Rehearsals. Joe on far right.
The second piece in the jigsaw puzzle that led to this weekend’s extraordinary experience was the Eynsford Concert Band. This is a symphonic wind band that has been based in the village of Eynsford, Kent since 1972. It brings together a very talented group of musicians who perform regularly in theatres and concert halls, both in the UK and abroad. They have even performed on a cruise liner. But the extraordinary thing about the band is that it is a registered charity and all of its members are amateurs, playing for pleasure and not for any other gain. They have a growing, eclectic and challenging repertoire but, whilst they move about a lot, they have kept their local links. I am posting a picture which shows, on the right of the picture, their oldest member, Joe Stafford, who I had the great pleasure and privilege of meeting over dinner. Joe, a clarinetist, married Ralph Vaughan-Williams’s German house keeper. Indeed, the great composer gave her away at their wedding. Extraordinarily, Joe is over eighty but still going strong.
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