The Churchgate Wind Octet and The Octave Choir
Woolpit Festival is delighted to welcome the Churchgate Wind Octet and the Octave Choir for this afternoon concert. They will be providing a varied programme which will include two pieces marking the hundredth anniversary of the end of the First World War.
Octave will sing a short piece by George Dyson who joined the Royal Fusiliers at the outbreak of war in 1914. He became grenadier officer of the 99th infantry brigade and wrote a pamphlet on grenade warfare. In 1916 he returned to England incapacitated by shell-shock, but went on to serve in the newly formed RAF, organising military bands. After leaving the service in 1920 he became professor of composition at the Royal College of Music and music master at Wellington College and later at Winchester. In 1938 he was appointed director of the RCM, the first former student to do so.
The Octet will play a Divertimento by Gordon Jacob, who enlisted in the Field Artillery and fought until his capture in 1917. He was one of only 60 men in his battalion of 800 to survive. As a POW he formed a small prison camp orchestra and arranged the music depending on the instruments available. After his release he studied piano and composition at the Royal College of Music. He taught at the RCM until his retirement in 1966. During this period he composed music for the 1951 Festival of Britain.
The wind octet will open the concert, followed by the choir. After the interval the choir will open the second half, followed by the octet.