First Feilding concert for band

Manawatu Concert Band with Peter Ellery at the helm.

Manawatu Concert Band will give a concert in Feilding for the first time in its 25-year history.

The Palmerston North-based band, which is made up of woodwind, brass and percussion, will play at the Feilding Civic Centre on August 6.

While the band has taken part in the Festival of Bands in Feilding, it has never

That is about to change thanks to the band's musical director, Peter Ellery, who has been a stalwart of the Feilding music scene for more than 30 years.

"The Feilding community are great supporters of the local music scene, and with many band members being local, or associated with Feilding Brass, they are keen to perform to family, friends and the wider community," Mr Ellery said.

Mr Ellery said he was enjoying working with the Manawatu Concert Band.

"A concert band has a different sound and feel to a brass band that I'm more used to, and it has been a challenge and a delight getting to grips with this sort of ensemble," he said.

This concert has a wide-ranging programme featuring Big Band numbers from the 1940s including the iconic sounds of 'We'll Meet Again', 'White Cliffs of Dover', 'Lili Marlene', and Glenn Miller's 'In The Mood!'. Adding some timeless 'St Louis Blues', Aker Bilk's 'Stranger On The Shore' featuring a clarinet duet, and a touch of Film and Screen music with themes from 'Star Trek', 'Chicken Run' and 'Grease', to name a few, there is more than enough to keep the whole family entertained. Mixing it up a bit more, the band is teaming up with 'The Old Crotchets', a Feilding-based male voice choir.

The band will perform at the Feilding Civic Centre on August 6 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from band members, Eventfinda, the Feilding Information Centre, or at the door on the night (cash sales only). Adults $10, child/student $5.