Tullis \"A night with friends\" concert
Players from bands across Scotland came together on Monday night in the Tullis Russell Mills Band Hall to play a concert entitled " a night with friends " to raise money for the McMillan Cancer Nurses.
Irene Carstairs who is a member of the Tullis Russell Band is currently being treated for cancer was the guest of honour at the concert and had asked that any money raised should go to the McMillan Nurses who have helped her during her illness. On stage were players for all the former Bands that Irene had played with as well as friends from up and down the country including Tullis Russell Mills Band, Tullis Russell Intermediate Band, former members of Cowdenbeath Public, the Lochgelly Band, Tayport Instrumental, Jedforest Instrumental, Kingdom Brass, Kingdom "B" Band, Dunfermline Town and Dysart Colliery. The massed bands were conducted by Martyn Ramsay, Alan Fernie, Andy Duncan and Steven Craig who also compered the evening.
During the evening Mr Alan Fernie made a surprise presentation to Irene as she received her Life Membership MedalMusic for the evening was all based around favourites of Irene's over the years and included The Irish Blessing, Trouble in the Air, The Phantom Menace and the night concluded with Manhattan Skyline. Alan Fernie also conducted the massed band in Irene's own arrangement of the march J.A.G.The evening also had the amazing spectacle of a trombone trio featuring Alan Fernie, Alan Douglas and Bill Sandal.......... Nothing spectacular in that itself but when you seen all three suitably dressed in Nuns Habits playing " I will follow him " as featured in the Woopy Goldberg film Sister Act it was pretty amazing. A total of £ 620 was raised on the night and Irene hopes to hand over the cheque to the local McMillan nurses within the next few days
