Young Maestro (age 2) Conducts the Band

A young holidaymaker took the baton at a recent concert in the band’s 2011 series of Tuesday evening concerts ‘Music by the Sea.’ To the appreciation of the large audience, he directed the band in a performance of ‘Is this the Way to Amarillo?’

Follow my beat!

Stefan, aged two and a half, was spotted earlier in the evening by members of the band, conducting in time with the music, complete with his own baton. When volunteers from the audience were invited to join Musical Director John Powell in a performance of ‘Amarillo’ on percussion instruments, Stefan needed little persuasion to come to the fore and take charge. A search for a platform for him to stand on proved fruitless. Undeterred by this, he pressed on, with support from his mum.

John Powell commented afterwards, ‘I was most impressed with my stand-in, as were members of the band and audience. He showed an excellent sense of rhythm for one so young. Who knows? Perhaps we might have seen a future ‘maestro’ in the making!’

At the end of the concert, the band said farewell to cornet player David Baldwin, a member for the past two years. During this time, he proved his versatility, having also played the double bass, acted as deputy conductor to the Musical Director and arranged several pieces for the band.

He is shortly moving to Ross-on Wye and was presented with farewell gifts and best wishes for the future. MD John Powell expressed thanks on behalf of all band members for the support David had given in so many areas. He then invited David to take the baton for the final time to conduct his own arrangement of the ‘Hamiltonian March‘.