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Farewell Message from Chris Higgins “Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~ Berthold Auerbach Music is a potent medium. It has the power to evoke a huge range of emotions, instigate thought, change attitudes, and define eras. It can be experienced in any situation, requiring anything from 0 – 100% concentration from the listener. Performing music has to be one of the most fulfilling activities available in life, not only because you are creating that medium yourself, but also because of the wide variety of people you can meet while you are doing it. In the little world of Kingston over the past 29 years the Kingston Youth Concert Band has given young musicians the opportunity to be a part of that medium and to date over 375 have benefitted. One in particular springs to mind. Me. “Music is a friend of labor for it lightens the task by refreshing the nerves and spirit of the worker. “ ~ William Green
I joined the band at its inception in 1979 playing percussion. I’d played in many other groups before but this was the first with a large group of peers all discovering life at the fast pace young teenagers do. What was new and exciting about this band was not only the comprehensive range of concerts, but also the fact that you were able to travel as a team. Our first band tour was to Sweden and was a magnificent experience for a wide eyed 13 year old - certainly the furthest afield I had ever travelled with or without parents. Here I not only solidified the relationships with my fellow band members but also made new friends, who I’m privileged to consider as dear, close friends to this day.
Since then the band has completed twenty six tours to eleven countries on two continents, in addition to keeping a rigorous schedule of UK concerts, and I’m proud to say that I have been there for the whole time, of course making many new friends along the way. You might now be thinking that makes me the oldest student ever in a youth band…and you’d probably be right! “Music is the shorthand of emotion.” ~ Leo Tolstoy
After many years with the band during which I gained so much, I really wanted to give something back, so in 1991, after studying at college, I took the position of percussion coach with the Music Service of Kingston. In 1993 I took over from Alec Warne as Musical Director of the Big Band, and in 1999 as Musical Director of the concert band when Alec finally retired. Having started the band back in ‘79 some thought Alec would never leave!
During my time teaching I have realised many personal goals and achieved things I would have never considered possible. Conducting a band of over 200 at the Royal Albert Hall, and performing my arrangement of Jeff Wayne’s ‘The War of The Worlds’ with 85 musicians, singers, and actors at Leatherhead Theatre are just two of the many things that spring to mind.
I have taught in several different counties and boroughs and been a part of (sometimes even initiating) many bands, but always my main passion has been for Kingston where I started. Over the years these bands have competed nationally with some success and performed in many international festivals both here and abroad. Of course, some of the warmest appreciation comes from our home crowd supporters here in Kingston where the bands build each year on their growing reputation. “Without music life would be a mistake.” ~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
As any music teacher will tell you, the most rewarding part of teaching is to watch students develop and flourish both as people and as musicians, and I’m especially proud that so many young people I have had the privilege to meet go on to develop their musical skills through study and career. It was possible to form a Big Band for the Kingston Regatta comprising of ex KYBB members who had maintained their playing standard up to a semi-pro level, many actually being professional musicians. There were so many to choose from that I was asked to do it again just so everyone could take part! There have also been calls for an ex KYCB band. “The difficulty in life is the choice.” ~ George Moore
The time needed to organise bands like KYCB and KYBB is immense, and if this was my main job there would perhaps be time enough. But like so many group leaders I fit this into my spare time, and it’s been a delicate balance between this and my other hobbies and interests. After a lot of soul searching, and weighing up all of the recent changes and the time required to do the bands justice, I have decided that after 17 years of service I’m going to take a break from the bands and try life without the Kingston Music and Arts Service – at least for a while. This has been no easy decision for me and has taken the best part of 6 months to conclude as teaching has been my dedication and passion for so many years, but it now feels right to give more time to explore my other interests fully and to further my own musical career.
It has been a pleasure and an honour to be associated with Kingston’s young musicians over the past 29 years, and I’m sure that KYCB and KYBB will continue to grow and flourish as I hope they have under my guidance. A spirit and energy that has given so much to so many is much greater than any one person, and I’m sure the bands will be around for the next 29 years to give the next generation of Kingston’s young musicians the same wealth of experiences it has for the last 29 years.
As is usually the case with occasions such as this, there are several ‘final concerts’. There’s the final end of term concert, the final tour concert, final concert band concert, and the final big band concert. I would be delighted to see anyone who’s been a part of KYCB in any way, shape or form at any of these events.
I’d like to leave you with one of my favourite quotes which I think sums up how everyone feels about their preferred kind of music. “If this don’t turn you on, you ain’t got switches!” ~ B.B.King Chris Higgins MD – Kingston Youth Concert Band
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