Dalkeith's delight at Edinburgh Festival
TREADING the boards is nothing new for Dalkeith and Monktonhall Band, but now the East Lothian outfit has completed its latest stage appearances in front of delighted audiences.
The band played a starring role in a production of En avant, marche, from Belgian contemporary dance collective les ballets C de la B, at the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF). Hours of rehearsals culminated in two performances at the King's Theatre in Edinburgh - a fun experience for all concerned, as band secretary Heather Henderson explained.
"It was hugely enjoyable," she reflected. "The music wasn't particularly challenging but the experience and the mingling with the media and the EIF people was really interesting. We were all invited to a reception after the opening night where we met with the cast, crew, media and even the Flemish ambassador."
Dalkeith and Monktonhall took on the role of a community band for the project. Members wore a theatrical band uniform with high collar, striped trousers and a high hat with a plume. It featured in four pieces, beginning with Elgar's Nimrod, played in a band room setting into which players all walked in slow motion before sitting down.
Heather continued: "After playing, the lead actor Vim asked a few of our players what their professions were. This was used to introduce the band to the audience, to which we were given a warm applause. The play resumed when we took a cue from an actor to line up the play an arrangement of Verdi's Mohresklaven (Aida) as a slow march." Also featuring in the programme was Fanfare, by Jacques Lemmens, and Jupiter, from Holst's Planets Suite.
Dalkeith and Monktonhall is no stranger to the theatre world, having recently performed in a production of Brassed Off. It still provided something out of the ordinary for band members. Heather said: "Our engagements tend to be marching in a parade, playing outdoors at a community event, or a concert.
"Contests are all of the concert type format, so taking cues, interacting with actors and moving around on stage isn't our usual activity but we love it - and yes, in brass band circles we are jokingly labelled as 'resident band at the King's Theatre'.
"When we got the invitation to take part, the band committee had no problems getting the players on board. We all love interacting with the professionals and getting feedback from them. We are an entirely amateur organisation but we try and be as professional as we can. Delivering a high quality end product as an end point is a real joy."
