Review of the Joint Concert with Hebden Bridge Junior Band and Friendly Band (Sowerby Bridge) in Memory of, and to Celebrate the Life of, Richard Brook

  On Sunday 30th April, 7.30 pm at Hebden Bridge Picture House, Hebden Bridge Junior and Friendly Bands came together to give a unique concert in celebration of the life of Richard Brook. “Brookie”, for many years a valued and popular member of both bands, died of a rare form of cancer on New Year’s Day at the age of 23.  

Compère Edward Crombie welcomed the audience of over 400 which included Richard’s parents, Harry and Elizabeth Brook, and his fiancée Keri Turner. Also present were Sir Donald and Lady Thompson, Mayor and Mayoress of Calderdale, Cllr Peter Coles and Mrs Coles, and Hebden Royd Mayor and Mayoress CllrTed Parkinson and Cath Kaye. Many others present were former fellow Band members, parents and friends of Richard’s from Halifax Rugby Union Football Club.

After the National Anthem, Brian Haydn Robinson, Musical Director of Hebden Bridge Junior Band led his young musicians straight into “Come Follow the Band / Swing March”. Following a booming bass introduction by Joel Turner, the spotlight fell centre stage on percussionists Edward Dixon and Nick Moors. This particular piece revived special memories for those who had known Brookie. In November 1993, the Junior Band had taken the part of Horace Vandergelder’s marching band in the Halifax Light Opera production of “Hello Dolly”. Every night, Richard had led the Band down through the auditorium, up steps and across the orchestra pit to the stage by means of a perilously narrow gangplank. All the while he had kept the beat on his side drum and skilfully choreographed the Band’s timing to coincide with that of the resident theatre orchestra.

That was during Brookie’s second period in Junior Band. He had originally joined as a very enthusiastic cornet player in 1989 when he was 13. The next three years saw him also develop as an accomplished percussionist travelling with Junior Band on their French and Danish tours. In 1992, he left Junior Band for the Royal Marine’s School of Music.

When he left the Marines a year later, Brookie rejoined Junior Band, finally leaving on his 19th birthday in January 1995. Seeming equally at ease with solo cornet or percussion, he travelled with Junior Band to Euro Disney.

Richard’s involvement with Band did not stop when he left. He was always happy to step in and help when needed and in addition to his drumming and cornet-playing skills, he became a popular and much-respected deputy conductor.

When Brookie accompanied Junior Band on its 1998 Norwegian Tour as deputy conductor he made a whole new set of friends from the youngest new players to parents and grandparents. His reliability, cheerfulness and sense of fun added greatly to everyone’s enjoyment of the tour.

It was shortly after conducting the band at Shelf Gala last year, he became aware of his illness, and although he received treatment, did not respond and deteriorated rapidly.

The programme continued with Hebden Bridge Junior Band’s lively rendition of Rimmer’s arrangement of Verdi’s “Nabucco” overture. This was followed by “Eternal Flame” and two movements of Holst’s beautiful Second Suite in F major. The Junior Band then joined the audience as Friendly Band moved forward to perform their section of the concert.

Edward Crombie introduced Friendly’s Musical Director, Graham Hooper who moved straight into Edward Gregson’s “Prelude for an Occasion”. This was followed by “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, Darrol Barry’s arrangement of the wonderful  “The Wind Beneath My Wings” and the all-time classic “Cherry Pink”. Friendly completed their section with Mussorgsksy’s exciting “The Great Gate of Kiev”. This gave Junior Band’s George Day, on loan to Friendly for the occasion, the opportunity to display his percussive skills and tackle Friendly’s impressively huge Chinese gong. This not only filled the hall with resonant booms but created hypnotic and sparkling reflections so appropriate to such a stirring piece of music.

After the interval, the raffle was drawn and 18 prizes distributed. This raised a total of £250. Along with all other proceeds from the concert, this is to be donated to Calderdale Macmillan Appeal and The Friends of the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Unit at Leeds General Infirmary. One in three people will develop cancer at some time in their life. Macmillan’s work to help people living with cancer relies on the support of individuals, companies, groups, organisations and schools to fund new and existing services.

Richard underwent treatment at Leeds General Infirmary. The Calderdale Macmillan Appeal aims to supply similar, and enhanced, resources locally and is establishing a purpose built Cancer Care Unit on the ground floor of the new Halifax General Hospital. Cancer sufferers in Calderdale already have five Macmillan nurses to support their families and themselves in all stages of their illness, but most still need to travel to Leeds or other centres for treatment adding to their stress at an already difficult time. The Calderdale Macmillan Appeal is attempting to raise £800,000 to provide our local unit. It will house cancer specialists including a Palliative Care Consultant, and nurses specialising in breast cancer, colo-rectal cancers, haematology and lymphodema. The unit will offer support, advice, information and counselling for both patients and families. In addition, their education service to other health professionals will help to raise standards of cancer care generally. The proposed day care unit for patients needing chemotherapy and other forms of treatment or palliative care will provide a service which can not at present be offered locally. 

During the interval, Phoebe Hallgarth and Kathryn Siddal presented bouquets to Mrs Brook and Keri Turner.

After the raffle, the performance area had been enlarged to accommodate a total of 70 musicians. Hebden Bridge Junior and Friendly Bands were joined by other friends of Richard’s. These were Ian Coleman, Musical Director of Hebden Bridge (Walkley’s) Brass Band and two of his players.

Brian Robinson conducted this impressive ensemble in Ron Goodwin’s “Aces High”. He followed this with the Vangelis’s film theme from “1492; Columbus”, “Conquest of Paradise” which gave George Day another splendid chance to thump that gong. How Richard would have relished it!

The next piece played by the combined bands was Van McCoy’s “The Hustle”; something played many times by Brookie himself as solo cornet. Brian Robinson was then joined on stage by Friendly’s principal cornet, Glyn Yardley, and under the baton of Graham Hooper we were treated to a virtuoso “Peel Gallop” post horn duet. At this point, Graham announced the departure of Glyn Yardley for the Marsden Band and a presentation was made in recognition of his services to the Band.

Graham Hooper conducted the joint bands in their final two pieces, “All Through the Night” and Derek Broadbent’s arrangement of “Music”. The house called for an encore, which of course they got, in the form of Ray Farr’s lovely arrangement of Barry Manilow’s “One Voice”.  

The proceeds of the concert are yet to be finally calculated. This includes admission, programme sales and an exit collection and donations in addition to the raffle. However, it is estimated that the sum of £1,200 will be donated jointly to the charities of the Calderdale Macmillan Appeal and The Friends of the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Unit at Leeds General Infirmary.

© Dai Hallgarth                                                                1 May 2000

Up ] CHRISTMAS CONCERT ] 30th Birthday party! ] Tours ] CD Launch ] [ Joint Concert For Richard Brook ]