary Concert which was held on Saturday 22nd October in St Margaret’s Academy, Livingston.
During the first half of the evening, the current West Lothian Schools Brass Band entertained us with a selection of favourites including Star Wars, The West Lothian (Celtic Spirit), Sun (featuring a guest solo performance by Katrina Marzella) and Victory - Cry of the Celts.
After the interval, we were treated to a performance from a band consisting of past members of the band. They began with I’ll be there for you (the Friend’s theme) and followed this with a wide variety of pieces including Scots Wha Hae, Australian Connection and Excerpts from West Side Story - and all performed after only a couple of hours rehearsal in the afternoon. They finished in tremendous form with the 1812 Overture, in which they were joined by the current band to produce a final climax which must have been heard in Edinburgh!
It was a tremendous evening of celebration for the band and for Nigel Boddice, who conducted both bands. The normally unflappable Nigel almost managed to conceal his emotions throughout the evening, until he was presented with a surprise souvenir of his association with the band, containing a recording of the band’s first National Youth Championship winning performance dating back to 1985.
All this, and a free souvenir programme which included a CD entitled ‘Victory’, which contains highlights of the 30 years of the band - a celebration indeed! Here’s to the next 30 years!
If anyone has any good photographs of the evening, I would be glad to include them on this page - my own photographic efforts were far from successful! Please send them by e-mail to the webmaster.
To read about the band’s 30 year history in an article written by Katrina Marzella, herself an ex-WLSBB member, first published in the British Bandsman on the 15th October 2005, click on the button below.
