National champions Foden's Band team up with Derbyshire Singers for concert

The concert, featuring Foden’s Band, the National Brass Band Champion of Great Britain, will perform at St Anselm’s School on Saturday, June 11, at 7.30pm.

Roger Jepson, managing director of the Matlock-based Jepson Funerals will appear as guest conductor alongside the band’s musical director Michael Fowles to celebrate Roger’s 40 years of service to the family firm.

Jepsons Funerals are sponsoring the concert. Roger said: “The concert should have taken place two years ago. But due to the pandemic, we have had to wait until now. You are guaranteed a fantastic night of music.”

Roger trained at the Royal Academy of Music and has previously conducted Darley Dale Band, Matlock Band, Rhodian Brass and Thoresby Colliery Band in joint concerts with The Derbyshire Singers, the county’s leading choral group.

The choir will open the concert with Handel’s gloriously majestic Zadok the Priest followed by Hubert Parry’s resplendent choral work, I Was Glad. Daniel King Smith, who has been broadcast both on BBC TV and radio, as well as giving concerts and recitals all over the world, will be the accompanist.

Lynne Clark, principal conductor of The Derbyshire Singers, said: “The programme reflects the excitement of the whole country as we celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.”

Choruses from Carl Orff’s empathic cantata, Carmina Burana, as well as lighter works by Billy Joel, Vaughan Williams and George Gershwin will also be performed by the choir.

The concert starts at 7.30pm and the ticket price includes a programme and glass of fizz or fruit juice. Tickets are £15 each with no charge in full-time education. Tickets can be booked online at www.derbyshiresingers.org

Now in its 48th season, the choir is composed of 80 to 90 singers and performs at least three concerts and a ‘Christmas Cracker’ every season.

Many of the national and international professional orchestral players groups and soloists employed by the choir have become well-known names. These include baritone Christopher Maltman, soprano Geraldine McGreevy, trumpeter Crispian Steel-Perkins, the ensemble His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts, guitarist Craig Ogden and mezzo-soprano Catherine Wyn-Rogers, a former member of the choir who won a singing scholarship to The Royal College of Music.