Brass band’s oompah has online audience
Simply Brass members record their pieces individually
A brass band from Scarborough has created some unusual recordings after the conductor found a way to bring its members together during lockdown.
Members of Simply Brass, who are more commonly seen together at fetes and shows around the areaduringthesummer months, have recorded their individual pieces at home and sent them to conductor Stephen Hague for compilation.
Mr Hague said: “The idea was to help us to keep practising and keep everyone in contact with one another.
“It’s our 20th anniversary this year and we were hoping to do a big concert.
“There were only four when we first started, now there are 25 of us.
“About six of our members are key workers and haven’t been able to join in, plus there were a few others who couldn’t – not everyone lives in detached houses!”
Fortunately, several members are able to play more than one part and the end result has been impressive.
So far they have recorded Make Me a Channel of Your Peace, Death or Glory, The Locomotion and, most recently, Tequila, in which they all don Mexican garb!
Band member Clare Buchanan Avery, who plays the tenor horn, said: “It’s very strange!
“You don’t know whether you’re in tune with everyone else, and it’s quite difficult keeping in time. Luckily, we have Steve on video conducting though.
“It has been lovely seeing it all come together, and seeing and hearing all our band colleagues whilst we’re having to stay away from band.
“It’s encouraging all of us to practise too! So at least we won’t be too rusty when we finally get back to rehearsals.”
You can watch the videos on Stephen’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com