A good crowd witnessed the annual Rotary Carol Concert - an event that has been happening for over thirty years now! The band were joined by the Boscombe Timbrels and the choir from Epiphany Church of England primary school. Although the band are old hands at this, for the choir it was their first public performance - and how well they sang for us.

The programme had something for everyone. Nine year old Alexander Francis treated us all to a lovely rendition of O Holy Night on the saxophone. As always a good sum was raised by the event - this year going to Help for Heroes - a worthy cause, and one close to everyone's thoughts this Christmas.

The fact that this item of news is about the band's annual Christmas concert at Christchurch Priory means that we have completed a full year of reporting the band's progress on this website. As always, the Priory Church was crowded for this popular event that seems to mark the start of Christmas for many people. The programme contained a variety of music linked to the season - old and new. Music of Bach, Handel and Pachelbel (albeit in relatively 'modern' arrangements for Brass Band) was alongside arrangements of 'traditional' Christmas music by the likes of Morley Calvert, Peter Graham and Richard Philips.

For me, the highlight had to be Len Ballantine's arrangement of Morten Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium which sounded wonderful in the superb accoustic of the ancient building. The date is already booked for next year.