Community Joins Nottingham Concert Band for its first Proms in the Park

27 Aug 2008

Crowds equipped with picnic blankets and sunhats poured into Bridgford Park in West Bridgford, South Nottingham, to enjoy ‘Proms in the Park’, a free, open air concert staged in July by Nottingham Concert Band (Robert Parker).

Basking in the warmth of a perfect summer evening, an audience of over 500 people enjoyed a programme of rousing Proms-night favourites and British-themed light classics. Special guests for the evening were the Radcliffe-based Bridge Singers, led by Lynne Holland, and the evening was supported by acoustic jazz quartet The Dixie Dudes.

The concert opened with an arrangement of selected Bond film themes arranged by Johan de Meij, The first half continued with Greenwood"s The Acrobat, a trombone solo performed by Hannah Peters, which was followed by Arthur Wood’s overture to The Arcadians.

The second half of the programme continued the traditional Proms-style theme, following Alford’s Colonel Bogey with Elgar’s Nimrod and Neville’s selection of Sea Shanties. The choir and band joined together in the final set for Rule Britannia, Jerusalem and Land of Hope & Glory.

The Rushcliffe ‘Proms in the Park’ was the first event of its type to be organised by the Community Arts & Events team at Rushcliffe Borough Council, but the evening proved such a success that it is expected to become a regular fixture in the community calendar.