New musical director for Aldbourne Band

David Johnson is hoping to lead the Aldbourne Band back into the Championship Section this year

THE ALDBOURNE Band has great expectations for the coming year after the arrival of David Johnson as its new musical director.

Mr Johnson, who was born and raised in Cornwall, is a skilled euphonium player and he has had a successful brass band career as a player and conductor, travelling to many countries as part of his career, including the USA, Canada, Russia, Ethiopia, Japan and Australia.

He has taken his previous band, Verwood Concert Brass, from the Fourth to the First Section in four years and he is now hoping to lead the Aldbourne Band back into the Championship Section this year, with work already underway with the West of England test piece.

An overture called ‘Le Carnival Romain', written by Berlioz, will be played in Torquay in March, with the band competing against other First Section bands and the top two qualifying for the National First Section Finals at Harrogate in September.

A win there would guarantee promotion back to the Championship Section and the band has also been aided by the arrival of two new players from Jaguar Band.

Meanwhile, the band will perform ‘Le Carnival Romain' for the first time publicly at its 48th annual concert at Immanuel Church in Swindon on Saturday, which also features special guests, the Ramsbury-based Bella Voce Choir.

Tickets are priced at £7 on the door and the concert starts at 7pm.