Aylesbury Concert Band — Park Summer Concert

The Concert in Aylesbury takes place each year in the Park adjacent to the Aquavale Public Swimming Pool. Due to the necessity for Band members’ vehicle numbers being registered before arrival at the Car Park on this occasion, I was not the chauffeur of my daughter and her Saxophone, but a passenger.

This year it took place on one of the hottest ever days, making it extremely heavy-going in the oppressive heat, resulting in the rehearsal being truncated due to not only the sun making it difficult for the players being able to see the Conductor, but also extremely tough if they were to survive till the evening’s performance. 

In addition there was a preliminary photo shoot of the Band members for future publicity purposes in their full concert dress and, with their instruments.This took place in the small amount of shade afforded by the trees in the Park opposite the Swimming Pool.

Due to the Band members’ vehicle numbers being registered before arrival at the Car Park, on this occasion, I was not the chauffeur of my daughter and her Saxophone, but a passenger. I had brought along three lenses to use, my general purpose all rounder zoom; the 24-70mm, the 70-200mm and the 100-400mm, and I would be using the EOS R body throughout.

I told myself I would be sparing in the number of shots I would be taking to minimise the subsequent time at the computer due to the high temperatures expected, however that did not happen, so it was not going to be a speedy run once back in front of the Computer. (Upper case — as at present with the larger file sizes of the EOS R has meant I have become its slave because it is taking more time to process the shots due to this increased individual size).

The high temperature brought another problem — keeping every instrument in tune, and in the interlude between rehearsal and Concert, considerable effort was made to ensure each instrument was in tune, and here technology was playing its part as individuals were being calibrated with the aid of small electronic samplers, so I captured these efforts in the cooler shade outside the inferno of the Stage.

The Audience had been swelling and sweltering all the while and as the sun lowered, it was shining directly into the players’ eyes as the Concert started, but the heat did not abate for some while, making hats and dark glasses ‘de rigour’, but the large gathering of families showed its appreciation by applauding, and several of the really young danced in the space between the front of the crowd and the Stage; cartwheeling and dancing, and waving flags.

Although there is an obvious difference in the Singers’ and Musicians’ attire between Rehearsal and Concert, to the Audience this transition is blurred, all is performance and fun, and enjoyed equally and informally, and simply the end of several days of enjoyment culminating in the Fireworks display after a short speech by the Mayor.

I hope that my images convey at least some of the enjoyment shared by all who attended and serve as a memory of family fun in the Park.