Armistice Concert strikes a chord with the audience

As part of the Armistice 100th Anniversary, the Southampton Concert Band pulled out all the stops as they treated the audience to a wide variety of musical selections on Saturday, November 10th at Southampton Town Hall.

Under the direction of conductor John Wills, the Band started off with a medley of World War II music that had the audience tapping toes and humming along and then moved into the well-known Amazing Grace and the spiritual Down in the River.

             Trevor Falk

Vocal soloist Trevor Falk performed an original piece by John Wills, The Proud Canadian Soldier, arranged by Capt. Brian Greenwood (ret.) and then ended the evening with In Flanders Fields set to music with a band arrangement by Capt. T. O’Connor (ret).

 

 

The evening also included poetry readings by Cadet sisters Teagan and Sophie Penner and Dave Wenn, who read ‘The Fool’, a father’s lament to his son who died in war.

          John Willetts applauds the Band

John Willetts, President of Southampton Legion Branch 155, said that the band is a ‘gem in the community’.

“When it comes to those who went to war, it is difficult to put a face to them,” added Willetts, “but when you look at these young cadets here tonight you realize just how young they were.”