Roses in the rain

Posted on 1 May 2010

The Roses Competition takes place between Lancaster and York Universities every year, and is usually focused around sporting activities. This year it was Lancaster’s turn to host the event and there was a new musical addition to the proceedings. The Lancaster University and York University Bands joined together, in a spirit of co-operation and friendship never before seen at Roses, to form a massed band.

Following a social the night before, the bands took to the sports fields to play famous sporting tunes: Match of the Day and Gonna Fly Now from Rocky. This was followed by a concert, again on the field, but thankfully in The Hub (the Marquis which was the nerve centre of the Roses operation), which provided excellent cover from a torrential downpour as the weather took a turn for the worse.

The concert was conducted by Lancaster’s Conductors, Laura Hounsome and Mike Turner. It featured solos from Charlotte Critchley (of Lancaster) on Cornet and vocalist Rachel Jayne Wyllie (of York) who gave a rousing rendition of Rule Britannia. Graeme Osborn (of York) also performed two solos, Big Spender on Cornet, as well as blasting out the Flugal solo in Soul Bossa Nova, on Trumpet. There was also the Trombone feature I Will Follow Him which, it is safe to say, has established itself as a band favourite (or at least Trombone section favourite). The concert featured some staple pieces of Brass Band repertoire such as Floral Dance, and some better known music, which included the Best of Bond.

Chris Osborn, Principal Bass of the ULMS Brass Band, whose brother was the aforementioned cornet and trumpet player at York, was responsible for organising the event. He said, “It was a great chance to meet and socialise with other university brass banders and play a really enjoyable programme to an enthusiastic audience”.