On Sunday 23 April, 59 members of Somerleaze Singers were guests at the Big and Brassy Season 4 concert at Princes Hall in Aldershot. Big and Brassy was set up by Ray and Linda Somers in 2017 to bring 8 small, non-competing bands together for a weekend of music-making and to raise money for charity. Its huge success led to the continuation of the project. The conductor for the band was Paul Speed, The Abbey School’s Brass teacher. This year Big and Brassy were raising money for The Ripple Pond – a charity that supports the adult family members of injured British Armed Forces personnel and veterans.  The other charity has been Brass for Africa from the start. Brass for Africa is an award winning charity that delivers music and life skills education to over 1500 disadvantaged children and young people across Uganda, Rwanda, and Liberia. 

The choir enjoyed listening to a variety of music such as Doctor Who, How to Train your Dragon and a selection of music by Boney M – the concert even managed to include the mobile phone emergency alert test! Also performing, was Jack Mason who has appeared on the X Factor and most recently as Ed Sheeran on ITV’s Starstruck. The choir sang a variety of songs which were well received by the audience.