Newstead Aid Children as St. Magnus meets St. Wilfrid.

A Newstead Brass concert of sacred and secular music at Kirkby in Ashfield’s St. Wilfrid’s Church has raised almost £300 for the vital work of the Children’s Society providing support to vulnerable and disadvantaged children throughout the UK.

The concert began with a Salvation Army march ‘Jubilee’ and continued with a selection of solos and well known tunes from the band including ‘Lady Madonna’ and ‘Devil’s Dream Galop’,  The programme featured the challenging setting of ‘St. Magnus’ by Salvationist Kenneth Downie, a  13 minute work of ‘Theme in Variations’ on the hymn tune best known as ‘O Sacred Head Sore Wounded’.

Despite the challenging nature of the piece it was very much enjoyed by the audience.  A retiring collection raised £290 for the work of the Children’s Society. 

The concert was the band’s final performance before taking part in the Midland’s Regional Championships at Bedworth on Sunday 9th March.  Another fine performance of ‘St Magnus’ by Newstead brass’ did not impress the adjudicators quite as much as it had the Kirkby audience the previous evening.  Contest Adjudicators Brett Baker and David Horsfield placed Newstead 6th of the 11 competing bands. The top two places went to pre-contest favourites the Virtuosi GUS and Desford Colliery bands.

Children to Benefit from Newstead’s Saintly Gesture

Some of the United Kingdom’s most deprived and vulnerable children are set to benefit as Newstead Brass give a free concert in Kirkby-in-Ashfield this Saturday evening, March 8th. 

The concert, called ‘Saintly Brass’ will include around an hour of the finest in brass band music, including Salvationist Composer Kenneth Downie’s challenging ‘St. Magnus’, the test-piece for this year’s midlands brass band championships.  The programme will also include marches, solos and show tunes.  Newstead Brass will be conducted by their Musical Director Duncan Beckley.  

The event takes place at St. Wilfrid’s Church in Kirkby in Ashfield, near the ‘Kirkby Cross’ and begins at 7.30 pm.  Admission is FREE but there will be refreshments and a collection with all proceeds going to support the work of the Church of England Children’s Society.

A Newstead band spokesperson said, “Newstead Brass play regularly at St. Wilfrid’s as part of their Christmas Carol services.  It’s great to be able to return for this short concert and support the vital work of the Children’s’ Society.”