Picnic In The Park At Mount Stewart

Ballyduff Silver band had the pleasure of playing to a large audience at Mount Stewart Gardens (Co Down) on Sunday 15th June.

The car parks at the National Trust venue on the Ards peninsula were already well filled by the time the band arrived. People, obviously out for the day, were well prepared with their flasks and picnic hampers and soon the lawn was full with hundreds of people.

The band certainly rose to the occasion, giving a fine performance which started at 3pm and ended at 5.15pm, with a short twenty minute break in the middle.  The repertoire covered all aspects of music, from pop to classical music, jazz, marches and film themes.

Needless to say no piece was repeated as the band currently has some 45 pieces in their summer programme folder. This is added to as the summer season continues.

As always the band’s conductor, William Hill, was in fine vocal form, providing the audience with an insight into the music the band had prepared for the afternoon. This was much appreciated, as a number of people commented on the fact that they had heard other bands at the same venue, and although they had enjoyed hearing these bands play, some of the music wasn’t familiar and it would have been nice to have some background to the pieces.

The band is indebted to Robert Wilson and Richard Little, from the Murley band in Co Tyrone, who made the long journey to help the band “fill the gaps”. Richard was a member of the band many years ago when he was still a “cub”, and is able to recall with affection trips to the Isle of Man and other such “expeditions”. Morris Cameron from 1st Old Boys, was also there to assist in the front row, being more or less an honorary member of the band anyway!!!

This week sees a lighter schedule with a performance at Abbots’ Cross on Saturday afternoon, followed by a return to Loughshore Jordanstown on Wednesday 25th and then the journey to the “Centre of the Known World”, Ballymoney, on Saturday 28th.

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