On October 20 1860 The Winchmore Hill Methodist Church was opened. On June 18 2010, almost a 150 years from that date, The Amersham Band gave a celebratory concert in the Village Hall in support of the Methodist Church funds (the Band rehearses weekly in the Methodist Church). The two events shared one thing, I am reliably informed - on each occasion the Bucks Free Press was represented.

The Amersham Band is acquiring a growing reputation for quality playing, witness their successful graduation to the National Brass Band Finals in September. They demonstrated one movement from the Suite “Royal Mile” by Alan Fernie, which is in rehearsal for the event. Indeed throughout the concert they played very well indeed under conductor Paul Fisher.

My only real reservation (apart from the travesty of the William Tell “Overture”) was in some of the “transitional” passages. They could do with some “polishing” to disguise them a little more.

Outstanding were an interesting and unusual arrangement of “Amazing Grace”; a realistically sounding train in the Lennon/McCartney “Ticket to Ride”; a fine version of Gershwin’s “I got rhythm”; and a glitzy South American “Amparito Roco”.

Of the soloists, young Decian Goodhall (still studying at the Guildhall School and Trinity College of Music) showed the remarkable versatility of the euphonium, usually stereo-typed as ponderous. With a version of “Grandfather’s Clock” set as a theme and variations, we were treated (without band rehearsal) to a remarkable display of agility..

Additionally three trombonists gave a delightful, indeed suitably frolicsome rendering of Rodney Bashford’s “Frolic for Trombones. While the final soloist was Winchmore Hill’s “local lad” Kim Speller (flugelhorn). who played Joy Webb’ s Salvationist “Share My Yoke” with appropriate feeling.

In fact the Church’s Minister (after praising the Band - rather bravely? - for providing an alternative to football on TV) summed up the concert rather well. He suggested that the BBC’s Songs of Praise programme would suit both the Village Common and also The Amersham Band. Not a bad idea at all