The modern circular church of St Mary’s in Leyland was the venue for a RNLI fundraising concert on Sunday, June 15, and home-turf for the renowned Leyland Band.

After a dutiful God Save the Queen to mark HRH’s birthday, the concert began with a lively fanfare of festive impressions by Waespi.

Once warmed up, the new conductor set to wowing his audience and made sure Leyland Band, currently ranked seventh in the world, gave their all.

The band was on form, the audience attentive, though the conductor’s lively commentary was wasted by poor PA and talking too fast. Fortunately that was largely resolved in the second half.

The programme was a mix of classical and modern, loud and lively, slow and smooth, and one way or another thoroughly exercised all the musicians.

Rachmaninov’s Adagio proved a chance for a cornet soloist, while Sweet Gingerbread Man, arranged by Eric Banks, had the drummer on full throttle.

The first half finished on a high with a medley of the best of the Beatles, a chance for the audience to join in too.

After the interval, it was straight into a toe-tapping Bernstein/Ginastera Mambo-Malambo.

Then the band’s very own ‘Gloria’ (as in Brassed Off) gave a flugel solo performance of Concerto D’Arunjuez.

The introduction built her up and left me feeling nervous on her behalf, but she pulled it off without flinching. A perfect rendition of a beautiful piece.

Then it was time a bit of fun with the Bumble Shuffle (also known as the Flight of the Bumble Bee).

The band was in its usual mischievous form, and after a Laurel and Hardy style sketch,young Matthew White gave an excellent euphonium solo performance in Neath Dublin Skies (arranged by Lovatt-Cooper), racing the band to the finish line.

The finale, Vitae Aeternum, was a big brassy tune that danced between the trumpets, cornets and euphoniums crescendoing into full band blasting explosion of brass that filled the auditorium.

A final encore of Dixieland ensured that the audience went away with music ringing in their ears.

Leyland Band play in Lostock Hall next month, and return to St Mary’s, in Broadfield Drive, on December 21.

I imaging Christmas in St Mary’s is rather special.

The shiny instruments looked quite spectacular even in June, as the light faded, and the brass reflected the circle of lights in the church.

It should be a good do in any case as it is also the conductor’s birthday.