Imperial staff and students blown away by Wind Power concert

Band of the Coldstream Guards and Imperial College Winds perform in concert - News

Friday 23 January 2009
By John-Paul Jones

Imperial staff and students enjoyed a special collaboration this week when the Band of the Coldstream Guards joined forces with Imperial College Winds for a unique day of workshops and fanfares, culminating in a concert to raise money for music scholarships.

Wind Power 2009 was the brainchild of Imperial staff member and winds player, Mel Tamplin of Finance, who says he was keen to find the Imperial College wind “an interesting challenge for the new year”. He spoke directly to the Bandmaster of the Band of the Coldstream Guards Greg Machin. The bandmaster and the guards enthusiastically agreed to the collaboration, which swiftly expanded into a full programme of events.

Lord Windson performs with students and Guards

The day began with morning workshops in which Guard musicians worked closely with Winds members on music technique. But it was at lunchtime that the Guards really made their presence felt when six of their trumpeters provided full fanfares in Dalby Court and on the steps of the Queen’s Tower. After an afternoon rehearsal the bands were joined by over four hundred concert guests for an evening of music taking in everything from regimental marches to a Beatles medley.

As well as Lord Winston, Imperial’s Professor of Science and Society, joining the bands armed with his saxophone, there was a special guest appearance from the jazz-pop singer Victoria Hart. At the end the audience gave a standing ovation, with one member, Jennifer Freuh, a postgraduate at the National Heart and Lung Institute, commenting: “I had an excellent time enjoying the great music.”

Simon Webber, a fourth year civil engineering student, has been in Imperial College Winds since his first year. He said: “Working with the Coldstream Guards has been an amazing experience. They’ve been extremely professional and immense fun and I really think that we’ve learned a lot together.”

 

The Guards also enjoyed their time with Imperial College Winds, a non-auditioning group of wind, brass and percussion players who get together to play for fun. Bandmaster Greg Machin said:

“We get a great deal of variety from working with the different groups and, particularly today, it’s nice to work with such a talented group of young musicians.”

At the dinner for concert sponsors Professor Julia Buckingham, Pro-Rector (Education) noted the contribution funds raised from the evening will make to Imperial’s musical life, saying: “We will be able to offer more music opportunities to students in the future.” The music scholarships will give the most musically talented of Imperial’s students the opportunity to take lessons at the Royal College of Music.

According to Richard Dickins, the College’s Director of Music: “Music at Imperial is absolutely thriving, with a large number of orchestras and bands.” Last year saw Imperial’s Symphony Orchestra named as the UK’s best university orchestra at the first Symphuni competition.