Mullingar Concert Band and Ballymore Eustace Concert Band at St Paul's Church
The acoustics of St Paul’s Church in Mullingar added an extra layer to the sumptuous sounds of Mullingar Concert Band and the Ballymore Eustace Concert Band at a special concert on Saturday week last.
While many people will be very familiar with Mullingar Town Band’s talented marching band, this was an opportunity to experience the rich sound of the Mullingar Concert Band. Under the guidance of conductor John Walsh, the band formed in 2021 following the Covid lockdowns, with the objective of giving previous members of the town band, as well as new members, an opportunity to come together and play again.
The St Paul’s audience were treated to a varied programme, encompassing many genres of music, all performed with consummate skill and attention to detail. Highlights included a beautiful arrangement of the ever popular Londonderry Air (Danny Boy), which showcased the wonderful ensemble playing of the band.
A tribute to Burt Bacharach with lush harmonies and ever popular melodies was a stand out, as was the closing number, a Beach Boys medley, complete with drum solo, that almost had the audience dancing in the aisles.
While the Ballymore Band were setting up, the audience enjoyed the fun and funky sounds of The MTB Gig Band, fresh from their hugely successful debut show in the Stables the previous week. While they may only have played two pieces on the night, they left everyone with tapping feet and smiles on their faces.
The Ballymore Eustace Concert Band, under the baton of Jon Clifford, are a well established and extremely talented band and it was a joy to hear them perform. They kept the audience spellbound with their playing, with a mix of music from Prokofiev to Morricone. Among the many highlights was a stunning performance of the theme music from the movie Lawrence of Arabia by Maurice Jarre.
Both bands came together at the end to perform two pieces together, the rousing Washington Post march and Ronan Hardiman’s Lord of the Dance, and the combined sound almost blew the roof off the church! It was a wonderful way to end a special night.