From the lighter works of composers such as Holst, to the polished gems of craftsman such as Eric Coates and Ernest Tomlinson, Light Fantastic centred on a weekend of concerts on London’s Southbank, performances by amateur groups and the BBC’s six performing groups across the UK, and a host of on air activity from 24 to 27 June 2011.
BBC recordings for member ensembles
We invited amateur ensembles to apply to take part in BBC recordings events across the UK, and we had a brilliant response. The following 27 groups were recorded, involving over 1,000 individual musicians:
The National Saxophone Choir of GB, Vernon Building Society Poynton Band, Nottingham Symphonic Wind Orchestra, Salford Symphony Orchestra, Hale Light Orchestra, Elland Silver Band, Westoe Brass Band, North Cheshire Wind Orchestra, St Peter's Male Voice Choir, Downshire Brass, Exeter Children's Orchestra, Kew Wind Orchestra, Campbeltown Brass, Scottish Romance Orchestra, Five Valleys Adult Wind Band, Westerly Showband, South Wales Clarinet Choir, Bristol Saxophone Ensemble, North Somerset Community Brass, Lambeth Wind Orchestra, Footloose Dance Orchestra, Anemos Trio, Docklands Sinfonia, Cambridge Concert Orchestra, London Gay Symphonic Winds and the Linden Wind Orchestra. Congratulations to everyone!
We also invited ensembles to send in their own recordings of light music so that we can have some of your performances broadcast on BBC Radio 3. BBC sound balancers and engineers offered an advice-line on how to get the best recorded sound from your ensemble. Again, we had a really great number of entries, and will be posting details of the broadcasts here soon.
