Stowmarket Concert Band celebrates 60th anniversary and honours The Queen with musical tribute

A concert band is preparing for a live performance to mark an important milestone and to honour Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Stowmarket Concert Band is a brass ensemble who have been creating music for the past 60 years and will be performing on Sunday, September 18 at the United Reformed Church starting at 4.30pm.

The band started in the 1960s and has played at many historic moments in Stowmarket’s history including countless fairs, concerts and parades such as The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

With The Queen’s death last week, a section of the performance will honour her memory with a musical tribute during the show.

Band member Polly Sinclair said: “We were really in two minds about whether to continue with the concert but we checked with the church and decided to still go ahead with it.

“The piece we’ll be playing is called Albion Treasures which is a combination piece of music that takes listeners on a trip around the British Isles.

“It’s such a lovely piece and it combines aspects of Highland Cathedral, Amazing Grace, Danny Boy, Swing Low Sweet Chariot and the hymn Dear Lord and Father of Mankind.”

“We will also be playing the national anthem and giving audience members a chance to sing the words ‘God Save The King’ possibly for the first time with other people.”

The concert is a ticketed event and tickets can be purchased by following this link and more information can be found on the band’s Facebook page.

The band currently has around 40 members and the youngest member is five years old while the oldest is roughly 80.

Polly’s 16-year-old son is also in the group.

She said: “We have a lot of families in the band. All sorts of relatives come together to play, which is really lovely.

“This is a big year for us in terms of our anniversary but also because it’s the first time in the last couple of years that we’ve been able to play properly and do things.

“We managed to keep going through the pandemic and we did lots of different outside performances but the last formal indoor concert was in 2019.”

“It’s going to be good to get back to it.”