On the Saturday of Easter weekend we filled Egerton Hall with music, magic, and memories during our enchanting Disney Showcase, a family-friendly afternoon event that blended live performance with interactive fun for all ages.

Running from 2:00pm to 4:30pm, the event proved to be a hit with the local community, drawing families, Disney fans, and music lovers alike. The hall buzzed with excitement from the moment the doors opened, as we set the stage for an afternoon packed with entertainment and activity. Beloved Disney characters Elsa and Ariel met guests as they arrived and were on hand for photos before the we kicked off the first set with the theme from Star Wars, an impressive and attention-
grabbing opener.

The first musical set continued with more Disney favourites, including magical renditions from The Lion King, Frozen, The Jungle Book, and Mary Poppins. Children were encouraged to get up and dance by Elsa and Ariel, and many eagerly joined in, filling the front of the hall with energy and joy.

Midway through the afternoon, the focus shifted from music to magic as local magician Chris Webb took centre stage for a full hour. The magician’s performance kept children wide-eyed and laughing, and following the show, he continued to entertain by making balloon animals and creations while we returned for their second musical set. Favourites such as Colours of the Wind, Under The Sea and How Far I’ll Go were amongst some of the tunes performed by the band and the set concluded with a rousing finale featuring the iconic Pirates of the Caribbean theme. By this stage some of the kids had been armed with balloon swords and were battling it out in front of the band.

In addition to the music and magic a colouring station offered a creative outlet for younger guests, while one of the day’s highlights was the “have-a-go” brass area, where children could try out instruments under the guidance of friendly band members. Many young attendees seized the opportunity to make their first sounds on a selection of instruments, including cornets, flugel horn, tenor horn, a trombone and a bass, with big smiles all around.

“We wanted to create an afternoon that would attract people for whom perhaps it might be the first time they have come to watch a brass band and an event that would inspire youngsters to enjoy brass music in the future or possibly even give playing a brass instrument a go.” said Nick Wilson (Solo Baritone). “It was wonderful to see so many children dancing, playing instruments, and getting involved. We were blown away by how popular this event proved to be, all the costumes that everyone had made the effort to dress up in and delighted that everyone had so much fun! We’ve had nothing but positive comments from those who attended and suggestions that people would very much like for us to put on another similar event in the future.”

We also used the event to raise funds for an exciting opportunity later this year. Following our impressive 3rd place finish at the Midlands region of the National Brass Band Championships, we have qualified to represent the town in the Finals in Cheltenham this September, where donations collected during the showcase event will help support the band’s travel and participation in the prestigious event.

The Disney Showcase highlighted not only the band’s musical talent but also our commitment to community engagement and inspiring the next generation. Brackley and District Band is proud to be part of the community and we look forward to entertaining the people of Brackley in the years to come.

For more information on upcoming events or guidance on how to take up an instrument and play in a band please contact us – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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